Page 64 of Captive of the Stolen Empire

“I can now,” I replied. “A very interesting duel.”

Her lips thinned on the word “interesting,” stretching my grin further. The way a blush colored her cheeks when something embarrassed her gave her a girlish charm so at odds with the fiery determination of her spirit.

To her side, Reyna pretended to ignore us, but the careful, brief strokes of her brush across the same section of canvas didn’t mask her rapt attention. Lucky for me, my news affected them both. Finding them together saved me another search.

“The painting will have to wait, I’m afraid.”

“What’s going on?” Ilya set her brush on the thin folding table between them that held their assorted jars of paint and water.

“I need you to come with me. Both of you,” I said.

Reyna paused her act and looked at me, placing her brush with Ilya’s.

“I can have someone clean this up and store these for you, but I need you to come now.”

Ilya stiffened, her mouth gaping ever so slightly, a sharp contrast to Reyna, whose demeanor remained unchanged.

“What’s happened?” Ilya asked, not fully hiding the hint of worry in her voice.

“Nothing yet. I can’t explain much now, but answer honestly when asked and remember what I asked you the other evening.”

Trust me, Ilya. I need you for this.

Reyna placed her hands on her hips. “Lead the way then.”

Ilya’s brows furrowed, but she followed beside me as I led the women out of the training room. We walked in silence to our destination, only breaking it once Zurina came into view, reclining outside the doorway to the room I aimed for.

“You found them both,” she said, pushing off the wall. “Excellent work.”

Ilya looked up at me, asking a silent question. I yearned to tell her everything, to explain, but our emperor wouldn’t expect her to know the topic to be discussed. Any slip-up on her part could implicate me—or worse, earn her a punishment I couldn’t protect her from.

“They were together. Saved me a trip,” I replied.

“Well, let’s get this over with.” She motioned to the two guards standing at attention on either side of the door. Both rushed to comply, pushing the double doors open wide to allow us access to the room beyond.

Zurina entered first, followed by the other two women, with me trailing. Ilya stumbled half a step, but to her credit, she kept her composure and followed Zurina into the center of the audience chamber.

Emperor Ryszard sat at his large, wooden desk carved with animal designs and stained to a deep brown. The circle of heavy chairs on the floor were empty sentinels in a half-moon facing toward the desk on either side of the empty aisle we walked along.

Ilya and Reyna halted as Zurina did.

“There you are, and sooner than I expected.” The emperor’s ringed fingers drummed on a stack of papers atop his desk.

Zurina placed her hand across her chest and gave a small bow. I swallowed the hint of nerves creeping up my throat and took my place at her side, giving the same show of respect and subservience. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Ilya’s fleeting stare.

“We didn’t want to keep you waiting,” I replied. “We”—I gestured to Zurina—“have a suggestion regarding the city-states of Trale and Nassia.”

He raised his hand, one finger pointed toward the ceiling. His sign for silence. “And these two need to be present as well?” He gestured to the women standing just behind us.

Finally, I was free to glance in her direction. Both Ilya and her friend stood straight as a board, attention fixed on the man who’d just spoken. Ilya’s lips had thinned into a tight line, her eyes wide and flickering with emotion.

“Yes.” I turned back to my emperor. “What better way to send a message than to have it delivered by your honored guests?” I stepped back to keep both the women and my emperor in view. “Send one of them with each of us to the city-states to discuss the increased tax. It will show that the other city-states are submitting to your rule and encourage their compatriots to do the same. Plus, as you can see, both women are content here, well cared for, healthy. That alone will send a message.” I held my breath as the emperor steepled his fingers in front of him.

“Hm…” he mused, before taking a short sip from the glass upon his desk. Drinking again? “Yes, I can see the advantages, but will our guests aid us in this?” He cocked an eyebrow, staring down the women.

“I believe they will,” Zurina said.

He waved her silent with a quick slash of his hand. “I’d hear from them themselves. Their oath to convey my message and nothing more. A service to their new country.”

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