Page 7 of Captive of the Stolen Empire

* * *

I knewwe approached Zhine when farms and grazing pastures became a regular part of the scenery. We neared the end of the growing season, and the fields were still lush with tall grain and other vegetables waiting to be harvested. The cattle had grown fat and lazed in their pastures. Those sights almost made me smile, until I remembered that this wasn’t the outskirts of Sorrena, and any food here likely went to feed the emperor’s armies above all.

The city of Zhine was large and old, its buildings of stone and wood occupying both sides of the river that cut through its center. The emperor’s castle commanded the largest hillside near the city, where it lorded over the sprawling city in the valley, marring the landscape like a giant barnacle on a rock.

The castle itself was formidable, massive—a relic of an age many cycles ago when only three families had controlled all of eastern Galanthia’s numerous city-states. Not so anymore. Cycles of strife generations ago had resulted in the breakup of the territory into its current parcels. Each city-state had a sizeable city as its capital with the surrounding area towns belonging to its control.

Multiple towers of grey stone speared the sky, with lower levels of the castle barely visible beyond the high wall that ringed the entire thing. We approached along a rutted, cobbled road that split just ahead, one branch veering toward the heart of the city and the other ascending the hillside to the massive iron gate at the castle wall.

We passed through the gate into the castle bailey, where I was let free from my temporary prison. The yard bustled with activity and smelled of horses, sweat, and waste—unsurprising given the number of men and beasts present. I had little time to stretch my legs before I was led inside and promptly searched by a female guard, not that I’d even had the chance to steal a knife or anything of use. Good thing I’d burned the little scroll in a campfire one night.

Lucien led me through the maze of stone hallways. And it truly was a maze, almost like the castle was built in pieces over time without any semblance of a plan. Perhaps it was. Some passages bore colorful tapestries, others were simple and plain. At one point we must have neared the kitchens or dining hall, as the savory scent of roasting vegetables and meats caused my stomach to give an embarrassingly loud rumble. Through it all, Lucien kept a steady watch on me, frequently looking back over his shoulder to make sure I hadn’t somehow disappeared despite the guards following just behind me. Too often during our journey, I found his attention lingering on me. Avoiding his notice was difficult, gathering information more so, especially since I spent most of my time alone in that cage of a coach.

At length, we reached a set of guarded double doors. Lucien’s fellow captains entered first, with us trailing.

My blood boiled as I caught sight of the man seated at the back of the room.

“My emperor.” Power and respect laced Lucien’s words as he bowed to the man where he sat in a high-backed chair behind a massive desk. It wasn’t a throne, not exactly. The room we entered was more of a private office than a space to hear the pleas of his citizens or hold a formal gathering. Although, much of the room lay barren, as if the emperor was used to having an audience standing in wait of his attention. The far side of the room he occupied, however, was lavishly decorated with wide pieces of art in gilded frames, a plush rug under his feet, and golden candelabras standing near the walls.

“I bring you Lady Ilya Valerious of Sorrena.” Lucien gestured to me before stepping aside and leaving me alone.

An odd part of me yearned to have him back, blocking my view of this most loathsome man. Even the captain was preferable to his emperor.

Emperor Ryszard steepled his fingers in front of him as he scrutinized me with his shrewd and narrow gaze. His heavily greyed beard and hair spoke of a man who had seen many cycles, though a hint of strength still clung to his frame below the layers of rich fabrics that draped his skin. Unlike his captains, he didn’t bother to hide his face, though I truly wished he would. Then, I wouldn’t have to look upon the man who carried an aura of ownership over all he beheld, as if he truly thought himself the rightful ruler over so many he conquered.

“Ilya Valerious.” His fingertips drummed against one another.

“Emperor.” It took everything I had to keep the fury from my voice. My body shook with rage seeing the man responsible for so much death and destruction. And for what? So he could reign like a god over us and increase his own wealth and power? He promised peace and prosperity for all, but those conquered by him had seen none of it. He started the wars. He weighed taxes on our people that would ensure hungry bellies during the resting season.

The emperor rose from behind his heavy desk of dark wood and stalked my way. The fur cloak around his shoulders brushed the stonework behind his polished boots. “My guest should kneel when greeting her emperor.”

My body stiffened, refusing to bend. I had to, I knew that, but kneeling before this monster, with his gleaming captains ringing the room, rebelled against my nature.

“Perhaps some persuasion?” Kasida asked. I recognized her from the journey here. In fact, most of the emperor’s captains I knew from rumor and reputation, if not introduction.

She advanced, but Ryszard waved her back as he approached.

I swallowed and forced my knees to bend, lowering my eyes to stare at the boots of the approaching tyrant.

He extended a ring-decked hand. Rubies and garnets shone in their golden settings from the light of the candle-lit chandelier above.

It took everything to lean forward and kiss his rings. Oh, to have a dagger to plunge into his neck. It would cost my life, but that would be a worthy price to end his reign. I’d contemplated it for endless hours during our journey to Zhine. Unfortunately, I’d never had the chance to steal a weapon, and they likely would have discovered it and taken it from me.

“Welcome to Zhine, Lady Ilya. I’m pleased to finally have Sorrena join our empire.”

As if we’d chosen to serve him. I fought the urge to wipe my mouth as the emperor turned and strode back to his desk. His every word was poison, just like what he’d used to murder his brother and steal his throne. He claimed illness took him, but rumors said otherwise. We should have seen his lust for power then and acted, but the city-states had mostly tenuous relationships with each other at best. Working together wasn’t something we did much at all, certainly not easily, and now it cost us everything.

“Excellent work, my first,” the emperor said as he reclaimed his seat.

Lucien bowed to his emperor.

“Captain Warren, see our guest to her room.”

A room? Not a cell?I clenched my jaw shut to keep the thought from spilling forth. So quickly the emperor dismissed me, as if I’d brought him tea and not proof of my city-state’s fall. He’d regret that. I’d make sure of it.

Warren escorted me through the halls. He wasn’t the worst of them, and if I’d had to choose one to escort me, I likely would have picked him. He was kind to those he commanded, from the little I’d seen, and had slipped me a few sweet cakes during our journey here. Because I wasn’t eating enough, he’d said. Fair. Though who could eat with the memory of their people’s conquest fresh in their thoughts? Perhaps, in another world where Warren wasn’t one of the emperor’s captains, we could have been friends. In this one, however, he was one monster serving another. Didn’t he see the death and destruction he caused?

“I think you’ll like Lady Elin. She’s kind, though a bit skittish,” he said as we traversed the halls. He had a gentle voice, and a young one. This captain could be a teenager for all I knew. It would explain why we knew so little about him. “Perhaps you can share some of your courage with her?” he added.

---