Page 24 of Ironhold: Trial Five

Cesca looks hurt by that, and angryas she looks over at me. How is she the angry one when she's the one whobetrayed me? Is this really going to be another rivalry within the colosseum?Another gladiator who will seek to target me wherever she can? Part of mewonders if I should have struck her down with my spear rather than tangling herin my net. The rest of me is shocked at the thought. Have I really reached thepoint where I will consider killing someone because it is more expedient thanletting them live?

That is what this place does to us.It has made me into someone who will kill when the emperor commands it. Someonewho enjoys the fame. Someone the version of me who was brought here from myvillage would probably barely recognize.

Lady Elara comes over to me. “Lyra,it is good to see you. Your partner in the last bout was keeping me company.She was just telling me that she would be all too eager to live up to all therumors she's heard about you and me.”

She says it just loud enough forothers to hear, and I see further embarrassment cross Cesca’s face. Lady Elaraholds out her hand to me, leading me in the direction of one of the privaterooms. I go with her even though she is not my patron. It's a moment thatappears scandalous, as if she has just ignored Cesca pointedly for the chanceto sleep with me. We head through into a room lined with silks and with a couchin the center, leaving Cesca to her embarrassment.

“You did well to survive herbetrayal,” Elara says, as she settles onto the couch. “Although people whodidn't see her attempt to kill you clearly think that you betrayed her to getmore glory by fighting two on one.”

The idea that people would thinkthat of me horrifies me. I am not a traitor to my friends, do not betray peopleif they are not about to betray me or those around me first.

“You aren’t really interested inher, are you?” I say.

She shrugs. “I get the feeling thatshe is interested in anyone who will help her. I don't blame her, as you shouldnot. She is at most an illustration of some of the things wrong here. Things weshould be changing. The uprising is coming, Lyra.”

“Vex was saying something similar,”I say. I want to know where things stand with Lady Elara and the spectralcovenant. What their plans are, and how soon they intend to implement them. Vexmeans to act, and so, possibly, does Bella.

“Him,” Lady Elara says, and hertone makes it clear that she doesn't like Vex. If I had any thoughts that theymight be connected, those thoughts are easy to dismiss now. “He is not someoneyou should be spending time around.”

“He's my new patron,” I say. “Idon't exactly get a choice.”

If I had been given that choice,then I would never have met with Vex at all. But now… now I'm not sure ifthat's still true.

“The emperor held back every otheroffer,” Lady Elara says. “Perhaps he will pay the price for doing so. He thinksthat Vex is a most loyal noble, and that he is being as cruel as only anobleman can with you as your patron. Instead he is engaged in intrigues,seeking to overthrow the emperor.”

“The same as you,” I say in awhisper. It is not truly safe to discuss such things here but we have nowhereelse now.

“He isnotthe same as me,”Lady Elara insists. “His little group is not interested in making life betterfor anyone but themselves. They will punish the beast whisperers the same asthe emperor. They are a group of nobles who have realized that they will neverhold true power within the empire, and now they are looking for a way to putone of their number on the throne. That is all.”

Not so long ago, I would haveagreed with her dismissal of Vex and his aims. Now though it all soundsworryingly similar to the kinds of things Lady Elara wants to achieve.

“And are you so different?” I askher.

She looks a little offended. “Youreally need to ask if I am different to someone like him. You know him. Youknow what he's like: arrogant, entitled, vicious when he needs to be. If he'scharming, it's to get something.”

The trouble is, some of thosequalities sound a lot like Lady Elara. She is undoubtedly charming, but thereis always a point to it and a scheme behind it. She might not be as arrogant asVex, but there is no denying that she is a noble woman, with all theexpectations that the world will go her way that come with that. She isruthless when she needs to be, and has encouraged me to be more ruthless, toembrace the more dangerous powers of the beast whisperers.

“What exactly are your intentionswhen…ifyou succeed in overthrowing the emperor?” I ask her. “Will youfree all the slaves of Aetheria? Will you feed the poor? You talk about change,but how much will you change things?”

She looks troubled. “Change is noteasy. We will need to do things one step at a time. Once all the beastwhisperers are able to step from the shadows-”

“This isn't just about the beastwhisperers,” I insist. How can she not see that it's so much bigger than that?That the problems of the empire touch so many more people?

“We are the ones who have beenpersecuted,” Lady Elara snaps back. “Until we deal with that, we cannot dealwith anything else. Until we put one of our number on the throne, we cannot besafe.”

“Meaning you?” I guess. “Howexactly do you plan to take the throne? What are your plans?”

“My plans? Can you not trust me?”

I shake my head. “I need to know.What are you going to do?”

“Do you want some pretty lie, or doyou want the truth?” Lady Elara demands. “Can you stomach a real answer?”

“Tell me,” I insist.

“The beast whisperers around thecity will call to the creatures of Aetheria. We will bring them out in a tidalwave that will sweep over the city and destroy our enemies.Youwillbring the crowds roaring into the streets.Thatis what we will do.”

I can see how that would turn out.Beasts sent out in unchecked violence will cause carnage.

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