Page 104 of Poisoned Empire

“I have a terrible feeling.”

“Selene will be found safe, I vow it.” Marduk‘s eyes were full of concern and sympathy, squeezing her hand in comfort.

What more was there to say? She couldn’t leave the throne room, no matter that her intuition was screaming.

“I will now receive your oaths of loyalty,” Belisarius announced. “Will the armies of Lethe pledge their loyalty, or will they forfeit their lives?”

Marduk marched before the podium as Iliana walked behind him. When he knelt, so did she, careful not to falter in her lengthy silk skirts.

“Strategos Marduk and the armies of Lethe pledge their loyalty to the Emperor Belis-”

Cut off by an explosion, all eyes went to the doors. Twice the height of a man, and many times the weight, they were blown off their hinges. The two oak slabs and their iron fittings flew into the room, screeching across the floors, digging troughs in the mosaics, and came to a booming halt before the silk-draped assemblage. Guards surrounded Belisarius in an instant, swords drawn and shields raised.

“Do not make your oaths to that vile usurper! Before you stands the true heir of Lethe, the Empire of Mages. I, First Prince Mercurius Bloodstone, reject your claim to the throne, and demand my rights be recognised!”

Marduk paled. Iliana turned from him to the man claiming to be the long dead First Prince. The resemblance to the late emperor couldn’t be denied.

“Gods below,” Marduk whispered, horrified.

Iliana had no idea what was going on, but she recognised fear when she saw it. It chilled her to the marrow to see it in the eyes of her fiancé. Luckily, she was wearing a large, flashy metal necklace. She placed her hand on it and dissolved it into a coating on her palm, readying it for whatever purpose she might require. Belisarius’ shock was blatant. Was she the only one who saw that the man should be dealt with swiftly? The magistri and their heirs watched in wary silence.

“Your Majesty! Order the guards to arrest him!” Iliana called out to Belisarius.

Before he could react, a stream of fire came barrelling at her. Marduk grabbed her, wrenching Iliana out of the way just in time. The flames singed her skirts.

“Silence, wench!” Mercurius hissed. “Take your animal and leave, before I lose my patience.”

“Mercurius Bloodstone died twenty-eight years ago. What vile magic have you cast to appear before us with my father’s likeness?!” Belisarius roared.

Mercurius ignored him and turned to the magistri.

“Esteemed magistri, I, too, survived the assassination of my siblings all those years ago. The late Empress Nadia sent me across the sea, in the care of my Uncle Phokas, to protect me from future threats. I was meant to return upon my thirtieth year, but my youngest brother, coveting the throne for himself, conspired to use foul, foreign magics on my uncle and me, making us believe we were naught but exiled nobles, and telling my parents we had died.”

“At thirteen?! You must think us all fools!”

Belisarius whispered to a guard at his side, who disappeared into the shadows. Hopefully he was calling for reinforcements. Marduk had regained his composure.

“What kind of magic would let him look like Darius?” Iliana whispered.

“I can only imagine it’s some kind of shapeshifter, or the glamour of a fae, but that doesn’t explain the flames,” he replied, equally quiet.

Unconcerned by Belisarius’ outrage, the man continued. “When my beloved mother discovered this trickery, he murdered her, but not before she dispatched a counter-curse mage to save me.”

“Lies!” Belisarius shouted. He made to run the man through with his sceptre but Magister Emerald, the closest to the throne, held out his hand.

“We shall hear him out and decide the truth for ourselves, Your Royal Highness.”

Something was very wrong indeed. By rights, Belisarius was ‘Your Majesty’ now that Darius had died. Were the magistri truly entertaining this madness? Belisarius noticed the change as well, his knuckles white as he gripped the sceptre.

“You would have a charlatan on my throne, Emerald?”

The Magister shook his head.

“I beg of you, let him speak.”

The interloper continued, emboldened now.

“These past few years, I garnered the support of the former Magistri Sapphire and Amethyst as well as Magister Diamond. But once again, that snake discovered the threat to his lies! He summoned their daughters to Nadioch and cast foul magics on them so that he could accuse their fathers of treason, all while holding their children hostage. Even after he had them thrown into the dungeons and threatened with executions, my late allies refused to die as his pawns, and managed to break out before they were viciously slaughtered. I decided to reveal myself to my father, believing he at least would welcome me with open arms! Emperor Darius had been led to believe that I was dead, and affirmed my claim to the throne just last night. Then that usurper, having learned what my father planned, murdered the emperor! Now we come to the end of this tragedy, and I ask that you pledge your oaths of loyalty to me, your rightful emperor!”

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