Page 116 of Poisoned Empire

“I love you too, Iliana. Which is why I’m putting you first.”

“What do you me…”

Iliana slowly drooped to the floor. Selene guided her onto the plush carpet, snagging a pillow to place beneath her head. She would sleep for several hours, long enough for Selene to get far away.

Belisarius woke with a start, eyes wildly cataloguing his surroundings, dreading the sword about to run him through. A moment later, he realised where he was, touching his head. It was tender, but he was alive. How was he alive?

“Your Majesty, you are safe and whole. The traitors are dead.”

“Where is Selene? The strategos? The praetor?” he asked of the servant seated by his bed.

“I shall fetch them for you.”

Only a few moments passed before Nicephorus entered the room. Seeing his hair in such a strange style threw him.

“Your Majesty.” Nicephorus bowed deeply.

“Tell me what’s happened. How am I even alive?”

“Selene ordered me to fight Mercurius before he killed you. I don’t personally recall much of what happened after that, but I’m told Selene had Domina Opal launch her at Mercurius, poisoning him to death.”

“Is she…” He couldn’t get the words out.

“Selene is alive and well. She woke several days ago, and has settled a fair number of issues in your stead, at my behest.”

Had she really chosen to stay, even thinking he would be unfaithful to her? He needed to go to her, to tell her she would be the only woman, his one and only love, children or no. He tore out of bed and rushed to grab a robe he could throw on.

“Where is she now?”

Nicephorus’ stoicism was replaced with an odd, almost guilty refusal to meet his eyes. It sent a frisson of panic through him.

“She has tasked me with giving you this.”

He proffered a sealed scroll. Belisarius tore through the seal and read it, his gut sinking.

Belli,

I fixed your empire. Try not to fuck it up.

Selene

P.S. Your future wife can thank me – I made royal concubines illegal.

“Where is she?” Belisarius ground out as he crumpled the letter in his hand. Nicephorus had allowed her to leave. He’d never gotten the chance to make things right with her. What if he never did? It was a fate he couldn’t bear.

“Selene is gone!” Marduk burst into the room. “Iliana was left sleeping on the floor of her room. I’ve sent the royal guards to search for her.”

“A teleportation mage took her to the harbour a few hours ago. She’ll be at sea by now,” Nicephorus replied.

Belisarius grabbed him by his robe, ready to beat him to a pulp.

“How could you let her leave?! She is your empress!”

“I gave my word I would let her leave once she helped sort out the most pressing issues of the empire. As for her title, she abdicated this morning when she heard you would wake.”

He couldn’t lose her. Belisarius ran to his closets and rummaged through them, selecting something sturdy. He threw on pants, tunic and a coat.

“Your Majesty? What are you doing? A teleportation mage can’t land on a moving object, let alone one he’s never been on before.”

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