Page 25 of Poisoned Empire

“When you find Selene, bring her to my study. In the meantime, I need to find out whose company my father is enjoying so much at this hour,” Belisarius mused.

“Your Royal Highness.” Both Marduk and Nicephorus bowed in unison.

Belisarius made his way through the gardens, ascending the staircases to reach his father’s rooms in record time. The guards were nowhere to be found, but Father often dismissed them when he wished for privacy. As he reached the doors, he kept his mage gift close to his skin, aware of his unfortunate tendency to dispel enchantments. His father’s room had been made fire-proof for good reason. Once there, his bemused curiosity vanished, leaving fury in its wake. He stood at the entrance to his father’s inner chambers and listened to none other than Selene trading stories with the emperor.

“…and then, this handsy servant said, ‘a bitch like you should know her place.’ So I told that little slime, ‘yes, it’s standing above you with my heel on your throat.’ And then bam! He fell like a toppled tree! Guess where my heel was?”

“On his damn throat! Ha!” The emperor laughed.

“Is it true you literally skewered a man in a debate? Because I’ve always had this glorious image in my head. Please tell me it’s true.”

“Darling, I didn’t just skewer him. I did it with my own damn sceptre...while it was on fire!”

The two were overcome with a fit of laughter. Belisarius’ jaw locked up with the force of his clenched teeth.

“This is some seriously good shit, Darius. A girl could get used to this.”

“Only the finest fire brandy for my future daughter-in-law.”

“Oh please, as if Prince Stick-Up-His-Ass would actually marry a girl like me. Besides, Iliana and I are setting sail in style when this whole thing is over with, never to return.”

“Don’t spoil my fun, little girl. That’s an imperial edict!”

“Alright, so you can come with us. Think of it—no more stuffy empire. Oblivion as our oyster, waiting for us. I’m taking enough of your money to keep you in silks until you’re a dusty old skeleton anyway.”

“Ha, yes, I’d heard as much! The praetor looked a bit green around the gills over it, too.”

Peals of laughter had Belisarius clenching his fists until the bite of his nails nearly drew blood. He went to rip open the door only to find it an impossible task. He pounded on the wood.

“Open the damn door!”

“Can’t! It’s welded shut!” Selene called.

“Belli? Is that you?”

“You know, I’ve been meaning to ask, but just who in the hells is Belli?”

Belisarius concentrated his anger and kicked the doors apart. Luckily, the metal was still warm and pliant. They flung open, the sight greeting him enough to get his blood boiling all over again. Neither were properly dressed. Both were covered in soot, their hair wildly unkempt. His father sat in a pair of singed pants, while Selene wore nothing more than a slip barely covering her lithe thighs. He tore his gaze away to find a bottle of expensive spirits on the table, half empty.

“Belli, my boy, you didn’t tell me you had such a lively fiancée!”

“What are you doing here?” Belisarius growled at Selene.

“My goodness,Belli, get your mind out of the gutter. There’s a perfectly reasonable explanation.” She waggled her brows as she played with the disastrously short hem of her slip.

“Please, enlighten me,” he ground out.

“Well, I was stealing a book and wound up here, where Darius attempted to capture me. I ended up poisoning him, but he’d welded the door shut at that point, and the servant’s entrance doesn’t open, so we decided to have a few drinks and trade war stories. See? Perfectly reasonable.”

“You poisonedmy father!?” Belisarius stomped further into the room and grabbed Selene by her arms.

“Oh, please. His arm will thaw out in an hour, and the other one was just a teensie, weensie psychoactive poison that wore off ages ago. Stop being so hysterical.”

His father waved it off like it was nothing.

“She gave as good as she got. I gave her the book as a gift.”

He glowered at Selene. She shrugged.

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