Page 67 of Poisoned Empire

“One of my favourite poisons, highly diluted. Do you like it?”

Sweet merciful gods, the barest breeze had him close to spending. He gripped her hips with shaking hands, his fingers probably bruising her backside as he caught his breath. She would not gain the upper hand. He jerked her close and spread her thighs for his tongue. But when he found her sweet centre, his tongue was coated with the same wicked brew as his manhood. Wild, mad, perfect woman.

“I’ve always wanted to see you on your knees,” she purred, stroking her fingers through his unbound hair.

“I will make you beg for mercy.” He didn’t even recognise the timbre of his voice as his lips tingled with her poison. He would not lose this game between them.

“Promises, promises.” She gasped as he dragged her to the floor and set to fulfilling his vow to turn the tables.

If this tide of madness had dragged him under, he never wanted to come up for air again.

“Praetor, a word,” Marduk called as he caught up to Nicephorus in the halls.

“Strategos?”

“There is an issue I wish to discuss with you. Shall we walk?”

“Lead the way. Is there some aspect of the prince’s plan which bothers you?”

Marduk shook his head.

“Nothing so grave. In fact, I’m relieved he’s willing to make better use of our military in this affair. I am certain Admiral Opal is keen to impress him after the fiasco with the griffin. No, what I wished to discuss is less to do with military matters, and more to do with personal concerns.” Marduk paused.

“Go on,” Nicephorus said. His eyes dimmed and shoulders slumped, eager statesman no more. Here was a man who felt himself a captive audience.

“It has come to my attention that the prince is spending his time with the poison mage, outside of what this plan calls for. I had hopes you might warn her, lest she start believing herself to be a true candidate for empress. My wish is that you will let her know, in the strongest possible terms, that her ignorance of all matters of statecraft makes her the very last choice for even the role of concubine. Can I leave this matter to you?”

“If even the esteemed strategos sees that she has begun deluding herself, then I’ll make it a priority to see that she is dissuaded.”

Nicephorus’ eyes turned icy with determination. The suggestion that Selene should be punished for her temerity fell on fertile ground. Marduk almost felt sorry for her.

“I’m glad to hear it. I knew I could count on you. If you’ll excuse me, I have ships to provision and troops to ready.” Marduk bowed.

The praetor bowed and hurried off to his own tasks. Marduk grinned and made a quick stop at the chambers appointed to Iliana’s family. Iliana made her way out into the hallway to speak to him.

“Your devious little plan is already in motion.”

“Ourdevious plan, Strategos. Who was it that said an asymmetrical attack was the better choice? I know Selene. Whatever the praetor scolds her for, she’ll do it all the more just to make a point,” Iliana replied, hands on hips.

“Kiss me, you minx.”

Iliana blushed, looking back and forth down the hallway for privacy’s sake before kissing him softly on the lips.

“Now go back to whatever it was you were doing. I have an appointment at the library.”

“What could you need from the library?”

“Books on statecraft, obviously.” Iliana winked before disappearing back into her chambers.

As Nicephorus and Domina Daria Amethyst descended the stone steps, the natural light grew progressively dimmer. Wall sconces lit the way, casting harsh shadows like a grasping embrace. The cool air chilled, the scents of dark earth and damp rock pervaded. When they reached their destination, one hand politely tucked under the other’s arm, they stood in the deepest of the dungeons.

“If you’ll come this way, Domina Amethyst.”

Nicephorus led the dead-eyed woman to a room hewn out of solid rock warded against all outside magics. Inside sat a white-haired girl with intelligent amber eyes and an ashen cast to her light brown skin. A guard had his hand placed on the metal collar around her neck.

The silver-tongue mage and her minder were here to assist him in his investigations into the Soul-Binding Ritual plaguing the noble houses. Before the current spate of troubles regarding the Ritual, most of the silver-tongue mages had committed mass suicide by poison, leaving only the youngest alive. Although previously housed in the secure wing of the palace, since their deaths, she’d been secured in the dungeon to limit access to any who might provide poison in future. Her minder was one of the Unhearing Knights, their order formed to defend against and capture the mages, acting as their guardians, caretakers and jailors when the situation called for it. He communicated by sign language, which Nicephorus, along with most of the rest of the palace, was well-versed in.

“Which soulless bitch is this?”

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