Page 158 of A Reign of Embers

In the wake of the civil war and all the changes that’ve followed, the empire’s citizens have barely blinked at my on-going relationship with the four men they don’t know are confirmed as my husbands. We’ve discussed carrying out a public marriage ceremony in a few more years, once we’re absolutely certain it won’t harm my position as empress.

But Coraya has been calling all of her fathers “Papa” along with their names for the past year, and I haven’t heard a single suspicious word about that fact either. Possibly because for whatever reason, it started with Raul, and the entire court is aware he couldn’t possibly be her birth father.

When he sets her down, she runs to Bastien next and tugs on his hand with a cajoling gaze. The prince of Cotea laughs, but he’s never been able to resist our daughter.

“Only for a minute,” he tells her. “We don’t use our gifts frivolously.”

“Much,” Marc murmurs, easing closer behind me, but his tone is only amused. He sets his hand on the small of my back. We watch together as Bastien summons a cushion of air to lift Coraya a foot off the ground, as if she’s flying.

The sight of a familiar face amid the nobles around us draws my attention away from my daughter momentarily. I raise my hand to beckon Bianca over. “You made it in time!”

My friend pats her looping hair and aims a wry smile at me. “You know, I do appreciate being mistress of my own estate, but it gets rather boring being there for long. A little peace here and there is plenty. Who could want that over the drama of court life?”

I laugh. “Fair enough.”

Thankfully, ever since the estate and associated title I gifted her gave her the freedom to divorce Ennius, very little of that drama has involved her. I can tell she prefers watching from the sidelines.

Bianca leans closer to me. “Which is not to say I’m not awfully grateful for the fact that I can count on quite a bit of peace even when I’m here.”

I tap my elbow against hers. “Then I’m grateful I could provide you with it.”

Lorenzo leaves off his playing while the court musicians carry on and extends his hand to me in a request for a dance. Bianca gives me a little shove toward my lover, and I let him tug me into step with him.

I take a turn with the prince of Rione, and then with Marc, and then Raul, and then Bastien. All around us, my court and the visiting royals make merry to the music as well. The kings and queens, crown princess and princes and their spouses, whirl in each other’s arms.

Axius moves more stiffly but no less enthusiastically with his wife. Baronissas Damina and Hivette match each other’s movements perfectly. Off by the edge of the platform, I catch sight of Neven’s pale head ducked next to Evando’s slightly darker one.

Bianca doesn’t bother with entertaining even the pretense of enjoying physical advances anymore, but she looksnothing but pleased to gambol between us hand in hand with Coraya, who’s giggling all the while. The obligation-free role of honorary aunt suits her perfectly.

When I sink into the throne set up in the middle of the platform, my daughter races over to scramble onto my lap. I cuddle her against my chest while I gaze out over the mass of people I’ve somehow brought together.

With only darkness showing beyond the windows, I kiss Coraya’s forehead goodnight and cross the hall to my apartment opposite hers. All three of my princes and Marc follow me in without hesitation.

They still keep their own rooms in the palace—I granted Marc one apart from the guard dormitories once he became known as my consort—but they rarely sleep there. I had my bed expanded not long after the war was over, and a couple of broad sofas arranged so there’s plenty of opportunity to share the room without feeling crowded.

Marc shrugs off his fancy guard jacket and tosses it over the back of a chair, his gaze gone distant. “Those new irrigation techniques the Cotean agricultural representative talked about have a lot of potential. Maybe you should see if they can send a few people to give training sessions in the Darium farmlands.”

I pick up the journal I left on my vanity. “Good idea. I’ll make a note of that for our meetings tomorrow.”

Raul glowers at both of us. “And then you’ll cut out the governing talk, because our wife has had a busy day and she deserves a break from politics.”

Marc narrows his eyes at the other man, though a smile lingers on his lips. “The work of leading an empire can never be completely set aside.”

Raul snorts through a smile of his own. “Then lead it in your head for a little while, Your No-Longer-Imperial Majesty. And get that no-longer-imperial ass into bed.”

We do all end up in the bed, in our usual full formation with me tucked in the middle and my four lovers taking the sides, head, and foot of the vast mattress. Sprite curls up on the pillow in the corner that’s become permanently hers.

Next to me, Bastien teases his fingers over my hair. His expression turns pensive. “You requested more mirewort from the medics this morning.”

I hum in agreement. “My supply is getting low.”

His fingers trail across my shoulder. “I know you’re still establishing yourself and ensuring the transition is going smoothly… but do you think someday you’ll want to give Coraya a sibling or two?”

The other men go still around me. By my head, Marc lets out a disgruntled sound. “Going for another without giving anyone else a chance?”

Bastien rolls his eyes good-naturedly. “I wasn’t thinking it’d have to bemedoing the deed.”

Raul’s bark of a laugh sounds a little strained. “Well, we know it won’t be me.”

---