Page 22 of A Reign of Embers

“Then I’ll deal with the real traitor here, as Sabrelle should wish it.”

I don’t give him a chance to respond. I leap forward with a thrust of the sword and stab the devout right through the center of the chest as both Raul and Captain Evando have taught me.

In a proper fight, it wouldn’t have been so easy. But it clearly never occurred to the devout that I might harmhim. By the time he starts to react, the blade has already driven home.

Blood to match the pommel ruby spurts out over the shining steel. My stomach lurches, but I keep my expression placid as I jerk the sword free.

The devout staggers. He clutches at his chest, a cough sending blood dribbling across his lips. The crimson liquid is barely visible anywhere else, darkening the red fabric of his tunic.

The prisoner’s chain slips from his fingers. As the devout slumps over, the chained man shuffles to the side. The soldiers who arrived with him close in, one catching his arm.

The devout tries to speak, but nothing comes out of his mouth but a broken groan. One of his soldiers reaches for his own sword, and several blades whisk from sheaths all around me.

I speak before my guards have to, holding my sword at the ready. “Sabrelle challenged me to kill a traitor. I’ve done as she asked. Will you have me execute more than one today?”

A tendril of cool wind licks around my calf beneath my gown—a reminder that my princes are standing with me too. I meet the soldiers’ gazes without flinching.

The one who moved for his weapon drops his hand. His grimace suggests he isn’t happy about backing down, but I’ll take what victories I can get.

“We’ll be reporting the outcome of our appeal to Tribune Valerisse,” he rasps.

“Good. You can let her know that there’s nothing meek or feeble about the ruler the empire already has. If she doesn’t retract her call to war, we’ll all be clear thatherintentions have nothing to do with what’s best for the empire after all.” I motion to the prisoner. “And return this man to wherever he came from, to face the sentence he was originally given.”

One of the other soldiers draws her lips back in a snarl, but when my guards press forward, she backs up a step. Dragging the prisoner with them, they hustle toward the gates where the horses they rode in on are waiting.

I exhale slowly, resisting the urge to sag with momentary relief. Behind me, Marc calls out in his rough new voice, “Now that’s an empress!”

A ripple of cheers passes through the court. When I turn back toward the palace, a few of my guards and other soldiers stationed nearby salute me.

I smile at them all, pretending my gut isn’t still churning at the sight of the blood drenching the sword in my hand.

I can be this kind of empress if I have to, but it’s not who I ever wanted to be.

How much more blood will I have to spill before Sabrelle is satisfied?

Chapter Nine

Aurelia

Chatter and laughter carry through the imperial gardens in the glow of the evening lanterns.

I meander between the flowerbeds and hedge sculptures, wondering at how easily the court can shrug off this afternoon’s events. The atmosphere might be slightly more subdued than usual, but you’d never suspect we’re on the verge of civil war.

Or that I murdered someone a few hours ago.

A flicker of the memory passes behind my eyes, and my pulse hiccups with a heavy thud. The taste of bile seeps through my mouth, overpowering the delicate perfume of the first spring flowers.

Before my lingering horror can drag me too far under, Coraya squirms in my arms with a burble of sound. A smile tugs at my lips alongside the ache in my heart. I dip my head to press a kiss to her soft head.

Part of me wants to shut us away in my apartment so I can simply lie on my side and stare at her for hours on end, pretending the rest of the empire doesn’t exist. I’d rather help change her soiled swaddling cloths a thousand times than face another scene like today’s.

Unfortunately, I don’t expect I’ll get the option of making that trade.

I adjust her so she’s positioned more upright, which she often seems to prefer. As she takes in our surroundings with her head leaned against my shoulder, Bianca ambles over to join me with a few of the other noblewomen trailing behind her. Coraya blinks her wide eyes and lets out a soft coo.

The vicerine has never shown any interest in having children of her own, but she smiles at my daughter warmly enough. “They really do grow fast, don’t they? Look at her, taking the measure of us all already.”

I chuckle. “It can’t hurt for her to get started early. She’ll have far more to learn than I did.”

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