Page 87 of A Reign of Embers

The queen goes still with her lips parted. “You told her beforeme?”

I motion at her much as she waved my concerns off moments ago.“Because as soon as you found out,youbowled over anything I have to say to use me for your own ends. No, I haven’t lived as long as you have—but I’ve lived in the Darium court for sixteen years longer than you’ve spent there. I know those people. I know Aurelia. For once, can you believe that I might be seeing more than you can, not less?”

Through the space of one breath and another, we simply stare at each other. Mother’s jaw tightens. Is she going to dismiss me all the same, stalk out of here and set her violent plans in motion no matter what I say?

I have to keep trying.“Aurelia hates the empire just as much as you do. She’s who you were when you were my age, seeing the injustices dealt against her country and aching that she couldn’t do anything to stop them—except she found a way. And she’s taken that way, no matter how much it’s cost her.”

“I don’t see that it’s cost her all that much,” Mother says tartly. “She’s sitting on the highest throne in the continent.”

My teeth set on edge.“If you could just talk to her, properly…”

A glimmer of inspiration lights in my head.

Maybe she can. Not by trekking across the strait and halfof Dariu to meet Aurelia in Vivencia, but there is another option, isn’t there, if what Mother said is correct?

“You can,”I go on.“Put that first part of your plan in motion. Get the governor out of his house. He has a messaging mirror linked back to the imperial palace there, doesn’t he? We reach out to her, and you see what she says… And if you still don’t like it, you can send us to war against her rather than for her.”

Mother hesitates only a moment longer. “I would have started this way regardless. And there are… clearly some things I didn’t know. I can admit that. Let us see. Although you realize that breaking into the governor’s castle is a declaration of war right there?”

A warmer smile touches my lips at the growing acceptance in her voice. Maybe I can set this mess right after all.

“My gift can get us in without anyone being the wiser. Send him off, and I’ll take care of the rest.”

Chapter Thirty-Two

Aurelia

Governor Bodum shifts on his feet, looking as if he’s restraining a frown. “Your Imperial Highness, you want me to… order the soldiers to take up shovels and fill in the canals?”

It’s unsettling facing the man through a pane of glass. The full-length mirror hung on the wall is enchanted to project my image across the continent to the mirror hanging in the Cotean governor’s residence and his to me, but we’re still hundreds of miles apart in reality.

Still, I’m grateful that I can take in his body language and tone rather than relying on written messages.

“The soldiers can simply oversee the process,” I say. “Unless they wish to join in. I believe you should have enough imperial funds in your coffers to hire Cotean workers who can handle the majority of the effort. I simply need youto ensure it’s done with care, as Prospira would wish for the good of the land. We’ve let it suffer for too long—all imperial territories should thrive in her honor.”

Appealing to the godlen and the authority of the empire seems to ease Bodum’s initial hesitation. “Yes, of course. The forts may struggle with water supply once they return to their usual staffing, though.”

I’m ready to address that concern. “I don’t want any of my loyal subjects to go without. I’ve gathered that there’s equipment for filtering the water from the Seafell Channel in place at the older forts. I’m already sending out skilled devouts to see that it can still work properly and to equip the newer forts. Then everyone will have the water they need.”

Including the Coteans who’ve suffered from Dariu’s selfishness for so long. Gods forbid our soldiers needed to drink water that wasn’t quite as pleasant to allow the locals’ farms to grow crops.

“Our great empire faces a great threat from within,” I add in my best imperious tone. “I don’t wish to see anyone under my rule feeling their interests will be served better by one who intends to destroy proper imperial order. It’s best for Dariu if all our subjects and all our godlen know the empress has not forgotten them.”

Governor Bodum certainly doesn’t want to suggest we should encourage Coteans to side with the traitors. He dips his head. “Absolutely, Your Imperial Highness.”

Off at the side of my vision, Marc raises his eyebrow. I recall the advice he gave me before this meeting and restrain a sigh. If it works, then it works.

I aim a benevolent smile at the governor. “Your own work managing Cotea shouldn’t go unrewarded. Once this project is finished, I hope you’ll visit the palace for a special commendation.”

Bodum brightens, just as Marc thought he would. “I’d be most grateful. Thank you. I’ll see that your directive is carried out as quickly and effectively as possible.”

He will now that he knows he’s getting something more out of it too. Well, it isn’t as if I wasn’t aware of Darium greed.

And bringing the governor back to the palace will make it easier to remove him from Cotea entirely when the time comes, not that I’m going to mention that part of my mission yet.

I make the gesture to deactivate the mirror’s enchantment, and the gleaming surface wavers to show only my reflection. Stepping back from it, I rub my forehead and glance over at Axius. “I’ll be alerted if we get new communications via any of the governors’ mirrors?”

Until yesterday, I had no idea this small, windowless room even existed, branching off from the emperor’s office. Axius retrieved me from a brief interlude playing with my daughter to let me know I needed to speak with Queen Anahi of Rione right away.

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