Page 126 of Thorn Season
Dashiel looked between me and Keil apologetically. “We have a long night ahead, Your Highness.”
I jerked back.“Highness?”
Keil’s laughter rumbled deep. “A decorative title only. A relic my cousins and I were allowed to retain upon the empress’s ascension to the throne.”
I blinked up at him, taking in his wry smile, his slightly raised brows—as if he awaited my understanding. The expression tickled my memory, bringing forth his words from that night in the city:You’re referring to my empress’s reputation, I assume, in imprisoning the would-be heirs who might threaten her rule.
Keil had always spoken of the empress with an easy familiarity, as though uncaring of her cruel treatment toward those innocents. But not because of blind loyalty or a rose-colored faith in people. Tonight had proved to me that he wouldn’t thoughtlessly obey orders he didn’t believe in. He wouldn’t stand behind a cruel ruler.
So, perhaps the empress’s reputation of cruelty had not been founded upon the truth.
“You’re one of those heirs,” I breathed. “A grandchild of the former emperor.”
Keil’s grin deepened, and the confirmation stunned me all over again.
The tales claimed that the empress hadkilledKeil’s father. But as the glowing moonlight revealed his winking dimple, I realized there must have been more to the story. More than I would ever get the chance to know.
And yet I was unexpectedly grateful to know this much. To know that the empress of Ansora, the most politically powerful Wielder of my time, was not quite the monster people believed her to be.
Then Lye sauntered from the foliage, returning me fully to the present as he said, “That’s right, lockpicker. Why did you think we let him boss us around? Because we like the pretty sound of his voice?”
“Wait,” Keil said. “You don’t like my voice?”
Lye arched a brow at me. “See what I mean? You should see him back home, making us bow to him in the corridors and shine his shoes with our dress shirts.”
Keil rolled his eyes. “Do youowna dress shirt?”
Goren made a rough sound of impatience. “Impress your sweetheart another time. Those guards won’t be the last.” He turned his glare on me. “They’ll make him pay for attacking your king. Is that what you want?”
“Maybe it is.” Osana crossed her arms. “Maybe this was a trick to get us all in one place.”
“Oh, because I’ve so enjoyed all our previous gatherings,” I snapped.
“Isn’t this the second time we’ve saved your life now?” she asked.
“I don’t know. I lost count amid all the kidnapping attempts.”
Lye raised his hand. “I was not in favor of that last one, if anyone cares.”
“We don’t,” Goren said.
“Enough.” Keil’s voice had lost its humor. He was now all harsh authority as he met their stares, lingering on Goren and Osana. “Give us a moment.”
They all deflated except Goren, who strode forward, flipping his axe. “We don’t have a moment.” The blade flashed. “We need to leavenow.”
I yelped as his specter knocked my side, thrusting me away from Keil and slamming a wall between us.
I didn’t think before I struck. It was instinctual—the way my specter smacked against his, making him stumble. And with a brief, sweeping appraisal—
I shredded through Goren’s specter as if with claws.
The force of it threw him backward. He grunted, landing hard on his rear.
The others whipped to attention—weapons out, feet apart, heads snapping around for the danger. My specter returned to me aching, but it was worth it as I sneered, “He told you to wait,sweetheart.”
They all turned toward me and paused, the whites of their eyes shining wide in the dark. Goren’s head lifted slowly off the green with an air of incredulity. For one long moment, there was only the river’s burble to break the silence. Then Keil made a noise between a choke and a laugh, and they knew:
I was the one who’d attacked Erik. Keil had taken the blame for me.
