Page 13 of Lady of the Drowned Empire
Morgana shook her head, watching him carefully before she turned back to Arianna. “Shit,” she muttered.
“Turion Brenna,” Arianna said. “Please step forward.”
Brenna approached the Seat, bowing before Arianna. “Your grace.” She rose. “What do you command?”
“I know your passion for bringing the Emartis to justice is strong, and I trust your ability to do so. Our prisons are already overrun with those suspected of being members. Naming the Emartis terrorists by the Council was also an important step in national security. But I do not believe them a present threat. Though I never sought out the Seat of Power, they wished me to have it. And right now, to avoid chaos, we need Bamaria to rally together, to support me. Will we now punish those Bamarians who desired to see me in the Seat?”
My heart pounded. She was practically admitting she supported the Emartis. By the Gods. How secure was she to be so bold now?
“Your grace,” Brenna said, “none of us would think to punish those happy to see you as Arkasva Batavia. I include myself as one. But the Emartis murdered our High Lord, have committed multiple acts of terrorism, and have on more than one occasion threatened the lives of the heirs. They must be brought to justice. Otherwise, we allow them to set a dangerous precedent.”
Arianna leaned forward, her black dress glittering, her hands gripping the golden armrests on either side of her. “We will find those guilty, I swear it. And when we do, Gods have mercy on them. But I do believe many of the Emartis to be innocent, uneducated Bamarians who were merely swayed by public opinion. No ruler is perfect. Harren had his faults. Our people were not always happy and fell prey to negative stories of his rule, easily enticed to support another—to support me. We cannot punish our people for such things. I cannot have that be my first act—to forsake those who show me allegiance.”
She’d publicly referred to my father with no title attached, no address. Morgana’s aura flared, and I dared look ahead, meeting Tristan’s eye across the room. His head was cocked to the side, and there was a frown across his face as he played with the silver sigil ring on his finger. Beside him, Lady Romula was looking up with the tiniest smile on her dry, cracked lips, her hands pressed together before her gown, her glass of wine long finished and discarded.
“We must remember,” Arianna continued, her long fingers wrapped around the golden chair beneath her, “there are good and bad people on both sides. I will not categorize those who celebrate my ascension tonight with those who sought the means to make it happen.” She sat back, resting her chin in her hand. “Arkturion Aemon, I know you led our soturi bravely tonight, but I cannot thank you enough for allowing those who clearly only offered support to me with no ill will toward Ka Batavia to remain untouched.”
Aemon bowed. “Of course, Lady Arianna. I certainly have no wish to conflate the two.” His hands remained flexed at his side. He was playing his own role tonight. I understood—even if I wanted him to cut through our enemies right here and now, we had to be patient, to gather our forces and when we were ready, then we would take back what was ours.
And when the time is right, you will strike and have your revenge. And then you will retake the throne of Bamaria.
Mercurial’s words ran through my mind. They were becoming clearer and clearer. I had to claim my magic. When we removed Arianna from the Seat, we’d need an alternative to rule in her stead.
Not Meera. Not Morgana. Me.
And how somehow, I knew that it was going to come to this. The deep dark parts of me that wanted to rule, that studied for this without any reason to suspect I might ascend. I’d been preparing my entire life to step into my power. But my magic—that was step one.
“Right now, our priority is the border,” Arianna said. “Valyati made that clear. Turion Brenna, you wish to serve me?”
Brenna bowed. “Yes, your grace. More than anything.”
Flames crackled from the torches behind Arianna until there was a small pop that made me jump.
“Turion Brenna, we will require all of your resources as Master of Peace to protect Bamaria against akadim. After our borders are safe, we’ll find the villains.”
“Yes, your grace,” Brenna said stiffly.
Arianna waved. “Let it be so.” She turned to Lady Sila. “You’ll watch the Emartis. Keep an eye on them and report to me.”
“Exactly as you wish.” The spy master stepped back, her shimmering cloak of invisibility causing her to vanish into the crowd.
“Good,” the Imperator drawled, clapping slowly. “We now have our ruler in place. We have a plan to secure the borders and an effective way to approach the Emartis.” He grinned at Aemon.
“All is well,” Aemon said carefully. There was something dangerous in his aura and expression, like a dark shadow had fallen over him. “I understand we are doing things by the book to ensure a smooth transfer of power. However, given the contention between those who support the Emartis and those who don’t, I believe it is in the best interest of the former Heirs to the Arkasva to have additional protections in place. Particularly since the attack did not simply stop with Arkasva Batavia’s fall.”
I shuddered. I’d been unconscious for that. I still wasn’t sure what had happened to Morgana and Meera on their way back to Cresthaven—each with ten escorts protecting them. Or what Rhyan had gone through to get me home. I only knew he was sporting a large bandage on his neck as a result.
“I’d like to take charge of the heirs’ protection if it pleases your grace.” Aemon nodded toward Arianna.
She turned toward us, her eyebrows lifted in question. “Do you wish Arkturion Aemon to do this for you? I am more than happy to assign a team of escorts on your behalf.”
My eyes caught Morgana’s, and she offered the slightest nod of confirmation before her dark eyes flicked to Meera. There were unspoken words between them before Meera nodded. Stepping forward, Meera publicly accepted Aemon’s offer of protection.
Warmth rising up my body let me know Rhyan’s gaze was on me. One eyebrow was furrowed in concentration. He was my bodyguard, along with a team of soturi and escorts who’d trailed me my entire life. I already knew he was going to want some say in my protection moving forward.
“Before I leave for the capitol,” announced the Imperator, “I’d like to know matters here are settled. To avoid any further dispute, false claims, or rising rebellions, Lady Meera must publicly proclaim Lady Arianna as Arkasva and High Lady of Bamaria tomorrow.”
Publicly. So no other claims would be considered legitimate. So there’d be no going back, no changing our minds, no bringing forth evidence of her treachery.
