“The would-be assassin has been apprehended and taken into custody. He will be questioned, along with all of theValabellum’s soturi. The Valabellum is hereby postponed until His Majesty’s condition is properly assessed and treated.” He motioned around the edge of the dance floor where the sigils hung for the ruling Kavim. “All Arkasvim, Imperators, and Arkturi will follow me. We will shelter in the Throne Room. As of this moment, the Palace’s strictest safety protocols are in effect, and we are officially inArkchayperam.”
Not just a lockdown, but preparation for a vote to name the new Emperor.
Imperator Hart looked back at me, his eyes moving slowly across our little crowd, stopping on Rhyan, and Meera. I could almost feel his orders—the need to obey him rushing through my blood. But he couldn’t give a direct command. Not now. Not until he was released from the Throne Room.
I watched as he was escorted out, along with Kane, Imperator Kormac, the Bastardmaker, and Aunt Arianna. One by one they left, until the ballroom only possessed clusters of nobility from each Ka, all huddled together around the room.
“All Kavim will be escorted by our soturi back to your quarters, you’ll be locked inside until further notice,” Lord Emmaron said once the doors had shut again.
Mages stepped forward on command, appearing out of the shadows.
He continued, “Each of you will be bound during escort for your own safety, and unbound once in the confines of your own rooms. Do not expect to leave your quarters before morning. Anyone who does, will be escorted to our prisons.”
Someone screamed, and my heart jumped as I expected to find another assassin. Another murder.
But it was just a noble—one who’d never experienced the pain or humiliation of a binding past their Revelation Ceremony. The ropes were black, glittering and smoking as they snaked across the room in every direction, twisting and twining around each Lumerian who remained.
Cries of pain and shouts of indignation raced back and forth across the dance floor.
Only Rhyan didn’t flinch as he was bound.
And then I was hauled into a line with the rest of Imperator Hart’s Ka, and marched at a quickened pace through the Palace back into our quarters. Meera was among us—she may have been ordered back to Ka Batavia, but her room remained with Ka Hart. We were all taken to our apartments, and only at our doors were our bindings removed. Dario was left on guard outside of mine, but he wasn’t alone. Soturi loyal to the Emperor had stationed themselves down the hall.
The door was slammed shut behind me, then locked. I paced back and forth across the room, looking out the window for any sign of life, or news before changing out of that Godsforsaken dress, and into a pair of sleep pants, and a light top.
I went back to sit on my bed, unsure what else to do or how to pass the time. We were locked in until morning. Until Asherah’s Feast Day. Until the games began. But all at once, the direness of the situation settled in. There would be no Valabellum. A Throne Room full of Imperators and every ruler and warlord in Lumeria stood between us and the shield.
We’d never reach the shard, never steal it, not unless the Emperor recovered. Not unless the games were allowed to play out.
And if they didn’t, how would we get Jules?
I swallowed roughly, wanting for once, for the Emperor to be okay. To be in good health. Because I needed to go forward with the plan. I didn’t come all this way, or get this close to her, just to fail now.
I wrung my hands together, pacing and pacing, until I heard a knock.
But not on the door. On my window. I tensed. I’d left the glass partially open to feel the breeze. And on the windowsill now, there was a hand.
Someone had scaled the building, and was climbing inside.
My heart pounded, as I searched for a weapon. But then I heard Rhyan hiss, “Lyr.”
“By the Gods,” I said, and rushed over, pushing the glass the rest of the way up.
Rhyan shoved himself over the windowsill a second later. He stood abruptly and slammed the window shut, his breath heavy.
“They’re not guarding the courtyard,” he said, “seeing as how there’s no way out. Except back in. Luckily that’s all I wanted. To get to you.”
“You shouldn’t be here,” I said. “It’s dangerous.”
“I needed to see you.” He sounded desperate, pained, but he held back, waiting for me.
I clutched my stomach, already preparing for the pain, for the rise in temperature of my blood at disobeying Imperator Hart’s orders. I wracked my mind, desperately going over our last conversation, and I realized I could look at Rhyan, and step toward him. I didn’t feel compelled to send him away, didn’t feel any pain. There’d been no command about this. No orders against Rhyan alone in my room. Only about Kane at the ball.
I met his eyes, taking in the brilliant emerald green color I’d been denied so much of this past month. And I nodded.
“Partner,” he said. That one word seemed to hold the entire universe in it.
And that was it. We raced into each other’s arms.
