The Bastardmaker strolled in, his black beady eyes surveying my room. “The Emperor has called for your assistance at once,” he said.
“The–The Emperor?” I asked. “But … the bells.”
“Theotis is gone,” he confirmed.
“A new one’s already been elected?” I asked.
“Of course. We had to act fast with assassins in the Palace.”
“But the bells only just rung. He just—”
“Are you an idiot?” the Bastardmaker asked. “You think the bells ring the moment he stops breathing? That they’re some marking of the exact time of death? They’re a Godsdamned announcement. We ring them when we’re ready. When we already have a new Emperor to take control, to bring order to this mess. And he wants to see you now. Alone.”
Bellamy’s eyebrows furrowed with worry, and he stood holding his ground. He was supposed to come with me. But nothing about tonight had been protocol. An Emperor had been assassinated. And we all knew if the Bastardmakerwanted to, he could end Bellamy’s life in a matter of minutes, legal or not.
“It’s okay,” I said. “I’ll come.”
The Bastardmaker turned on his heels, his red Arkturion cloak flying behind him, and he walked out the door. As I followed, I reached automatically for my belt, my fingers itching to wrap around my stave. It was instinct, something I did whenever I faced an enemy. Whenever I felt threatened. I wasn’t stupid enough to try and fight the Bastardmaker, but the security I felt in having it on me was reassuring. Even if the reassurance was thin.
The walk through the Palace felt endless, and for a moment, I feared he was taking me to the dungeons, to imprison me on some technical offense.
He could. He fucking could. They’d been watching me all along. And maybe I’d been wrong that I’d been safe, wrong that my secrets had remained hidden. Maybe they knew I was vorakh. Maybe it was because I’d failed to bring them Lyr and Rhyan.
Maybe, it was because I was friends with Galen. Friends with the Emperor’s killer.
But then we abruptly turned direction, and headed up the stairs to the Throne Room. I watched as the tiles on the ground shifted from purple to a mix of black and white.
More guards than I’d ever seen were at attention before the entrance, while inside there were hushed, angry voices deep in conversation.
“Let us pass,” the Bastardmaker demanded.
All at once the rows of soturi parted, and we were permitted inside. All of the Arkasvim, and all of their Arkturi were present. Standing on the dais beside the throne was the Blade, his face stoic.
I found Arianna’s face in the crowd. But she looked disinterested in me. Slowly, I began to do a headcount, quickly spottingevery Arkasva I could find. The North were easily spotted and accounted for. Ka Kether of Sindhuvine, Ka Lumerin of Aravia, Ka Sephiron of Eretzia, Ka Taria of Hartavia, and Ka Valyan of Payunmar. And there, standing at the head, his beard neatly trimmed, was Imperator Hart of Glemaria. They all stood before the dais, all wore their golden Laurels of the Arkasva.
So Hart hadn’t been named Emperor after all.
Still, on the dais, the throne remained empty, and above it that shield I’d seen earlier seemed to glow, the color of the stone in the center haunting. I’d been drawn to it since the moment I’d laid my eyes on it, and felt almost as if I were falling into a trance. I’d been terrified of a vision coming on me, especially after I’d brought a vorakh to justice, but that shield was something else.
I quickly glanced at the other side of the room, where the southern Kavim had gathered beside Arianna. There was Ka Maras of Lethea, Ka Zarine of Cretanya, Ka Daquataine of Damara, and Ka Elys of Elyria.
A door opened from behind the throne, and our new Emperor emerged.
Imperator Kormac.
He stepped out onto the dais and sat down on his throne, his black Imperator robes now replaced with the purple of the Emperor.
“Bow,” shouted the Blade. “Bow before your sovereign, His Majesty, Emperor Avery, High Lord of Lumeria Nutavia.”
No. No.
The Bastardmaker slapped my back and immediately I sank to the ground, my knees hitting the floor with a bruising speed.
Everyone around me, all the Arkasvim, and all the Akrturi followed suit. Only the Blade and rest of the soturi on guard remained upright, their weapons in their hands.
I didn’t know if an election had taken place, or what decisions had been made here, but I knew one thing. No one, except those few who were loyal to Ka Kormac, was happy about this.
“Rise,” Emperor Avery said. “We shall commence with my anointing at once to secure the safety of this Empire, just as my predecessor advised me to do in the south when I ruled as Imperator. I made safe our borders, I ended the akadim threat, and I swear to you all, I will end this one as well. Now, as is customary, you will all remain here until morning.”
