“I’m using her as collateral. Should you reveal this to anyone beyond those I approve of—” He made a snipping motion with his fingers. “Agreed?”
I swallowed. “Agreed.”
“What I seek hangs in the Great Hall, above the throne where it is guarded day and night by the Emperor’s sentries. But during a Valabellum, it is brought into the arena ceremonially. Why else do you think I whispered in the Emperor’s ear to host the event?” He smirked, pleased with himself. “That means there is a time where it is changing hands, where it is more vulnerable. That’s what you’re to steal. I will gift you your freedom for the next month to prepare for the event. Under the roof of Seathorne, you will have access to all you need for the theft. You agree to do this, and I’ll give you all you need. You keep it a secret, and Meera gets to live.”
“And if I agree to steal this for you, you’ll rescue Jules?” I asked, still not believing him. What didn’t I know? Why would he offer me anything I wanted when he already had me and my loved ones completely cornered? He could demand this theft without the promise of Jules.
He nodded, but my mind continued to race. Was he after Jules, too? From what I knew about Rhyan’s father, he preferred blood oaths for his agreements. But Rhyan had broken his. Perhaps he worried we couldn’t be trusted with them. If he thought we’d break them, then giving them to us was a death sentence. We’d be useless when he wanted us alive. He wanted control of Gods and Goddesses. But he had us here, he could simply keep us imprisoned. And if he needed collateral, if he needed to threaten someone I loved, he had Meera. What the hell was this object he wanted?
Gods. I needed Rhyan. Needed to discuss this with him. I needed time to think.
“What happens to her after? Won’t they notice she’s missing?” I asked.
“They will. Eventually. I’ll leave a decoy. She’ll need a new name. Perhaps a new face. Not a problem. You’ve met Aiden. You’ve seen what he can do.”
“And what about Rhyan,” I said carefully. “I assume I’ll need hisspecificset of skills to do this.”
“You will. Not within the Palace. They have wards to block such a thing, of course. Magic siphoned from others like him have proven invaluable for security. But outside the walls? Yes, we’ll need him to spirit Jules away, after I free her.”
“Then he is to be seen by your best healer, and freed from prison. Tonight. Or no deal. You will remove his binds, and you will let me see him.”
“Remove his binds? And let you see him? Hmmm. That sounds wonderful. For you.” He clucked his tongue. “And then what happens when the two of you are alone, and myson is unbound? You vanish? Just as you wished to earlier? You think I couldn’t see the plan in bold letters across your face?”
“We wouldn’t leave. Not without Meera,” I said. “You separated her from me, placed her under guard for a reason. And you’ve made sure the entire Empire knows she’s here. I think you already know you have me locked into Seathorne.”
“I do. And I know that you know that. My son, on the other hand? He’s impulsive. Bull-headed. Forgive me if I do not trust him. But I’ll tell you what I will offer tonight. He will be healed—”
“By your best healers!”
Imperator Hart nodded. “By my best healers. He will be freed from his prison cell, and he will be escorted to a private meeting with you so you can fill him in on his duties. But he will be bound for that meeting. Or there’s no meeting. You must explain things to him in order to win his cooperation. During the events of tomorrow, if I feel his behavior proves you’ve done your job, then, and only then he may have his ropes removed. But that will depend on you. And how convincing you are.”
Gods. Either he was bound, his own form of personal hell, or he agreed to live under his father’s rule, something that would be equal parts torture for him. If I didn’t bring Rhyan into this, it would cost me Meera. And if I did—it might cost me Rhyan. No matter what I chose, someone would be hurt. Every choice felt like a betrayal.
But I had to believe that if forced to pick between the two, he wouldn’t want the ropes. He’d play along to help me, to help Meera, and Jules. We wouldn’t stay here forever—no matter what I swore tonight. We’d find a way.
“Once Rhyan is healed and freed and has the chance to see me, his binds will be removed,” I said again. “And noharm comes to Meera. Only her guards have a key to her room. Not Kane.”
“Kane is Arkturion. He may have any key he wishes.”
“Except for one!”
He shook his head. “You have nothing to offer in that negotiation. But you have my word—no harm will come to her.”
No harm that would be obvious. No harm that couldn’t be hidden under the complex Glemarian dresses she’d be forced to wear.
“I have drawn up a contract for you with rather agreeable terms.” He lifted the lid of another silver platter and handed me a scroll.
I unraveled it to see that this contract only included stipulations between the Imperator and myself.
“You are to steal the item I request,” he said, reading the points he’d written out. “You may have Rhyan and any other resources you need to complete your missions. You must remain at Seathorne until the Valabellum. You will also resume your soturion training during that time—however, no one knows you have magic. I intend for you to keep it that way. And I will reinstate Rhyan as an heir. He will no longer be forsworn.”
“He’d be Heir Apparent again?” I asked.
He made a disapproving sound with his tongue. “Gods, no. That honor goes to my next son. But Rhyan can be an heir once more. I can even allow him access to his old bank accounts.”
“How? You had your own men swear he killed his mother. That they saw it with their own eyes.” I bit my tongue before I could say thathe, Imperator Hart, was the true murderer.
“Let me and him worry about those details.” He continued, “Now, your reputation, along with his, must be rehabilitated. We must squash the rumors of your affair. This work willbegin the moment I make the claims of your innocence in Korteria, and end your engagement to Viktor Kormac.”
