“Life under the emperor was worse,” I say.
“I’m sure you think so,” Lady Cassandra replies.“Just as I’m also sure there are those who would happily have another emperor, who are probably working towards it even now.”
It’s far too close to everything I’ve seen in the city, and it’s the one thing that makes me afraid to leave.
“When will you be ready to go?”Lady Cassandra asks.
“In the morning,” I say.
She nods.“That’s acceptable.My party will be leaving then.”
“All of you?”I say.“I thought you were establishing an embassy.”
Lady Cassandra shrugs."We're done for now.I've seen everything I need to see in your kingdom.I know who the people with influence are, and I've spoken to everyone my queen wishes me to speak with.You really are quite weak, you know.It's possible my queen will order us to invade simply because you aren't capable of governing yourselves."
She talks about the possibility of an invasion as casually as if she were discussing her invitation to me to attend her quarters.
“If you do invade, you won’t find it easy,” I say.“We still have powerful magic.We still have plenty of people who’ll fight for us.”
Lady Cassandra looks me over.“I wonder, do you really believe you’re that strong?Or are you just trying to convince me?Maybe you’ll have a chance to prove that part as we travel.I’ll meet you at the city gates at dawn.If you’re late, I will assume that no one in Aetheria cares enough about its people to protect them.Andwewill claim Tree Edge for our own.”
That explains why she’s so interested in Selene Ravenscroft.It isn’t just that there’s an exile from Aetheria posing a threat in Arboria.It’s also that Arboria thinks this situation shows that Aetheria’s territories are ripe for the taking.
I head back to my rooms, preparing what I'll need for the journey ahead, picking out traveling clothes and boots, a spear, and a short sword.If I do meet with Selene Ravenscroft, I won't do so unarmed.
I think about telling Alaric what’s going on.He’ll understand the danger the former Arch-Magistrate represents.But I’m not sure if Icancontact him.He didn't give me any way to do so.I try looking out through the birds of the city, looking for any sign of him in the market or near the entrances to the crypts.But I've already seen that he can use his illusions to change his face, and he could be anywhere within the city.I would have to wait for him to contact me, and I'm not sure that Aetheriahasthat time.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Lady Cassandra is waiting for me at dawn at the gates to the city, along with the rest of her party.As a noble, I was expecting her to ride in some luxurious carriage, but instead, she has a chariot ready for war, drawn by a quartet of large, black horses.
She gestures for me to step up beside her.Her other companions are all riding horses and I look around, seeing if there might be a spare one I could take.But I realize that’s probably a mistake.This is a challenge and a test.Lady Cassandra is seeing how I will react, perhaps if I will trust her enough to do this.
I step up beside her, and she nods.
“Good, it would be an insult to refuse me, and it’s important for a leader to have a strong spear wielder on her chariot.”
She cracks a whip and her horses burst into a gallop, thundering along the road out of Aetheria with the rest of her diplomatic party riding hard to try to keep up with us.There’s something wild about the Arborian diplomat, this woman who was sent to provoke the nobles of Aetheria and to see how strong our city is.
The chariot bumps and jolts as we head across the countryside of the Republic, forcing me to cling tightly to the chariot.Lady Cassandra stands as still as a rock, or perhaps as rooted as one of the trees her kingdom is known for.
"It's a position of honor to stand as the spear holder for a charioteer," she says as the landscape flashes past around us."Often, it was reserved for a favored servant or a lover."
She grins, her smile catching the sunlight.I get the feeling that this is another kind of challenge.
“I’m with Marcus,” I point out.
"And before that, it was the noble gladiator, Alaric," she says."And before that, it was Lady Elara, yes?"
I shake my head.“That was always just a rumor she put out.”
“Words have power,” Lady Cassandra said.“Your land is a place of rumors and lies.It’s another thing that makes it weak.”
“Are you really going to invade us?”I ask.
She shrugs as she drives the chariot.“That’s a decision for my queen.But if we do come, it’s only because you can’t protect what’s yours.Those you rule should obey you, but you must also protect them.That’s how the world works.”
“And you protect the people with you?”I say.
