Would she, though?The Arch-Magistrate was always a woman who respected the law, who hated the worst excesses of the emperor, but still worked for him because she couldn’t imagine standing against him.Even at the end, the extent of her betrayal was simply not killing the rebels, rather than actively joining them.It’s hard to imagine her engaging in a campaign of murder and destruction.
But it's also impossible to know what exile will have done to her, or what game she's playing.There's no doubt Selene is highly intelligent, as well as immensely powerful magically.It's possible that, even from the moment she allowed the emperor to be slain, she was planning her next moves in the political game.Selene may have a return to a version of the empire in her mind and may see herself as a potential empress rising from the ashes.Or she may just be lashing out at beast whisperers in some blind revenge for my role in the emperor's death.
“Which way did he go after that?”I ask Marianne.
She points.“I followed them for a little way, but then they disappeared into the forest.”
She leads the way into the trees, and I follow, with Lady Cassandra beside me.She moves silently through the trees, and the foliage seems to move aside to let her pass.
“Your magic gives you control over plants?”I say.
She nods.“And yours gives you the same with beasts.Marianne, you can return to the village.”
“But I haven’t shown you the spot yet,” the young woman says.
“I can feel where it is,” Cassandra says.“The trees have shown me.”
She starts to lead the way deeper into the woods, along a trail, then simply moves between the trees.I follow in her wake, impressed by her power.We come to a small clearing with a fallen tree in the middle.
I can see blood on it, and several spots around the clearing that have been blasted away, disintegrated into almost nothingness.It’s a very familiar sign of power.I’ve seen Selene destroy whole creatures with this power.
“It’s her,” I say.“This is definitely Selene Ravenscroft’s work.”
“And it’s obvious that things didn’t stay peaceful with this young man,” Cassandra says.“My guess is that Gar is dead, or wishing he was.”
She says it in a grim tone that doesn’t allow for any argument or hope.I try to believe that this young beast whisperer might still be alive out in the forest, but in the face of that tone, it’s hard to do so.
“I can’t feel Selene out in the forest,” Cassandra says.“Either she’s hiding from me, or she’s too far to see.”
I try to find her my way, reaching out with my magic for the minds of the creatures all around.I see through the eyes of birds, looking down at the forest, trying to see any signs of people moving through the trees.I can see myself and Cassandra can see Marianne and can see Cassandra's people moving through the trees, leading their horses back in the direction of Arboria.
“It’s time for you to head back,” Cassandra says.She inclines her head to me briefly.“Your powers are very impressive, Lyra.I hope we meet again.If you ever wish to come and serve me in Arboria, there will be a place for you.”
“Thank you, I think,” I reply.“Will you really tell your queen that we’re weak?”
She shrugs."I must speak the truth to her.What she decides to do with that information… I suspect some of it will depend on how events in Aetheria turn out.Good luck with them, Lyra.I suspect you'll need it if Selene Ravenscroft is violently abducting beast whisperers."
She slips into the trees, quickly disappearing.I find myself thinking about Selene Ravenscroft and what she intends.It seems clear that she’s killed this young man, Gar.Why do that?Why target those like me?Is it just a petty act of revenge against all those like me, or is there more to it?
Is Selene trying to make sure that beast whisperers can’t rise again?Is she trying to bring an end to the talent I possess?I don’t know what game she’s playing, but when I get back to Aetheria, I’ll need to convince others that she’s a threat.
If I don’t, it could mean disaster for the whole city.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
It's late the next day, by the time I finally get back to Aetheria.It's a long time to be away from a city where things are moving so quickly.I hope events in the Colosseum won't have moved on too quickly.I have no doubt that Domitian and the others will have used my absence to progress their schemes.
But most of my thoughts aren't on them at the moment.Instead, I'm thinking about the young man who was taken by Selene Ravenscroft, about the evidence we found of a fight, and what it might mean for me and the city.It's clear that the former arch magistrate hasn't faded neatly into obscurity the way we hoped.She's planning something and now she's progressed from Arboria to the fringes of Aetherian soil.
When I get back to my rooms I find a note waiting for me, but this one isn't from Alaric.It's from Marcus, written in a neat hand and smelling faintly of his scent.
Lyra,
I’m missing you while you’re away.When you get back, come to my villa.We must celebrate your return.Every moment apart from you is like agony to me.
Marcus
The note doesn't give me a time to come over, but then it isn't as if he knew when I would return.I think of waiting until the morning but the truth is that I'd rather see him now.No matter how far apart we're driven politically, it's hard not to think about him, about the feeling of his body pressed against mine, about the strength of his arms around me.
