I’m not sure I want to know.
The chariot race continues. The white team is in the lead. I’m sure people cheer, although I can’t hear them. I sweep my gaze over the crowd. People have moved, filled in the gaps where those who were killed had been standing. They’ve removed the bodies.
But they haven’t removed the black stains on the stone. The dark, greasy residue remains, and even the least empathetic avoid those seats.
“Why,” Tiernon grits out behind me, “am I hearing aboutKelindra’s daughtersaving sigilmarked children?”
Slowly, I turn. He runs his gaze over me and shakes his head. “We’ll discuss this later.” His gaze flicks to Neris. “We have a problem.”
I sidle back toward Maeva. “I’ll just …”
“You’re not going anywhere.” Tiernon doesn’t even look at me. He’s not Tiernon now. He’s the Primus. And whatever the emperor has ordered him to do has made him grim.
He jerks his head, and Neris and Micah follow him. After a single moment of hesitation, so do I.
Deitra, Lucius, and Orna meet us below the Circus, close to the entrance to the stairs leading to the emperor’s pulvinar. Most of the other imperiums remain either at the emperor’s side or scattered among the crowd.
“Vampire rebels were sighted here,” Tiernon says. “Along with several other well-known, dangerous sigilmarked and a collection of soldiers from Myrestorn. They’re attempting to hide their origin but our spies heard one of them speak in a Myre accent.”
Micah snorts. “The vampires may hate the sigilmarked, but they’re willing to ally with them to get the job done.”
“The enemy of my enemy …” Tiernon murmurs.
“They’re going to target the emperor,” Neris says.
“Yes. They’ve positioned themselves here somewhere. We’ve put out an alert, but the vampires are … powerful.”
Which means they’ll be excellent at hiding in plain sight.
“Why didn’t the wardens arrest them?” I ask.
Orna snorts, and I feel my cheeks heat.
Tiernon flicks me a glance. “They’re too dangerous for the wardens.”
“Yeah,” Neris mutters bitterly. “The wardens are only good for murdering Sentharan citizens.”
Tiernon gives her a sharp look before returning his attention to the rest of the group. “Arvelle, Micah, and Neris, we’re taking the east side of the Circus. Lucius, Orna, and Deitra, you take the west side. The remaining imperiums will stay stationed and alert in each section. They’ll tell us if they see any of the rebels.”
No one argues. I follow Tiernon and the rest of our group back up the stairs. He jerks his head to the right. “Arvelle and I will search this section. The rest of you split up.”
I wait until they’re gone before following Tiernon into our section.Spectators continue to watch the chariots, although several are staring blankly ahead, tears pouring down their faces.
Did they lose loved ones? Or are they merely traumatized because the violence was so close to them, and not down on rough sand, happening to people they’ve never met?
Tiernon meets my gaze before turning away to scan our section. He’s still furious that I manipulated my way into the imperius. “The vampires have found a way to shoot aether grenades with crossbows,” he says. “They’re going to aim for the emperor.”
My pulse races. Maybe they’ll succeed. Maybe this can all be over.
Tiernon shakes his head at whatever he sees on my face. “The loss of life would be catastrophic. My father knows the attack is coming but refuses to leave.”
“Why?”
“Pride. Besides, Sigilkeeper Nistor is the best shielder in this empire. The vampires won’t kill the emperor. They’ll just murder more innocent people.”
We search section after section, attempting to not draw attention to ourselves as we walk by each row, scanning faces.
“Tell me something,” I murmur as Tiernon stands at the top of one section, eyes narrowed on a group of vampires. But they’re focused solely on the chariots, money changing hands as they place their bets. “Why wouldvampireswant the emperor dead?”
