Jax stared at her for a long moment, and Vi didn’t know what he saw. “When you’re ready, your highness.”
The gate was open before them. Warriors lined the way, halfway down the road. A contingent of Southern soldiers in gleaming plate surrounded her, more at the end of her parade. Four held pennons, the Solaris sun emblazoned on white.
“Onward,” Vi commanded loudly.
“Onward!” Jayme repeated.
The soldiers spurred their horses to movement.
She passed the stables for the last time. Vi took one last inhale of straw and noru feed. The wall was behind them, warriors saluting as they passed.
Some of the citizenry had come out to witness them. They stood in eerie silence. There were no cheers or shouts of farewell. No well wishes were lauded on her.
Vi didn’t blame them for it. She was the representation of the Empire that had brought them to heel. The same Empire they now blamed for the disease tearing apart their families.
In a blur, she thought she saw Darrus. But Vi didn’t dare turn her head. She had to stay focused, or the careful balance of her charade may come toppling down. They continued to speed away from everything she’d ever known, to the fate that awaited her.
The party went through the trees, past the barren ring outside of Soricium, further down the North West Way. They rode for what seemed like forever—though Vi knew it was merely minutes, not even hours. Further down the road, her eyes landed on two mounts—the same size as hers—waiting in the center.
On one dark brown horse was a woman, a crown extending from her brow. On the white horse beside her sat a blond haired man. Surrounding them, stretching back into the trees on mount and foot, were soldiers at attention to receive them.
As they neared, Vi felt moisture on her cheeks, and she worked to hastily wipe it away as inconspicuously as possible. Princesses didn’t cry in front of their army, and this was the second time in one day her emotions had betrayed her. It was already less of a reception than the Senate had intended, thanks to the White Death, so Vi didn’t want to do anything that could force further deviation from formality, from their plans.
But laying eyes on her brother—her twin—for the first time was almost more emotion than she could bear.
Chapter Ten
She wantedto leap from her horse and onto his.
The world had stopped existing around her—shifting of plate armor and stomping of horses was muffled and gone. The only other person was Romulin. His sky blue eyes stared at her on a canvas of Southern pale skin—only lightly kissed from the sun on their long journey. Like day and night, brother and sister couldn’t look more different.
But in his eyes, Vi saw her mother and father. Where the rest of the world saw differences between them, she saw an undeniable kinship that may well only be recognizable to her…and hopefully to him.
“Greetings, my daughter.” It seemed Vi wasn’t the only one fighting tears. “It is good to see you again.”
“And you as well, mother.” Vi lowered her head slightly.
“We are enthusiastic to receive you, and to take you home.”
“I am enthusiastic to return to the lands of my forefathers.” All eyes were on them. Every ear in the clearing was attuned to their conversation. Her tutors had gone over this exchange in particular over and over again, drilling in the words Vi needed to say. “And I am both honored and humbled by this display of the might of Solaris on my behalf.” Vi lifted her arm and swept it across her body, gesturing to the soldiers.
“We would traverse the world to collect the heir to the Solaris throne.”
Vi certainly hoped not.
“Shall we begin our journey?” Vi proposed.
Her mother bowed her head, and Romulin mirrored the action. With a gentle tug of their reins they maneuvered their horses to the sides of the road, leaving a clear path for Vi between them. She, not her mother, was to head the army.
They all believed her father was dead. Which meant they saw her as their ruler. Her coronation was perceived as a mere formality, an eventuality.
In the eyes of all those surrounding her—in the eyes of the world—she was now the head of the Solaris Empire.
And she would ride forth to prove them all wrong.
Vi gave her mount a gentle nudge and the beast moved forward. Her mother fell into place just behind and to the right, Romulin on the left. One by one the rank and file moved behind her as they began their long march south.
* * *
