She stopped in her tracks.
Victor crossed the main atrium, oblivious to her presence, and headed up to the Imperial quarters. Vi didn’t know what business he had with the Emperor. But whatever it was, she could be certain of one thing: it wasn’t good.
Chapter Twenty-Five
She was being irrational.
There was no reason to think Victor’s mere presence was a foul omen. Perhaps, when the Emperor returned, he summoned all the ministers one by one to give him updates on happenings in the palace. That seemed just as logical as the next thing.
Logical.
But not accurate.
In the years she’d traversed this world, across time and back, Vi had learned to trust her gut. More often than not, it was right. Sometimes, she had the wrong response—but the gut had the right sense.
Vi gripped the golden banister, staring up the staircase that led to the highest point of the palace. Without a second thought, she continued onward. Her brain tried to wander. The stubborn organ wanted to daydream about her parents living here and her being a girl, in this palace, rushing to meet them—all the trimmings of the happy childhood she never had.
Vi pushed away the thoughts and kept herself in the moment as she entered the Emperor’s chambers behind another servant.
“Victor,” Tiberus said from a nearby room. Vi followed the flow of servants and staff into an open antechamber, where the Emperor stood among weaponry and military fanfare. “You know I am very busy right now with the festival starting soon.”
Victor’s visit wasn’t expected, then.
Vi kept her head angled away as she rounded the room to Tiberus. She held her breath as she accepted a piece of ornate plate from one of the servants undressing the Emperor, much as she had done for Baldair minutes ago. Tiberus didn’t even so much as glance her way.
“I know, my lord.” Victor’s voice was deeper than she remembered it. He was still a boy in her mind. But the person before her now had the gaze of a man who’d set his sights on a prize. “But you told me to come to you with the results of my research on your future campaigns.”
“Give that here,” a woman hissed at her.
“Sorry,” Vi mumbled.
Two blue eyes met hers. The woman tilted her head. “I don’t know you.”
“I’m new,” Vi said hastily, turning away and going back for another piece of plate. She kept her focus on the conversation.
“You have found something useful?” Tiberus continued.
“Very useful. But tell me first, where is your eldest son now?” Victor said with a gleeful note. Vi was shocked he wasn’t bouncing on his heels.
The Emperor turned to face the minister and arched a single brow. “Leave us,” he commanded.
Servants filed out of the room with their heads down. Vi had no choice but to follow or be discovered. She trailed toward the end though, letting others go before her so she could listen as the Emperor continued to speak.
“Were it not for your manner, I would presume he would be making the necessary preparations for our court dinner for the start of the festival of the sun.”
Vi rounded the corner as Victor said, “What do you know of the common girl named Vhalla Yarl?”
She barely resisted the urge to charge back. Pushing away the memories and daydreams of her own creation was one thing. Vi could keep herself focused. But hearing her mother’s name on this man’s tongue lit the spark in her like nothing had in years.
She’s not your mother.
Vi knew that. She did. But the fire in her gut did not.
“Vhalla Yarl?” Tiberus repeated. “The name is not familiar. I usually make little effort to remember the names of the lowborn.”
Vi continued to hover just outside the doorway. She folded her hands and kept her eyes forward. She was as still as a statue, even while the spark was an inferno within her.
“He has not sent one report to you about her? I’m sure it just slipped Aldrik’s mind.” Victor paused and Vi could almost imagine his wicked grin widening. “I am sure her name will be well known by you soon enough.”
