The women curtsy.
“It was lovely to make your acquaintance, Princess,” he says. His wife and daughter dip into a half curtsy, then the family walks away.
“They’ve been social climbing for generations,” Antonia whispers. “Only earned that title two generations ago, but they’re desperate to go higher. He’s trying to marry off his daughter to anyone with influence.”
“Poor girl,” I say.
“Only if she gets a bad match. If he’s successful, it’ll raise her status and her children’s status.”
“Is that what you want?” I ask. “To marry the highest-ranking man you can find?”
“Isn’t that what you’re doing?” she asks.
For a moment, I forgot that I’m seen as nothing more than a princess who will marry a prince. “You’re right. I suppose that’s the best we can hope for.”
“No, the best we can hope for is a man who won’t beat us,” she says.
I suddenly wonder if that’s why the empress had so many books on poisons.
A hush falls over the crowd, and the hairs on my arms stand on edge. I follow the direction of everyone’s stares to a raised platform featuring a single black throne.
A dark-haired man dressed in black velvet, trimmed in silver, approaches the stairs that lead to the platform. He’s followed by several night legionnaires in their dress uniforms. When he reaches the throne, he stands in front of it, then extends his arms toward the crowd.
Everyone drops into bows or curtsies. I follow their lead as my head swims. This can’t be the emperor, can it? He wasn’t able to gain back his immortality until Darkfall, right?
“My most faithful and loyal friends,” he says with a booming voice.
Everyone stands.
“Tonight, I have called you here to celebrate life. As you know, we lost one of our own today. Lady Marian was a loyal, longtime companion to my late wife. She served her empress and her empire well.”
People make the sign of the gods or bow their heads. I lower my own head in respect.
“The culprit was no doubt aiming for me, thinking me weak in my aged form. While we both drank the poison, the gods saw fit to revive my immortality before the poison could harm me. Unfortunately, Marian was not gifted by the gods.” He takes a breath and lowers his eyes.
When he looks back up, there’s a glimmer of something sinister in his expression. “She will be missed by everyone who loved her, but her death was not in vain. You see, this tells us that we have a traitor in our midst. A spy. An assassin. Maybe more than one. So I called you all here tonight in the hopes that my message will reach our spy. My eyes are everywhere and will find you.”
My pulse is so fast it’s practically vibrating. He’s immortal again. And he knows there’s at least one traitor in his court. We lost our chance.
“Tonight, we celebrate the return of my immortality and many more centuries of my rule!” He claps and musicians begin to play. “Dance! Make merry!”
The courtiers around me clap in return, then begin to pair off to dance. I step back so I’m not on the dance floor while I let the news sink in.
We failed. Even if I find out where the emperor sleeps, how are we going to kill him? That was my original task. Find hisweakness. If the gods renewed their gift of immortality because someone poisoned him, how are we to overcome that?
“Princess Sabina,” a deep male voice says.
I turn to see the emperor himself standing in front of me, his hand outstretched in offer. “My son is not here to accompany you, but perhaps you’d allow me the privilege?”
The ladies behind me gasp, and I think Antonia is swooning so hard she might faint.
I set my hand on top of his. “I’d be honored.”
He smiles, then escorts me to the dance floor. I position myself the way I practiced with Caiden and am quickly swept into the dance. The emperor is light on his feet and graceful. Up close, I can see how much he resembles his son. He’s got the same brown hair and nearly amber eyes. The same strong chin. The same serious expression. He could almost be Caiden’s twin. Especially since he hardly looks any older than him now.
“I’m sorry about Marian,” I say softly.
“I am, too. And for you,” he says. “I know she’d taken you under her wing.”
