My world, which had done little but tilt on its axis since I awoke in that sarcophagus, tipped again.
Cosette was apparently unimpressed.“I am Cosette Darling, Investigatory Soldier of the Blue Band, Dominion of Emperor Junot.”
When she named the emperor, I heard Rafaela grind her teeth, though the parvnit and remaining goblins wouldn’t have.
“I am authorized by the emperor,” Cosette concluded.
Like a striking serpunta, Rafaela’s head lunged forward.Cosette squeaked again, her wings faltering for a beat.
Inches from her face, Rafaela said, “You willneverhave authority over me.”Around a clenching jaw, she hissed, “Only the emperor himself, and no one else, will have that.”
My world tilted again.
“Since you seem too small to have much brains?—”
Cosette gasped in affront.
“I’ll give you the opportunity to leave.I will not attack an agent of the emperor without provocation.”
“You just sent one of my guards to your dungeons!”
“I was provoked.”
Cosette threw her arms up in the air.“How?”
“He hit her.”Rafaela looked at me.“While she was in your care, I presume?”
“I didn’t tell him to hit her.”
“That’s fortunate for you.”
I chortled.“She did argue pretty strongly for my immediate execution, however.”
Rafaela tipped her head toward Cosette.“Did she, now?”
“And she refused to call for you or Alonso.”
“I had no reason to.”
“You did,” Rafaela seethed.“The woman you believe to be your prisoner ismydaughter.”
“W-what?”
Rafaela didn’t repeat herself.
“Your daughter?But … you don’t have a daughter.Just the son…”
“Dressed like a pauper and abused under your supervision … stands Soravelle Davana.”
“Where … where do I know that name from?”
“Your history lessons, I would guess, if not for the fact that you seem to know astonishingly little about me.”
World tilt.Historylessons?
“But…”
“But that would make her the long-missing, presumed-dead princess of Zaraga?”Rafaela said.“Yes, yes she is.Go now and don’t return.I find myself in a forgiving mood.Only because I’ve longed for this moment for so very long.”
