“I can't,” Reginald whispered, his eyes on four-year-old Prue.
“It's all right, my friend.” Harcut slapped Reginald on the shoulder. “I understand.” He grinned to add, “You don't look like a farmer anyway, especially not a Varraen one. While I have a more elegant form.”
Reginald smiled, but it was sadly.
David looked at his wife, Hannah, but she shook her head adamantly.
“I'll go,” Caleb said.
“And I.” Rachel stood up.
“I as well,” Albert said.
All nine of the single men and women offered to go, even Francis, who was 72. The other parents stayed seated, gripping their kids, especially the older ones.
“We have more than enough,” the Emperor said. “All of you will be housed in the most central farms, and they will be guarded day and night. Thank you, all of you, for your bravery and service to me.” He bent to kiss Sally's cheek, then went and shook the hands of each volunteer, even three-year-old Alex, Harcut's son. When he made it through the line, he came up to me. “I know this is hard on you too, Ember. I hope you will not be distracted.”
“I will be even more focused now, Your Imperial Majesty,” I said.
I bit back my anger. I'd made my protest and it was rejected. There wasn't any more I could do. And the Goddess knows the Emperor had been fair with me when I had disappointed him. I would give him the same respect.
The Emperor nodded grimly. “Thank you.” Then he waved the group of volunteers back to the table. “Finish your lunch. I will speak to General Rontor about transporting you to Tusara. Thank you again.” He inclined his head to all the volunteers. “You have impressed your Emperor today and brought honor to your race. This will not be forgotten.”
I tried not to sniff as the Emperor walked out.
It became easier when Sally shouted, “Goodbye, Uncle Emperor.”
Chuckling, the Emperor paused to turn and say, “Goodbye, my sweet, brave Sally.”
The possessive words made me blink and look from the Emperor's back to the little human girl who had put us all to shame.
Chapter Forty-Five
I helped transport everyone to Tusara, wearing a hood just in case the village was being watched, even though I never went outside. General Rontor set up an arrival chamber in one of the stores off the main street of town, so it looked as if the villagers were out shopping, emerging with their purchases. And they did indeed leave the shop with bags of food to supplement whatever had been left behind by the farmers.
Carts were brought to take the humans to their temporary abodes. Their second temporary abode. I felt awful that they'd been put in this position and even worse that I couldn't stay with them. So, I checked on all the volunteers before they left the shop. The last one to be brought over was Caleb.
Seeing him there suddenly reminded me of his bruises. I stared at him, and he stared back. When I started to speak, he shook his head and hurried outside to where Evina was waiting in a cart with Abigail, Danny, and Robert. The kids had been split up among the adults, who'd been formed into couples. Caleb had been paired with Evina. When he opened the door, her sharp stare looked from Caleb's hunched shoulders to my grim face. I just shook my head at her and faded back to the citadel.
Walking out of the arrival chamber, I almost ran into Taroc's back.
“Whoa.” Taroc steadied me. Then he saw my face. Urging me closer to the wall, he asked, “Are you all right?”
I blinked. Stared at him. A memory replayed in my head. Taroc telling me why he'd been so angry with me.Motherfucker!His voice rang in my mind. Taroc blamed Caleb for misleading him. He'd even said that he wondered if Caleb had done it on purpose. And Caleb refused to tell me who had hurt him. It would make sense if it was Taroc. Shit.
Taroc blinked. “What is it? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Taroc,” I said softly, “I don't want to upset you or make you think I don't trust you.”
“But?” he growled.
“I have to ask you something.”
“Go on then.” Taroc dropped his hand from me.
“Did you confront Caleb about saying all those things about me?”
“You mean the things that made me believe you were dating multiple Lords at once?”
