Instead of answering, he pushed the ball of heavy cream paper into my palm, rounded the desk, and began to riffle through his drawers. A manic energy bleeding from his entire frame.
I smoothed the crinkled paper out before me.
Captain Asher Rawlings, of the North District’s Special Forces,
His Royal Majesty, Octavius Cicero Tiberius, formally requests your presence to perform a live demonstration for the entertainment of the royal sibling, before the ceremonial inauguration of several young elites.
You’ve been selected for this honor due, in large part, to your exemplary dedication to the empire, both on and off the battlefield.
However, rumors of your extraordinary golden priestess have been heard even in the capitol, and his Majesty is eager to see what you and the girl can do.
Your attendance to this event is a requirement.
General Harper Tilcot,
North District
Iswallowed the lump in my throat. Read the letter again and again, trying to make sense of the formal speech. The foreign names of men I didn’t know, and most of all, the sinister tone lurking just behind the flowery words.
“The Emperor’s brother,” Alicia whispered, awed. Revenant, she stood over my shoulder with fingers pressed to her lips. The subtle scent of her perfumed skin enough to make me sweat. “He’shere? But my lord,” she said. “I thought you couldn’t…” Sparkling green eyes flicked to my face. “Couldn’t use the priestess without killing her?”
But I didn’t sneer or look away.
Obsidian eyes darted up to meet my gaze—an unspoken secret passing between us. The knowledge that it was considerably more complicated than that. The consequences more dire than either of us had ever imagined.
A secret neither of us could reveal without risking our own health—if one fell, the other would follow.
“What do we do?” Alicia hissed. “The house is completely surrounded! The general’s men are in the kitchen!”
Alicia squeaked at the slap of heavy hands striking the desktop. Tension rolling off him in black waves, the captain stood with feet braced wide, head hanging low. A shock of dark hair covered a dewy forehead, shoulder blades jutting up to tent the back of his shirt. And for the space of several ragged breaths, I thought he wouldn’t answer.
Thought he’d reached his limit and finally cracked right down the middle.
And then, “You will do nothing,” he said, enunciating each word with clear precision. “Follow orders as they’ve been given and draw no unnecessary attention to yourself or the others.”
Cheeks heating, Alicia looked as if she meant to argue.
“Tell them we’ll be down in a moment, please,” he continued, and his hands curled into fists, nails scraping at the glossy desk top. “Go now. Please?” he added when it seemed the pleasure slave wouldn’t obey.
Alicia, loyal to the bitter end.
Nostrils flared white, tears brimming along her lash line, Alicia nodded and turned to go. Closing the door behind her with a careful snap.
I slid the royal summons across the desktop. “What about us?”
He took a deep, steadying breath. Set that bottomless gaze to mine, his jaw flexing around several started and aborted answers.
“We need energy,” I said, choosing my words with careful intention. “Energy that won’t come from rest or nutrition. It’s got to come from a more… reliable source. Something we can usenow.When we need it.”
“Go on then, empath,” he spat. “Say it. Out loud.”
Brows raised, I merely blinked at the man whose hands were stained with the blood of a thousand slaves.
“Which one did you have your eye on, hmm?” He flung a hand out, toward the door. “Alicia for betraying your priestess blood? What about Beau?” he asked, eyes gone dark as pitch. “She’s old anyway. No one will notice her missing, right?”
I shrugged. “Neither of them have the sort of power we need.” Shameless in my assessment, because he knew damn-well I was right.
“Ah. You want an elite, is that it? Get a little vengeance before some magnificent last stand?”
