“Lower the shield,” Vanya snapped.
The hexagonal shapes parted with sharp little snaps down the center, allowing Soren to step through with Raiah. Vanya could hear his daughter crying, her sobs muffled against Soren’s body.
Thepraetorialegionnaires moved to bring Soren and Raiah into their circle of protection as the shield expanded around them. Vanya reached for Raiah, pulling his daughter into his arms with a shaky sigh of relief. He kissed the top of her head, holding her close.
“Thank you,” Vanya rasped.
“I told Alida to take cover under the bench. Raiah didn’t want to go,” Soren said.
Vanya freed one hand to grab Soren above the elbow, pulling him closer. “You’re all right?”
Soren rolled his eyes. “I wasn’t their target. I thought you said everyone would be screened for weapons before being allowed inside?”
“They should have been.” The only people allowed to carry weapons of any sort during the coronation—pistols or wands or knives—were the high priestess, legionnaires, and Soren.
Soren nodded, gray eyes dark. “I’ll check the bodies.”
Vanya tightened his hold on the other man. “You should stay here.”
“I guard the borders, remember? And the dead will always belong there.”
It was a pointed reminder of the argument they’d recently had, and Vanya could only let him go. The legionnaire magician parted the shield again, and Soren slipped away.
Vanya steadied himself, focusing on Raiah to try to get her to stop crying. A minute or so later, the shield parted again and Alida stepped through, hair a mess and wild-eyed from fear. She bowed shakily once past the legionnaires.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t protect her,” Alida said, gaze downcast, nearly crying.
Vanya shook his head, knowing that in a fight, Soren was the only one who could have got Raiah to safety. “You did enough until Soren reached you. I need you to take Raiah back to the palace. Thepraetorialegionnaires will keep you both safe.”
He had to believe that. Raiah was the Imperial crown princess now, his only heir, and a target as much as he was. He needed to think about her safety and the future of the empire, and keeping her out of harm’s way was the next logical step.
Thepraetorialegionnaires separated into two groups without being asked. The magician went with his daughter, the small group hurrying toward the side entrance that led to the back hallways of the temple. Vanya stayed, because it was his duty. He was emperor now, despite the attempted assassination, and he needed to prove he was strong enough to rule. Hiding wouldn’t help with that.
He headed to where Soren stood in between the pews, where the woman he’d killed now lay. Vanya and the legionnaires stayed in the outside aisle, keeping their distance from the dead. Her face no longer existed, so there would be no hope in identifying her.
Soren pulled something from around the woman’s throat, lifting up the ragged ends of gossamer-thin fabric and a metal clasp. “She wore a veil.”
Vanya’s lip curled upward. “Her face will be false in photographs, then.”
“That’s not all.” Soren’s gaze flickered over Vanya’s shoulder at the men and women surrounding him. “Come here. I need to show you something.”
Vanya waved for the legionnaires to stay where they were before making his way between the pews. Soren had the body laid out on the bench, the front of the woman’s robes a tattered mess from bullet holes and blood. Once Vanya was close, Soren ripped the fabric wider, exposing deep vivisection scars crisscrossing her chest.
The scars were ropy and pink, long healed, but she was no revenant.
Soren raised his head, a grim look in his eyes. “She’s dead now, but she was alive when she was trying to kill you.”
“What is she?” Vanya asked in a low voice, staring down at the body.
“I don’t know, but this is one body youwillburn after an examination.”
Vanya wouldn’t argue against that. “Until we know what she is, I don’t want any other House to know of what you’ve found. Can you keep control of the bodies?”
“Are you asking me to keep state secrets?”
“You already do.”
Soren scowled at him. “I have leeway from the governor. That’s the only reason I’m saying yes to this.”
