Prologue
12 Years Ago
“Stay back,” Bianca said, waving her handkerchief at Empress Fallon. “You do not want a cold on your way to make peace with the Rhimodians. You could take the virus and make them all sick and kill them off or some such thing.”
Fallon laughed. “And what a tragedy that would be. A cold brings down a cybernetic army.”
“What a silly notion,” Bianca said, covering her face before she sneezed. “Why are you here, anyway? You should be getting ready.”
“I just wanted to make sure you were well.”
“I’m not. That’s why I’m not going,” Bianca said. “Though truly, I wish I were. It will be so boring around here without you.”
“I am sure you’ll find something to entertain yourself. After all, you won’t have to be running after what I want. You can spend a few days enjoying yourself.”
Bianca didn’t really feel like she’d be enjoying anything. “Head colds will not make anything pleasant.”
Fallon smiled. “Probably not. You can catch up on your reading, I suppose. Or…”
Bianca crossed her arms. Here it was, the task. She knew Fallon wanted her to do something while she was gone. They had already discussed it before when Fallon had initially begun the idea of facilitating peace talks with the Rhimodians.
“You still want me to watch him?” Bianca asked.
Fallon, with her pretty eyes, dark brown and flecked with golden speckles, blinked a few times. “Please?” She glanced up and down the hallway.
Bianca followed her gaze and saw the guards posted down the hall, close enough if needed but far enough away to give the two of them the illusion of privacy.
“I assumed,” she said. Another sneeze was coming on, and she covered her mouth.
Fallon leaned away from her, taking half a step backward. “Should I send a medic? You seem to be sneezing a lot.”
“I am fine,” Bianca said. “I took some medicine a bit ago. I should probably be getting back to bed soon, though.”
“Yes, of course. You need your rest. Your nose is red.”
“I imagine it would be, with the wiping of it so,” Bianca said. And it was raw. She could feel it. She would have to put something on later to soothe it.
Fallon didn’t step into Bianca’s suite, but she did enter the doorway, closer than she probably should have. “Whatever you need to do,” she whispered.
“Are you sure?” Bianca asked, setting down the handkerchief. “He does not suspect anything?”
“He does not. And with everything in place, he shouldn’t, including your help, my friend.”
Bianca bowed. “I will do as my Empress requests.”
Fallon opened her mouth like she was going to object to Bianca’s formal answer.
But she stopped.
Bianca met her gaze. They both knew what Fallon was asking of her Lady in Waiting. And Bianca would only do it for her. No one else would get such a commitment from her.
But no one else would ask so much from their Lady in Waiting, either.
* * *
“More wine?”Emperor Bron leaned over, filling Bianca’s glass.
Whether she wanted the drink or not.
