Most days, she coward and felt fear.
Today, however, she was just tired. Tired and ready to move on, in whatever way that meant. Possibly it was because of the little gadget in her pocket, the one Harbin had given her.
There was a strange sort of comfort, knowing that someone had been willing to make a promise to her that he would protect her without demanding anything in return.
“There are still protocols, like no males ever allowed in my chambers,” Eleanor said. Her voice quivered slightly as she spoke, but she stood taller.
He turned to her. “Remembering the rules only matters if you are planning to break them.”
“You always break your rules?” Bianca asked.
“I make them. I can break them.”
Bianca sighed. “Of course.”
Eleanor took a step in between Bianca and the Emperor. “Why is it that you’re here, Father?”
“I came, Daughter, to make sure you are ready for your mission.”
“Thank you, but I am almost ready to leave.”
He reached into his pocket. “I came to give you a gift.” He pulled out a jewel-encrusted box and handed it to Eleanor.
“Father, what is this? It is beautiful.” She turned the box over in her hand, examining every edge of it.
“Open it. I am sure that my beloved Empress would have wanted you to have it.”
She opened the box, and it was a beautiful red gem ring surrounded by diamonds.
“It is mother’s favorite ring,” Eleanor said.
He nodded. “It was. She would have wanted you to have it on your first official duty mission.”
She stared at him. “I thought it was lost when she died?”
“It was found,” he said. “And I have saved it all this time, just for you.”
“Thank you!” Eleanor darted over to him and gave him a hug.
Bianca got a tear in her eye as the Emperor hugged his daughter. It was such a thoughtful gesture for him.
The Emperor did not typically do these sorts of things for Eleanor. To do something so kind and special for his daughter was highly suspect. For most of her life, he'd ignored her unless he had some use for her. Otherwise, she was nothing to him.
To give her such a valuable gift. It seemed very suspicious.
He glanced at her over Eleanor’s shoulder.
Something in his expression was wicked, and instantly she did not trust his gift at all.
Now that, she mused,felt like the Emperor.
* * *
Bianca walkedinto the darkened chamber—the Emperor’s throne room, and unlike normal, he’d turned off all the lights. The only illumination was a few glow candles placed around the room. Their artificial flicker was the same on each one, giving the room a shadow that seemed to dance.
She wondered how long he worked to time them all, so their flickers were exactly the same. He likely drove some poor servants crazy with his need for perfection and synchrony.
His dramatic methods to scare his subjects into submission had become boring to her. Since she knew what he was doing, she was losing the intimidation he'd once had over her.
