That’s what I’m afraid of.
The eagles turned as one toward the entrance to the aerie, their attention attracted by a servant entering.
“Commander Talon?” he said, hurrying to my side with a bow. I recognized him as Bran, the emperor’s steward and head of the palace staff.
“Yes?”
“The emperor is requesting your presence in his private quarters.”
“Of course he is,” I muttered under my breath.
“Commander?”
“Yes, I’m coming. One moment.”
Bran nodded once and took a step back.
I rubbed the back of my neck, where the muscles were already beginning to ache.I think it might be another long night,I said to Neo.You should go on without me.
Neo’s feathers ruffled.What else is there to talk about?
The wedding. The peace treaty.First Daughter Zara.My muscles continued to tense as I thought of just how long my cousin could potentially keep me when all I wanted to do was eat and go to sleep.
Then refuse.
I can’t. It’s the only way I can be useful. The war’s over now, but as you’ve already seen, that creature is still lurking in the shadows, and even if it isn’t the Devourer of legend, it’s still a powerful sorcerer. There’s no way the treaty will appease a creature like that, and if I were to abandon Altair now, then I’m afraid there wouldn’t be a palace—or even an empire—to return to.
I didn’t know how we’d ever disentangle the creature from Altair or banish it from our empire.
Still, I would do what I could. For the empire.
Go and rest,I told Neo.I will find you later.
My offer to fly us both far over the ocean still stands.
All hope isn’t lost yet.
Neo shook his head once before spreading his wings wide and taking off. I knew he didn’t agree. He thought we shouldescape now while we had the chance, but I would never abandon my people—even the nobles at court that I couldn’t stand to be around.
“Let’s go,” I said to Bran.
When we reached the doorway to the aerie, Bran bowed low. “Commander, there is something I must ask you before I take you to see the emperor.”
“What is it?”
“I have tried to bring this to the attention of the emperor, but he has been…distracted by other things.” Bran looked uncomfortable. “Recently, several men and women have turned up missing, and after investigating, we found their families haven’t heard from them, either.”
A whisper of warning made my muscles tense. Still, this was what I hated about life at the palace—there was always some crisis to deal with. “Although I’m sympathetic to your dilemma, I’m a soldier and wouldn’t even know where to begin such an investigation. What is it you want from me?”
“I understand that, Commander, I do, but you’re also the emperor’s cousin, and he listens to you. I would like guards to comb the palace and Naharu for the missing staff. The emperor has said that I am overreacting, and that this is a situation of delinquent staff, one he doesn’t want to waste resources on.”
“But you don’t think so?”
He shook his head. “Maybe if it was only one or two, but seven are now missing.”
Much as I hated to admit it, seven was a lot of people to not report to their posts. “I can’t guarantee that the emperor will listen to me.” It depended on his mood, which was ever-changing. “But I will try.”
He closed his eyes once. “Thank you, Commander.”
