The shrill sound of the gold multi-slate on his wrist interrupted him, and he pulled away from his computer as though burned.
Falc’s name flashed across the screen, and Nuri gave himself a moment to collect himself before answering.
“Yes, Falc?” he kept his tone even, unconcerned.
“Master Narek,” the butler was not putting on the same front, and there was a twinge of alarm in his voice, “is the Emperor with you, perhaps?”
“No. Why?”
“When the staff and I arrived this morning, he was gone,” Falc explained. “His car is in the garage, but I assumed the two of you traveled to work together by other means.”
“He hasn’t come into the office.”
“I’ve been made aware, which is why I decided to check his room and that’s when I discovered he’d left his multi-slate behind.”
Nuri crossed his arms. He wasn’t falling for this, but since Silver had gone through the trouble of roping Falc into their mess, he’d act the part for the butler’s sake. “You’re saying he’s disappeared and doesn’t have any means of communicating on his person?”
“It appears that way, Master Narek.”
Sure.
He sighed. “I wouldn’t worry just yet. He’s the emperor. Everyone on planet knows his face. Even without his multi-slate, no cabbie would drive by him if he tried hailing one.”
“This is very unusual,” Falc insisted. “When he dismissed us yesterday morning, he was in a good mood. Forgive me foroverstepping, but did something perhaps happen between the two of you?”
Nuri grit his teeth. Was Silver really making Falc do this? All he was doing was making everyone uncomfortable, and to what gain? It wasn’t like Falc was going to be able to convince Nuri to forgive him. The two of them weren’t exactly close and had kept a strictly professional relationship, despite the fact the older gentleman had practically watched him grow up.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t know where his majesty is, and I’m rather busy with work at the moment, Falc.”
There was a considerable pause and then, “I suppose if you aren’t concerned, neither should I be. I’ll see you tonight for dinner. The Emperor instructed the chef to make beef wellington.”
Nuri’s favorite.
Was he seriously trying to win him over with food?
It was on the tip of his tongue to tell Falc he wouldn’t be returning to the mansion, but then he thought better of it. He needed to collect his things, after all. May as well be sooner rather than later.
“I’ll see you this evening,” he told the older man, then promptly ended the call.
There was a very real chance this was a trap to lure him back so Silver could lock him up again. The cuff still attached to Nuri’s ankle was a clear reminder of the chain that had been used on him before.
The chain still bolted to the floor and coiled beneath the bed they slept in.
Whatever.
If Silver wanted to try and confine him like somepet, he could do so.
It would only help strengthen Nuri’s resolve in the end.
Chapter 30:
Nothing happened when Nuri arrived at the mansion. Falc had stuck with the story that Silver was missing, and even though Nuri had sat down for dinner on his own, aiming to lure Silver out, the Emperor had remained absent.
Nuri had collected as many things as he could fit into a single suitcase, telling Falc he was going to be spending time at his apartment, and had walked out just as easily as he had the night before.
The butler tried to pry out more information, but gave up when Nuri refused to answer any of his questions.
That’d been four days ago, and aside from Falc’s messages, Nuri had been left alone.
