“Of course.” I look down at my clasped hands, then I remember where my fingers were, and I tuck them under my legs, out of sight. When I look back up at Brevan, his face is red.
“Safe travels, Your Majesty.” He blurts, then he inclines his head and closes the door.
I collapse forward, my forehead resting on my knees as searing embarrassment makes my face burn. Of course, someone would see me doing that. It was my own fault, wasn’t it? I’m not sure if it was better or worse that it was him. I can’t imagine what Caiden might have done if he’d been the one to walk in on me.
I sit up quickly, determined to appear normal when the emperor arrives. I can’t lose control like that again.
The carriage door opens again and Caiden extends his hand. “My wife, I hear you need an escort.”
I hesitate, not wanting to touch him with the same hand I was just using on myself. He waits, his hand unwavering. I quickly reach for him so we can get this over with. As we walk, he keeps glancing at me, a knowing smirk on his lips. I really, really hope it’s for some nefarious reason and not because he knows what I was doing.
Eight
Sabina
The carriage rumbles to a halt within a few hours of leaving. It’s barely past sunrise, the morning still young. I peer out the window, wondering if they’re resting the horses or if Caiden is on his way to me. I’m surprised when I see little buildings in view. Homes and shops. People walking around.
We’ve stopped at a village. I open the door and climb out, surprised to see that there are more guards around us than I thought. Some are on horseback while others are in full armor standing in rows facing the village’s Main Street.
People are rushing away. Mothers grab their children; shops close their doors and windows. A chill runs down my spine, and I search for Caiden or Brevan. Anyone who can tell me what is going on. Someone to tell me that it’s not what it looks like.
Caiden walks toward me wearing leather armor and a smile. I’ve never seen him dressed for battle. He looks every part the warrior emperor with a sword hanging from his hip and daggers strapped to his thighs.
“What’s going on?” I close the distance between us.
“This village has been on our list for a while. And since it’s on the way to the winter estate, I figured we’d stop on the way. Let you see what Brevan does when he’s not at your side.”
My insides feel like ice is forming in my lungs, making it impossible to breathe. “Don’t do this.” My voice is small, unfamiliar. I’m not sure if I actually spoke aloud because Caiden doesn’t react.
“Come. Let’s find you a good place to view what comes next.” He grips my upper arm and I stumble behind him, confused and afraid. We walk up a hill, my slippers sliding over the loose dirt.
“Please don’t do this. We can continue on. These people didn’t do anything,” I say.
When we reach the top of the hill, Caiden releases my arm. “Didn’t do anything?” He scoffs. “They’re hiding relics. Trying to create magic outside the scope of the emperor. Beyond what the gods allow. It’s treason. And you know better than most what the penalty for treason is.”
That’s when I see Brevan atop his horse. He’s in black from head to toe, his expression hard. There’s fury etched into his face in a way that makes him unfamiliar. He’s not the man I fell in love with. That’s someone else.
He shouts orders and the men on foot tear into the village, racing ahead of the horses and spreading out. They break down doors, yelling and pounding. People are dragged into the street. People scream. Children are torn from their mother’s arms. Men are forced to their knees, soldiers shouting down at them before shoving swords into their unarmed bodies.
Someone throws a torch on a thatched roof, and it explodes in flames. The red and orange seems to free me from my daze, and I blink several times as the scene below me sinks in.
I can’t let them do this.
Without looking at Caiden, I race down the hill, holding my skirts up so I don’t trip. I wince when I step on rocks and my arms fly out to catch myself from falling more than once as the useless slippers skid over the earth.
When I make it to the street, I shout at them to stop. To leave the people alone. There’s so much sound, so much chaos, nobody can hear me.
I look around, desperate to find Brevan. They’re under his command. He can end this. He’s deeper into the village now, climbing off his horse in front of the largest building on the street. It’s a fine home, built of brick. He points his sword as he calls orders I can’t hear, and his men flood into the building, weapons drawn.
“Go ahead,” Caiden says.
I flinch. I hadn’t noticed him approach.
“Here, I’ll help you.” He grips my arm again, and this time he drags me toward the fight.
The street is littered with bodies, my skirts dragging through dirt, over puddles of crimson. Children cry from a cage where they’re being detained by soldiers. A few women are with them but more are dead on the street.
Whispers fill my head. Threats and promises and secrets and lies. Murmurs as gentle as a lover’s caress. Cries as sharp as a knife. My fingers tingle and something slithers uncomfortably inside me. I glance over at Caiden. He’s unbothered by the voices. The echoes of so many warring for dominance in my mind. That’s when I realize I’m the only one who can hear them.
