“Now, my darling, how would I find any pleasure in this if I gave you all the answers?” The fire is in her palms now, burning brighter than before.
“Is that what this is? Entertainment?” I scoff. “This is people’s lives. You can’t use us as toys.”
“I can do whatever I please. Lucky for you, I have other motives. But I’ve been locked away a long time. I’m not in a rush.” She’s watching the tongues of purple fire licking at her hands and wrists. She’s no longer interested in me.
“Whatother motives?” I ask tentatively.
She closes her hands around it, snuffing it out. We’re illuminated only by starlight. With careful steps, she approaches me. I tense, but remain in place.
“You’ll see. We have much in common. You came to me for a reason, daughter.” She touches her fingers to my temple and a jolt of pain surges through me. My back arches and I scream.
The memory flashes through me. The temple, an offer from death, an agreement, a mission. I fall to my knees, wincing as the pain subsides. My head throbs and the backs of my eyes ache, but it’s manageable now.
I look up at her. “I came to you so I could bring this empire to its knees.”
She grins. “Yes, you did. And my sweet, it’s almost time. But you’re not quite ready.”
“How will I know?” I ask.
“I will return. Until then, remember what I’ve told you. And it wouldn’t hurt for you to find out what was hidden from your people.”
There’s a vague shape above me but it’s so bright I can’t open my eyes.
“Empress? Wake up.”
“Wake up, Empress.”
“Is she breathing?”
“Move.” Someone shakes me. “This isn’t funny. Open your eyes. You are not allowed to die yet. I need you.”
“Stop. Someone get him out of here!”
I try to open my eyes again, but they don’t want to. I realize I’m moving, but I can’t feel anything.
Thirteen
Brevan
“We found her!” someone calls.
I turn toward the sound. “Where?”
A guard comes running toward me, breathless. “This way.”
My heart races and fear consumes me. Why is she out here? “Is she alive?”
“I don’t know,” the guard says.
There’s several guards gathered together, blocking my view.
“Empress? Wake up.” Nate is on the ground beside her, leaning over her. His voice is clear but calm. “Wake up, Empress.”
“Is she breathing?” someone asks.
“Move.” Ludis shoves Nate aside, then kneels down next to her. “This isn’t funny. Open your eyes. You are not allowed to die yet. I need you.”
“Stop.” I grab him and pull him away from her, then shove him toward the guards. “Someone get him out of here!”
