Page 29 of Haunted

“Your Highness…” I mean to tell her my stay is not permanent.

The empress breaks our intimacy. As she paces away, a heat I wasn’t aware of leaves me, which seems impossible; the empress is nothing but cold and unfeeling.

“I will be gone for a few more day trips,” she says. “Can I count on you to stay in my absence?”

“Only if you tell me where you’re going.”

“Don’t ask me to do that.”

“Do I not have your confidence?” I ask.

She freezes. Her eyes close, and she inhales calmly. I’ve thrown her.

I step behind her, hovering inches from her shoulder, and whisper into her ear. “Trust goes both ways. I can see you’re dealing with a burden or else you wouldn’t have flown into a rage over Nesta’s attentions toward me. What draws you from Caer?”

The empress fiddles with the bandage on her hand. “I did not fly into a rage.”

I take her hand. “Your palm would say otherwise.”

“Caedryn, forget what draws me away. I am at my master’s work, and we’ll leave it at that.”

“The Dark Master? Why do you owe him allegiance? Is he the one who bestows power on you?”

“There are many things you could never know.” She eyes me subtly. “Many things you couldn’t even fathom.”

“Enlighten me.”

The empress draws her hand away. “I cannot.”

“What is his bidding? Why would he demand so much of your time?” A thought occurs that swells me with unwarranted jealousy and bends my brow. “Are you the Dark Master’s whore?”

The empress’s arms fly up, lightning crackling in both palms. I grab her wrists before her palms strike my chest, before she can scorch me with her illustrious power.

She struggles, pushing her wrists toward me, electricity mere inches away. But I hold her firm. She’s far stronger than I am, but for some reason she doesn’t overpower me. Perhaps she likes our tussle. Her lightning cracks up to the ceiling, striking the metal ornamentation overhead. Sparks rain down on us, yet we stay in our wrestle.

“What am I to you?” I hiss as I grip her.

Her eyes carry thunder. “You’re nothing to me.”

“You lie.”

The empress closes the vortex on the energy flying from her palms, and the room darkens.

I don’t expect her to give up, and with my last counter push, she sails across the floor.

She stares at the cold stone after pushing up onto hands and knees. I expect her to be angry, but the empress doesn’t retaliate.

I’m not sure what I’ve won.

Her chest heaves. I don’t move to help her up.

“I’ll be here for only two more days,” I hear myself say. “Appoint someone else chancellor.”

She doesn’t respond.

“I’ll come once a week, but that’s all. I have my own affairs to attend to.”

Her fingers claw at the stone. “Are you telling me whom I can and can’t have as counsel?”

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