Page 13 of A Broken Ember

I watched the prince in the sunlight, admiring how he absorbed the light. The sky was bleeding, but I only saw Anastasius. There was a darkness in him that called to the Ruptor, and it wasn’t just his obvious faults or his body heightening my need for power and sex. I followed him out onto the platform to stand at his side. From this point of view, I could see so much of De Vita’s layout. There were hundreds of little balconies, but only one was bigger than the one we stood on now. Perhaps that was Odon’s personal platform. I scanned the rockface, telling myself that I was doing it to memorize what I saw, but a small part of me was just enjoying the view. They appeared innocent, but these people had taken Circulus’ draconis.

“Thank you, Prince,” I turned to him and bowed.

“You are one of the Selected. You may call me Anastasius,” he answered softly.

“If that is what you wish,” I murmured, rising to meet his eyes. He studied me carefully. Swallowed.

“You may wear my clothing until the seamstress makes up some of your own. You will find some tunics that fit you in my closet. I must see my father; he will be expecting me.”

Before I could protest wearing his clothing, he shifted, his draconis erupting into being, once again stunned by how breathtaking he was in this form. His scales were a flawless black which glistened like a thousand stars in the night. A beautiful calm when everything in me was a storm of desire.

Chapter 12: Anastasius

Against my better judgment, I hadn't gone to see my father before visiting Claeg. But I was grateful that I had now, because seeing him had informed me that Calian had been assigned to watch over my Selected. Father’s livid expression came as no surprise when I met him in the throne room. I was supposed to talk with him before those he Selected arrived for the presentation to me. After that, they would begin their training to compete in the Selection. I marched toward my father, who wore a crown of teeth upon his head. Incisors he’d plucked from those he had Saved himself long before my birth. The cloak he clutched around himself was made of dried scales which he claimed to have similarly harvested. He only wore this when he wanted to project a certain image . . . one to intimidate.

I shuddered internally as I landed before my father. Hariasa glared at me from her place behind Odon. I returned the look. My hatred for her wasn’t as potent as mine for Calian, but her allegiance to my father’s cruelty rubbed me the wrong way. . When I became De Vita, neither would serve me. Many of the members of my father’s court would be removed from their place of power. Hopefully soon, if my plan to Challenge him went accordingly. Just a few more turns of the moon. I just needed to pry some truths from my father first.

“You’re late,” Odon growled at me the minute I was done bowing before him. I seethed at his tone but bit my tongue to hold back my anger. In due time he would know exactly how I felt, but not now, in front of hundreds of De Vita clan members. Not today.

“Apologies. I was attending to the wounded,” I replied coolly, ignoring the way Hariasa’s eyes lit up and her mouth pulled into a sneer, knowing whom I had been with. Odon grunted.

“I will not be kept waiting again,” Father snarled. “Next time, let them rot,” he said quietly so that our audience wouldn’t hear. He turned his back on me before I could respond. Blood filled my mouth from where my incisors pierced my lip.

“Bring in the Selected,” Odon ordered Hariasa, who nodded, disappearing from my father’s side to usher in the three he had chosen. “Sit, son.” I obeyed, finding my spot on the throne to his right. It was less extravagant but still exquisitely comfortable. It did little to relax me. I was about to meet the women whom my father had Selected for me. The ones who would fight for their place at my side. It should excite me. It didn’t.

“My De Vita, may I present, Janus,” a serving draconis bellowed from the entryway as Hariasa burst in with the first Selected. My heart settled with relief at the announcement. While Janus was fierce, she saw things the way I did. Whether that was because she had lost an eye or not, I wasn’t sure. But I knew I could count on her when the time came to dethrone my father. She nodded to me, her face set in stone, seemingly emotionless to those who didn’t know her. But she and I had grown up together. I knew that while outside she may appear cold, internally she was kind. When they reached the bottom of the dias, she fell to her knees, bowing before us. She was a wise choice, and I understood why my father Chose her. The trait she was meant to embody was obvious, too. Strength.

The servant bellowed out the name of the next woman: Aurora. Her Selection didn’t surprise me either. She was witty and held her head high with pride. I had no doubt it was with her fancy words that she had earned her place among the Selected. Her tongue had wound many manipulations, and many who engaged her in verbal combat did not win. Her loyalty was to herself and to whomever could give her the most power. She graciously got to her knees, wearing a confident smile.

“Lord De Vita, I present, Oriana.”

My heart slammed into my bones at the words. I gripped the edges of my throne, barely able to keep my rage within me. Oriana marched to the front, forgoing Hariasa’s offered arm. She glared at me, licking her lips as if she were going to devour me. As if she had already won. Triumphant. She held my eye as she lowered herself before me, her expression souring my stomach. I hated that she had been Selected, and Father knew it. I bristled with rage. Beside me, I could practically feel Odon smiling smugly.

“And where is your Selected?” he asked.

“He won’t be coming today. He is still recovering from his wounds the Circulus bestowed upon him,” I replied simply. Hariasa flashed her teeth, and my father leveled me a glare that said there would be consequences for my actions, but he nodded all the same and plastered on a smile for our clan.

“Rise, Selected.” Odon beckoned the bowing women before us. They rose as one.

I grimaced at the look Oriana gave me, like I was a prize she was determined to win and she would destroy the competition to get to me. The smile she gave me was all teeth.

“Today we are gathered to mark the beginning of a time-honored tradition. The Selection was created by the first De Vita to determine the perfect mate for the De Vita’s heir. As always, we select one representing each of our core values: strength, wit, loyalty, and lastly, love. I have Selected the candidates for strength, wit, and loyalty.” He gestured toward Janus, Aurora, and Oriana in turn. “Each of these women represent the best of our respective values. But what good is loyalty or wit or strength or love alone? The Selection ensures the ideal mate—a harmony, while also allowing the fates to determine which area needs to be focused on for the coming generation.” Odon looked toward Amartya, beaming. “The gods of De Vita Chose the perfect mate for me, and I have every belief that they will for my son.” I shifted in my throne, drawing my father’s eye. I tuned him out as he went on and on about the sacredness of ceremony, the prosperity the clan has experienced under his rule, and the credibility of Aurora, Janus, and Oriana.

My eyes found Rohit in the crowd, and he gave me a reassuring smile. It was tempting to roll my eyes at him, but I sucked on my lip instead, resisting the urge. Most of the clan was gathered below us, but Ercan’s absence infuriated me. He should be among them as equals, yet even after all these years many still didn’t treat him as such. Particularly my father, who was known to quickly resort to torture to get his way.

It felt like days passed on that throne as Odon droned on. All the while, I couldn’t stop thinking about Claeg, wondering what he was doing, if anyone had figured out who he was, and what I could do to woo him. Whether he would ever want me the way I craved him. I found myself imagining myself with him in ways I had never experienced before. Some of the tension spilled out of my body at the thought of him, pooling in my pelvic region. I shifted in my seat, unsurprised to find my cock growing.

Hariasa started training, sparring with each of the women in turn. I was expected to observe the first day to get to know my Selected. The female warrior taught them moves she had perfected over the decades. It was a dance as they practiced with hands and weapons from arrows, swords, and spears. Each of them was a formidable opponent, but none matched Hariasa’s prestige. Not even Janus.

“Drink, Stas.” My mother’s sudden appearance woke me from the lull I had slipped into. I jerked to attention, my eyes focusing on the glass of water she held in front of me. I grabbed it with a nod of thanks. The sun was high overhead, making me groan. It would be ages before I was freed from my responsibility of overseeing my prospective mates. The drink cooled my dry throat, yet I felt none of the associated discomfort.

“Thank you,” I murmured, unable to keep the boredom out of my tone.

She let out a soft laugh and placed a hand on my shoulder. “Eat.” She gestured to a large plate of snacks she had brought for me. With that, she gave me a final nod and dipped off of the dias. Her robes swished about her as she strode out of the throne room, easily dodging Oriana and Hariasa, who had been dueling for a while now. Sweat had broken out upon their brows, but only Oriana’s chest heaved with the strain of the workout.

My stomach growled. I sighed and turned toward the food Mother had left. Grapes, cheese, and biscuits. I popped a handful of the juicy fruits into my mouth. They burst with flavor. I chased the grapes down with an aged, smoked cheese that made my mouth water. The clash between the sweetness of the fruit and the richness of the cheese was perfectly balanced by the moist biscuits, which I inhaled enthusiastically, grateful for the distraction. It wasn’t long before the food was gone, and I slumped back on my throne. My fingers drummed a pattern on the armrest.

Steel clashed, the sound drowning out everything around me until it became a dull drum. At one point, Father stood and gave a look which said everything he didn’t say aloud, all the expectations of me, including keeping me rooted to this throne until dusk. I sighed but nodded, my hatred for him growing the slightest bit more. There was no need for me to be here. I had seen each of these women fight many times. Yet, tradition bound me here when my heart was elsewhere.

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