Page 21 of Captive of the Stolen Empire

“Please do.”

“Though I wonder…” He toyed with one of the discarded pieces, not meeting my eyes. “What do you plan to do with Lady Ilya now that she’s staying with you?”

A groan slipped from my lips. “Keep an eye on her. Figure out what she’s up to.”

Zurina cocked her head, brows raised. “Sticking a knife in your back. That’s what she’ll be up to if you give her the chance. I’ve seen the way she looks at you. At all of us, actually.”

I couldn’t stifle a wince as I reached for my glass of whiskey. I savored the burn as the stiff drink slid down my throat. Once, I’d thought the same. “She’s been quite the opposite in here recently, wearing dresses that would make our old tutor blush and sporting a come-hither look. You’d think she actually wants me.”

Warren whistled.

Zurina smirked. “Maybe she does.”

I shook my head. “Not a chance. I just don’t know what she’s after.” Though I couldn’t deny that the sight of Ilya in those outfits caused something dangerous to stir in my chest. She had a lot of traits I would admire if she hadn’t been so set on radiating fury toward the empire until recent days.

Zurina patted my head as if I were one of her dogs she could control with her magic. “You’ll figure it out.”

“Make your move or surrender.” Warren swept his hand toward the game board.

I slid a piece up a space, hardly noticing it at all. “Are you going to tell us about your trip or are you saving that for when we’re all together?”

“Like I’d keep you two waiting?” She stretched her arms and rose to her feet again, unable to sit still. “We found the remnants of what looks to be a rebel campsite, but no people or evidence of which city-state they belong to. We considered pressing on to the forests near Nassia, but I decided we should circle back here to see if there was any new information.” She raised her brows at me in question.

“We’ve heard nothing new.” That worried me more than anything. Some of the guards reported hushed rumors in taverns. Others mentioned flickering campfires in the night where no homes or villages existed. If there were rebels forming warbands, they did an excellent job of covering their tracks and avoiding the conquered cities where our emissaries kept careful watch.

“Do you ever wish we’d just left the city-states alone and held our borders?” She leaned in on the back of the chair she’d occupied, an imposing figure with her tall height.

“Doubting our emperor? That’s treason, Zurina.” But the words lacked heart as I said them. I tried not to. What kind of First would I be if I doubted the man I served? One who’d adopted me—all of us—put a roof over our heads and saw that we were trained and educated.

She shrugged as if it were nothing, but her eyes told a different story.

“It would be nice to have peace.” Warren’s reply came as no more than a whisper, the wish of a gentle heart.

His words sat heavily on my chest. We created a better world for everyone. A united front against the vast empires to the west.

“Of course we’ll have peace.” Zurina perked up, a blinding smile replacing the questions of moments ago. “We’ve conquered all the city-states that have raised a hand against us. They’ve stayed in line since that debacle with”—she waved her hand in the air—“whatever his name was. And I’m sure these rebellion rumors are nonsense. Probably just some locals out hunting. You can’t blame people for putting food on the table, right?”

Maybe, but that still didn’t explain the odd attack in the woods.

“Of course.” Warren’s smile matched hers as he moved another game piece. “Besides, I’m closing in on a victory here.”

The board taunted me. Enemies closing in on all sides, forcing me to move in one direction, right into my defeat. “Damn, you’re testing me today.” I scrubbed a hand through my hair, trying to find a move that wouldn’t sink my chances further.

Warren reclined in his chair, smug. “I don’t think you can get out of this one.”

Chapter11

Lucien

The lack of findings on the rumored rebels frustrated my emperor. Today’s incident, only two days after Zurina’s return and my game with Warren, set us all on edge.

Torture was dirty work, but no less than treason deserved. If the maid had only confessed her crimes, she might have saved herself some pain, though nothing could save her from exile to the western mining camp.

How did she find out about our troop locations?I sighed. Probably one of the new recruits. They’d need a reminder to keep private conversations behind closed doors. Another one. Emperor Ryszard recruited able-bodied men and women from within the city-state to fill the ranks of those who’d fallen in battle. But training took time, discipline even more so.

The maid’s cries followed me back to my quarters, echoing in my head and turning the meager dinner I’d eaten to dust in my belly. I’d tried to get the information out of her first and save her some pain, but she wouldn’t talk. Brishon touched her with his poisoned hands for only a moment before the screeching began. She sounded more like a mortally wounded animal than a traitor.

Worse, if one of the guards hadn’t stopped her and searched her pockets before she left the castle with her little letter, she’d have gotten away with it. Information about our green guards and recent movement of our troops could be deadly in the hands of the rumored rebels—if they existed.

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