Page 15 of Cloak of Night
They examined every room they passed for Empress Aki, listening for hollow spaces in the walls and floors where she could be imprisoned. They went up and down the other towers, too. But other than a locked room—which was totally silent—and a few ryuu here and there, the bloodstone castle seemed abandoned.
It was too quiet. The little hairs on Sora’s arms stood on end.
And too much time had passed already. “We need to get out of here soon,” Daemon said.
“One more passageway,” Sora said. There was a corridor up ahead that branched off from the others.
As they turned the corner, she took in a sharp breath.
If the rest of the castle was already eerie with its red-streaked, black stone walls, this dark hallway was the crown jewel. There were no windows, torches, or lanterns; the only light came from the sinister glow of what looked like giant dragon’s teeth, each taller than Sora and composed entirely of crimson crystals seemingly lit from within. It was like walking straight into a dragon’s jaws.
The corridor led to a heavy set of wooden doors. The handles were carved with dragons, their eyes inset with red rubies, their claws outstretched as if ready to tear into prey.
“I have a feeling one of the two people we’re looking for is behind those doors,” Daemon whispered. “And it’s not Empress Aki.”
Their gemina bond tightened, the taiga equivalent to holding hands to give each other strength. Sora nodded at Daemon. There was no time like the present for regicide.
Knives and throwing stars at the ready, they snuck up to the twin keyholes and peered inside.
Gods almighty.
The throne room was a massive receiving hall, with walls made of the same red-streaked black stone as the castle. There was a huge mural painted on the ceiling—although Sora couldn’t quite make out its subject from the angle of the keyhole—and also a throne, a menacing opus of crimson stone and black velvet, with fiery flames made of orange sapphires to frame Prince Gin’s head.
He wasn’t sitting on the throne, though. The Dragon Prince knelt before the fireplace in front of real flames, chanting over and over in what sounded like Kichonan but older. Like an ancient version of their modern language.
“What is he doing?” Sora whispered.
Daemon didn’t get to answer, though, because the fire in the throne room suddenly extinguished itself, and a giant appeared in the air in its place, his long dark beard fluttering like a flag, his ten-fingered hands stained red with a millennium’s worth of blood.
Zomuri.
Chapter Nine
Sora staggered back a step. Gods rarely deigned to interact with humans. Sola, goddess of the sun, would visit the emperor or empress only if summoned with imperial blood and a sacrifice of a year of his or her life. Non-royals like Sora never got to see deities. She would light incense and pray, hoping that the smoke would carry her wishes to Celestae, the island paradise in the sky where the gods lived. But people didn’t expect to ever see a god during their lifetimes, let alone twice. Yet Zomuri had appeared for the Ceremony of Two Hundred Hearts, and here he was again.
Why?
It had to be bad. Zomuri may have been more willing to appear to humans than the other gods, but still, he came only if there was something worthwhile to him. Hearts to eat. Emperors’ promises of glory in Zomuri’s name. Or possibly worse.
Sora pulled herself together and mashed her ear against the keyhole to catch what she could of their conversation.
“I do not like being summoned like a dog,” Zomuri said. “What is the meaning of this?”
Prince Gin bowed to the ground. “My lord, you know I am your most humble servant. I am working toward creating a vast empire to worship you and to achieve the Evermore for my people. However, I’ve been reviewing my research on the emperors of the past who marched this path before me, and always, they fail before conquering all seven of the mainland kingdoms because the Kichonan forces are outnumbered. I want to ensure that I’m not susceptible to this same human frailty, and so I have a request to make of you.”
Zomuri’s voice rumbled ominously in the back of his throat. “Why should I give you anything more? By declaring your kingdom’s loyalty to me, rather than the sun goddess, you have already gained an advantage.”
“What?” Daemon whispered, confused.
Sora shook her head. She didn’t understand either.
Prince Gin dipped his head in acknowledgment. He clearly knew what Zomuri was talking about. Then again, he’d been a devotee of Evermore legends since childhood. “I understand the effect your reign will have on the people of this kingdom. But what I’m proposing is a deal that will benefit both of us even more—aguaranteeof glory and empire for you and a clear path to the Evermore for me, my ryuu, and all of Kichona.”
Zomuri floated above the throne. “I’m listening.”
The Dragon Prince rose to his feet and took his time walking to his throne. He sat in it casually, with a surprising lack of deference, given the fact that he was in the presence of a god. Maybe being emperor allowed him that.
Or maybe he’s just an arrogant snake, Sora thought.
