Page 72 of The Gilded Ones

“But Your Imperial Majesty,” a tall, dark courtier protests.

“We cannot leave you by yourself,” another calls.

“It would be sacrilege,” yet another courtier, a stern-looking Easterner this time, objects.

The emperor’s reply is one word: “Now.”

The courtiers scurry to obey his command, and within a few seconds, they’re all gone, the door slamming behind them. I hear a shuffling as the emperor rises, then footsteps coming down the stairs. Large brown feet encased in jewel-encrusted sandals stop just before me.

“Tell me, which one of them is the anomaly?”

“Rise, Deka,” White Hands commands.

I raise my head, trying my best not to stare as the emperor peers down at me. He’s very handsome up close, hair closely cropped except for the beard, head covered by an imposing golden crown studded with diamonds the size of pigeon eggs. He’s also quite dark, his skin the smooth bluish-black of the deep Southern provinces. The house of Gezo has always been Southerners.

He looks me up and down, intelligent brown eyes assessing. There’s a strange expression in them, recognition almost – although I’m not sure what he’s recognizing.

“You’re very small for a killer,” he finally says.

“Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.”

He frowns. “Your accent. You are from the North?”

“Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.”

“But your skin is brown.”

“Her mother was of the Southern provinces,” White Hands explains. “A former Shadow.”

Emperor Gezo nods. “The best stock to breed warriors.” He turns to the others. “You may raise your heads as well.”

When they do, the emperor turns to Keita, frowning. “The young lord of Gar Fatu. I heard you were with the Death Strikers as well.”

“I am Deka’s uruni, Your Imperial Majesty,” Keita explains.

The emperor nods. “See that you protect her well. I expect great things from you, little lord,” he says.

Keita nods. “Yes, my emperor.”

I sit there, thoughts still whirling, as the emperor walks back up to his throne and takes a seat. He stares down at us with stern eyes. “As you know, the army is going on campaign soon. We will exterminate the deathshrieks, destroy their primal nesting ground, and begin the path to victory in this interminable combat.”

The emperor leans closer. “You have done well these past months, Death Strikers. Word of your exploits has reached even my ears. As a reward, you will ride at my right hand, at the very front of the army in the special regiment I’ve made of Otera’s best soldiers.”

We all look at each other, shocked. White Hands had told us as much, but hearing it from the emperor’s own lips – it’s all a bit too much to take in. Britta, Belcalis, Gazal and I all look faint now, but the boys, Li and Kweku especially, look like they want to jump up in delight. Acalan is the only one whose reaction resembles our own, he’s so overwhelmed by the honour.

White Hands smoothly bows. “You honour us, Cousin,” she says.

“No, you honour me,” the emperor insists. “Remember when you came to me with the idea of alaki soldiers?”

My head nearly whips around in shock. Came to him? I stare at White Hands, my eyes nearly bulging past their sockets as I realize what the emperor just said. The alaki regiment, the end of the Death Mandate – that was all her doing? My body begins to shake, gratitude overwhelming me. No matter what White Hands is, no matter what she’s done, she’s saved the lives of countless girls. Rescued them from certain death. Rescued me.

That much, I have to give her credit for.

I barely hear the emperor as he continues: “I was doubtful – no, revolted by the very idea of it: impure girls riding into battle. But you have proven to me how wrong I was – all of you have – and now Otera is better for it. The alaki training grounds have decimated hordes of deathshrieks, thinning the armies we will face during the campaign.

“It will be a long one, make no mistake, but with the alaki at our side, we’ll have the upper hand now. Let us continue on this path and lead our beloved One Kingdom to victory by ridding it of this pestilence of monsters once and for all.”

“Thank you for your kind words, Cousin,” says White Hands, bowing.

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