Page 26

I swallow thickly. Sabrelle isn’t exactly being subtle. It’s incredibly unusual for any of the godlen to create signs this blatant.

I’m trying to decide what I could say to the crowd that might diffuse the tension when a paler light gleams overhead. An impression of a dove, glinting as if it’s made of sunlight, swoops toward my head.

A giddy wobble runs through my pulse. I press my hand to my godlen mark.

Elox is watching over me, just as openly right now as his fellow godlen is acting against me.

The murmurs rise, punctuated by a few gasps. I can’t imagine any of these people has seen a divine spectacle quite like this before. I certainly haven’t.

I glance at Pierus. “Is there any past precedent for a display like this?”

The imperial cleric’s jaw has gone slack. “I… I don’t believe so. You truly have caught the attention of the deities, it’s clear. ”

Another carriage draws up behind ours, with more soldiers following behind it.

All four of the princes spill out into the street, keeping a careful distance from me but obviously intent on witnessing this event for themselves.

Several more soldiers from the palace fall in around us, including Captain Evando, who catches my gaze with a tip of his head.

Axius strides ahead of me and pitches his voice to carry over the growing crowd of city folk. “I know this is a tremendous event, but let’s all keep our heads and simply contemplate what our godlen are showing us.”

As if in response, more reddish light flares across the front of the temple. It traces a line like the rooftop of the palace… and then drains away in a bloody gush.

The crimson glow has barely faded when another flash of white draws everyone’s gazes to one of the neighboring buildings. A shimmering crowned figure I have to assume represents me opens her arms to the crowd as if welcoming them all into an embrace.

It’s a battle of omens, the only way our divine figures can express their disagreements to us directly. What will the city folk make of the holy chaos?

As I wait for another symbol to form, Neven pushes over to my ring of guards. “Aurelia!” He drops his voice to a lower but no less urgent tone. “I think you should get back to the palace.”

Kassun grunts, looking displeased—possibly because of the familiarity with which the young prince addressed me, but that only shows how worried Neven is.

My body tenses. “Why? What’s the matter?”

“I’m just getting the impression… She’s pushing her influence harder. Trying to stir people up. I don’t think you’ll be safe.”

Marc doesn’t question the prince’s statement. He waves to the people who’ve gathered behind the carriage. “Clear a path through the street!”

Captain Evando joins us, with a sideways glance toward Neven. “I’m not sure there’s any benefit in panicking when?—”

A thump and a cry carry from the other end of the small square. A tussle has broken out between a few of the civilians and one of the palace soldiers.

“Might should rule!” someone yells. “We can’t leave an imposter on the throne.”

The current of aggression races through the crowd. Civilians and soldiers shove against each other. Someone throws a pot that shatters on a wall. Shouts collide, filling the air with a jumble of words.

Kassun all but heaves me back into the carriage. “We need to get you out of here, Your Imperial Highness.”

Captain Evando is staring at Neven, wide-eyed. “I stand corrected,” he says, and spins to brace himself against any rioters heading our way.

The other princes have pushed forward too. Axius is hollering for everyone to stand down and calm themselves, but I can’t see that anyone is listening.

More light glimmers all around us: splashes of angry red and soothing white clashing. When I blink, a spiral of shimmering orange butterflies seems to be drifting down over the crowd as if trying to divert them to more joyful ends.

Despite the violence, a tingle of hope shoots up through my chest. Is that Inganne lending me her support too?

Some of the civilians stop and point, but more hostile figures keep pouring in front the streets. Perhaps Sabrelle has propelled them to this spot.

The road is too clogged with pedestrians for the carriage to retreat. As I watch from the window, Raul shoves aside a woman who lunges toward the vehicle. Even Lorenzo wades into the fray, holding up his hands as if appealing for peace but aiming a swift punch at the nose of a man who leaps at him.

Another man charges at the prince of Rione from behind, carrying a jagged hunk of wood like a club. A cry lurches out of me.

Lorenzo whirls, an instant too late. The club is already whipping toward his head?—

And Marc hurtles into the attacker, sending him tumbling to the ground with his makeshift weapon only glancing off Lorenzo’s shoulder.

The former emperor wallops the man’s skull against the cobblestones hard enough to knock him unconscious and hefts himself back up. His posture stiffens slightly when he locks eyes with Lorenzo, but they share a brief nod of acknowledgment. The prince offers a flicker of a smile.

A glow lights up right inside me.

Marc might very well have saved Lorenzo’s life just now. He didn’t have to. He could have pretended not to see the threat.

If my husband can manage to set aside all the reasons he has to wish my lovers dead, surely some kind of peace can be made here in the city.

Ignoring Kassun’s yelp of protest, I scramble out of the carriage and up onto its roof as I did once in a convoy nearly a year ago. Poised over the crowd, I lift my arms and call out with all the power of my voice.

“People of Vivencia! Your empress asks you to lower your weapons and your fists and listen. We’re all on the same side here. We all want what’s best for our country.”

The voices of the many civilians who aren’t under Sabrelle’s influence echo my own. “Enough! Listen to the empress!”

A wash of white light sweeps over the crowd in the wake of my words, and most of the figures go still. The few still struggling find themselves hemmed in by soldiers and their neighbors.

I speak into the quietened space. “I’m here with you. I want to see every one of you thriving. Let us be at peace and not harm each other, and I’ll use all the might I have to ensure no one outside this city harms you either. I stand for peace, but I’m willing to fight for it.”

More pale glow swirls around the square, laced through with gleams of yellow. Either it overwhelms the red, or Sabrelle has overextended her influence.

A whoop goes up, and then another. “Here’s to Empress Aurelia! The gods stand with her!”

I ease down from the top of the carriage on wobbly legs, my heart heavy despite the cheers. Two of the gods stand with me, at least, but all these people have also seen how much the empire’s patron godlen stands against me.

Valerisse might not have marched on us yet, but Sabrelle has brought war to my doorstep all the same.