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Chapter Three

Aurelia

I ’ve never felt entirely comfortable surrounded by the Darium court, whether they were judging me for being a wild princess from the north or fawning over me to win favor with their empress.

The atmosphere in the palace has an even more unsettling energy now.

Everyone feels they should make a gesture toward their now-sole ruler who just birthed an imperial heir and survived two assassination attempts, but I can tell nobody is quite sure what the appropriate approach would be.

Their expressions waver between smiles and frowns; they halt in the middle of sentences and double-back on themselves before scurrying away.

Even Vicerine Bianca, the woman who’s become the closest thing to a real friend I have despite our very rocky beginning, joins me on my way out of the dining room with unusual hesitance .

She pats the upswept locks of her shining black hair as if to make sure it’s in place and tips her head with a cautious smile. “Your Imperial Highness, you’ve had quite the trial of a day. Is there anything you need that all these fops haven’t thought of?”

My lips twitch at her irreverent phrasing even as my heart pangs that she asked at all.

The last time I spoke with Bianca, I was asking her to take on a dangerous task: drugging Linus so that I could kidnap his twin.

She doesn’t know my true reasons, but she took up the duty without question or complaint.

Even though I can’t imagine she thinks the few hours the emperor spent unconscious in her bed could have caused him to later be tossed out the window of my apartment, she’s sharp enough to have some sense of plans gone awry.

I might have trusted her enough to make that risky request, but I’m not quite at the point of confessing all of my sins. I smile back at her as warmly as I’m capable of. “I’ve been quite fussed over, thank you. The hardest parts are those I must see to on my own.”

“Of course.” Her dark gaze drops to the baby in my arms, and her smile softens. “She’s lovely.”

The pang expands to the base of my throat. I stroke my thumb over the delicate down that shades Coraya’s head and admit one thing I haven’t to anyone else yet. “I’m still having trouble believing I made her.”

Bianca simply laughs. “Who else could have? Look, she has your perfect composure already.”

Her relaxing into our familiar rapport eases my own nerves a little. Enough for me to take her up on her offer of help after all.

I sidle a little closer and speak under my breath. “Recent events have left me rather uneasy about our company here in the palace. If you hear any hint of dissention—from the court or the staff?—”

Bianca’s eyes spark with understanding before I need to finish my sentence. Her smooth brown face firms. “Of course, Aurelia. I’ll keep my ears pricked.”

She swans off with a sway of her voluptuous hips. The other nearby nobles glance over with curiosity and perhaps a hint of disdain.

Just a few days ago, I guided Linus into banishing Bianca’s husband to their estate, a punishment that wasn’t extended to her. The charge was the most superficial of supposed treason, but a little of that taint may have rubbed off on her.

I’ll have to hope that my favor will offset any ill-feelings I’ve stirred up while freeing her from that loathsome man. I’d rather see sneers aimed at her than fresh bruises on her skin… but I’m not entirely sure she’d have made the same trade.

On my way to the palace temple, Coraya wakes with a thin but demanding wail. I step into a sitting room to feed her. Once she’s sated and drifting back into sleep, one of my guards has summoned a nursemaid.

I can’t help balking again before I hand her over, but I’m not sure funeral rites are the best place for a baby. Would the image of the broken corpse everyone believes was her father burn itself into her brain even at this young age?

It’s certainly seared into mine, however well the devouts have straightened out and dressed up Linus’s body after his fall. The carefully placed cushions can’t do much to disguise the caved-in portion of his skull, no matter how they’ve cleaned the blood from his sallow skin.

The four imperial advisors—High Commander Axius, Counsels Etta and Severo, and Cleric Pierus—join me in the temple.

I follow Pierus’s instructions and my memories of the rites I assisted Marclinus with after his father’s death, intoning the words of respect and mourning, bowing here and dipping my head in prayer there.

By the time I’ve tapped my fingers down my chest in the gesture of the divinities for the final time, my spirit feels wrung out, even though I’ve spent most of the day dozing.

One of the palace medics has arrived while I carried out the familial rites. She walks with me back to my chambers, asking me questions about how each part of my body feels, and examines me in the privacy of my bedroom.

She steps back with a brisk nod. “You’re healing well, Your Imperial Highness.

Continue getting plenty of rest when you can and avoiding any significant physical strain.

Our gifts can see you through the early days after birth faster than without them, but no magic can heal everything in an instant. ”

My mouth curves wryly. “I know, and I appreciate the help you can offer.”

Sprite scampers out from under the bed and leaps up to lean her sleek body against mine. As I give her the petting she’s demanding, I smile more fully at the medic. “I’m grateful to you and your colleagues for seeing to her healing as well.”

The medic tips into another bow. “Of course. She was eager to be back at your side.”

I’d sink back on the bed and go back to sleep with Sprite cuddled up against me, but the moment the medic has vanished into the hallway, the hidden panel in the wall whispers to the side. As I turn to face it, all four of the foster princes emerge into the room.

Bastien strides straight to me, cupping my face and drawing my mouth to his. Raul shoulders past him to sit with his arm around my shoulders. Lorenzo settles at my other side, twining his fingers with mine .

And Neven halts a few paces away, his posture rigid and his expression uncertain.

Bastien glances toward the door, the pallet next to it now vacant. “Marc’s gone off to sleep in the guards’ quarters?”

Raul makes a sound that’s half-grunt, half-growl. “That’s what he said and what it looked like when Aurelia headed to dinner. One place I couldn’t easily make an excuse to follow him.”

Neven’s hands tighten into fists. “If he encourages the soldiers at the palace to turn against Aurelia?—”

I hold up my hand to stop him. “I don’t think we need to worry about that. He just needed some rest.” The former emperor stayed on his feet the entire time I slept, even though he must have been equally exhausted. He couldn’t justify staying in my chambers when I’m not here to guard.

Neven grimaces. “You can’t trust him. We should have gotten rid of him when we had the chance, so they’d both be gone.”

None of his foster brothers add their agreement, but their silence says plenty.

I swallow thickly. It’s been difficult enough explaining my choice to myself. But I need all of these men completely on my side as much as I ever have.

I look down at Lorenzo’s hand tucked around mine.

“I’ve made some brutal decisions since I came to Dariu, but my goal has always been peace.

The fewer people I need to hurt, the better.

And Elox has sent me visions from the start warning me that I was dealing with two men in my husband rather than one…

and encouraging me to embrace the better of them. ”

“You don’t have to follow everything a godlen suggests,” Raul mutters.

“I know. I thought I wasn’t going to.” I lift my head.

“But you saw how Marc responded after I laid out all the ways I’ve betrayed him.

Even in that first moment, he didn’t lash out at me.

And when he found Linus attacking me, he ran straight at his brother to protect me.

He could have ensured that both Linus and I died in the fire and walked out as sole emperor without a treasonous wife, but instead he sacrificed his chance at the throne to save me. ”

“He couldn’t have realized he was sacrificing that much,” Bastien points out. “He didn’t know he’d end up so scarred no one would recognize him as emperor. Once he’s had more time to stew on his new situation…”

“We can’t know for sure how he’ll react.

I realize that too. I don’t trust him.” I look around at all of my lovers before shifting my gaze to Neven.

“But I believe he’s earned a chance to show whether he means what he’s said.

His knowledge of the empire could be an incredible resource for everything I still want to accomplish—and in fending off whatever opposition Valerisse is planning.

If he takes one step out of line, rain down all the vengeance you want on him.

But I’ve seen moments of goodness in him. Any seed can grow.”

Neven snorts, but then he hangs his head as if ashamed of the open display of ridicule. “I guess I can’t even know… how much of Marclinus’s awfulness was him and not the other one.”

I pick the incident I assume will matter most to him.

“It was Linus who gave your people that awful challenge with the cemetery—Linus who ordered the guards to beat you. And it was Marc who agreed to follow up that beating with a less-than-fatal punishment when I appealed to the compassion he does have, however little it’s been cultivated before now. ”

The youngest prince shifts his weight and lets out a sigh. “All right. We’ll see.” His expression turns briefly fierce before he meets my eyes again. “You think Sabrelle has something to do with… everything that’s gone wrong. That she’s egging on Valerisse against you.”