Of Silver and Beasts (7 page)

Empress Iana rises slowly, turning to meet the man’s sour face. “We’ll discuss this with the aid of the Council,” she says patiently, then looks at me. “Protector Kaliope, meet your new charge, Prince Caben Paynebridge. The last living heir to Perinya.”

When the empress declared my new duty in the temple, my eyes nearly popped out of my skull, and I fought back the urge to argue and dispute her claim right in front of everyone. It was all I could to do to swallow down my words and follow them to the chamber. The whole way, Prince Paynebridge fought and quarreled with the protectors, while the empress only ignored his insults.

Now, his tirade still fresh in my mind, his disdain toward my empress and queendom written smugly on his face, it’s damn near impossible to keep myself from leaping across this table and running him through with my sword.

“I have yet to be crowned!” the surly prince says. “I can’t abandon my kingdom at this time. I must go back.” He rakes a hand through his dark wisps of hair. “This could be considered treason in my country.”

Councilor Herna laces her fingers together and rests her elbows on the table. “Yes, but you’re no longer in your country.” She cranes an eyebrow, then continues before the prince can retort. “The empress brought you here to ensure that you
will
be crowned. The Otherworlders are determined to claim our resources for their own.” She looses a heavy breath. “Perinya, having just lost its king, is the most vulnerable right now.”

Prince Paynebridge jumps to his feet, knocking his chair to the floor. “We’re
not
vulnerable,” he shouts. “At least Perinya wasn’t until you forcefully removed its ruler. My country needs to see a strong, determined king ready to retaliate against this attack.”

“Sit down, Prince Caben.” It’s Empress Iana who speaks, and all eyes shift toward her. Now covered in a white robe, she rises from her seat and paces the chamber. The prince rights his seat and plunks down in it. The empress turns toward him. “Your father bestowed me with the power to intervene on his behalf,” she says. “And until we fully understand why the Otherworlders have resurfaced after all this time, no one is going to—”

“They’re running out of mercury,” he interrupts. “It’s the logical explanation, and they’re attacking Perinya because it’s closest to their realm. I need to be back in my kingdom, preparing for retaliation.” He balls his hands into fits, his knuckles white. A silver ring on his right hand glints, catching the sunlight seeping into the room.

The empress paces again, and I take in the prince’s hard features, wondering how upset the empress would be if I punched him right now.

Unclenching his hands, the prince rests one arm on the table and plants his chin in the palm of his hand, fingers splayed across his lips and jaw. I notice for the first time that a scar runs from the outer corner of his left eye to the middle of his cheekbone. It’s white and faded, and blends into the contours of his face and smooth skin.

Averting my eyes, I focus my attention on Empress Iana as she continues. “Prince Caben, Perinya is closest in proximity to the Otherworld, yes, so you’re correct. Naturally they’d strike there first. It means they’re desperate, or else they’d have come right to the source. Here.” She lifts her head high. “But we need to discover why now, after nearly a hundred years, they are suddenly so desperate to obtain large quantities of it.”

“Empress,” Prince Paynebridge says, with more patience than I’ve heard from him thus far. “I respect my father’s wishes, and I understand the urgency of our situation, but this pact he made with Cavan to intervene must have been made years ago. When I was a child, and possibly even before your coronation.” He bows his head for a moment, looking down at the table as if to gather his thoughts. His dark bangs fall forward, over one eye. Then he looks up at her. “I’m no longer a child, and I must lead my army.”

The empress crosses the chamber and grabs the room remote, clicking on the wall display. An image of a large convoy appears on the screen. They ride in Cury-crafts and on horseback. And some walk, toting luggage. “Half of your army has already been depleted. And the other half is evacuating Perinya’s citizens to Laryn as we speak. I’m sorry, Prince Caben, but this was your father’s wishes as he declared them to me before he died, and I will keep my word to him.” She presses her lips into a thin line. “Whether in life or death, as I swore it.”

The prince’s mouth clamps tight and a muscle jumps against his jaw. I watch as he searches for words. The shock of his father’s declaration and his obvious mistrust must be running through his mind. For a fraction of a second, I almost pity him. But then I wonder how old the prince is, and if the Perinyian King thought his son’s age would hinder his rule. Or if he simply felt his son was an unfit ruler.

Empress Iana turns off the wall display and approaches the table. “Once the citizens are safe, your troops will come here and group with the Cavan Army. Then we—
together
—will lead an attack on the Otherworlders.” She bows her head. “I pray that Farrah will spare the lives of the prisoners of war already taken.”

Prince Paynebridge scoffs. “Pray to your goddesses all you’d like, but I’d rather take action—to ensure all my people are freed and bought home.” Nodding his head to each member of the Council, and lastly to the empress, he pushes his chair back and rises. “I feel my voice is no longer needed here. I’d like to clean up and fill my stomach.” He walks toward the door, but the empress holds up her hand.

She motions to me. “Protector Kaliope, please escort Prince Caben to a chamber on our wing. Appoint a maid to him and make sure he has everything he needs.” She eyes me resolutely. “For now, as I have more than enough Nactue to watch over me, I’d like you to guard the prince during the remainder of his stay in Cavan.”

My insides burn; heated coils of mercury lash at my stomach and bones. The taste of coppery anger and frustration settles in the back of my throat, but as all eyes are on me, I take the order from my empress with stride. I stand and adjust my sword, making sure His Highness gets a good look at it, then bow my head. “Yes, empress.”

“Thank you,” she says, and with a wave of her hand, I’m dismissed.

Marching ahead of Prince Paynebridge, I take the lead and exit the chamber. “Keep up,” I say to him under my breath. Once we’re farther down the corridor, I say louder, “If you try anything stupid, I’ll slice you from stomach to throat. I don’t care who you are.”

I expect a sarcastic reply, but he says nothing. Glancing back, I make sure he’s still behind me, then I think better and fall behind him. From his arrogant display in the Council’s chamber, I don’t doubt that he’d try to escape. He seems like a spoiled, petulant child, and I won’t allow him to do anything that may risk the safety of the empress or Cavan’s citizens.

I’m not pleased I’ve been assigned as his sitter, but I’ll do my job with pride. For my empress. And I’ll prove my leadership role regardless.

After we step out of the lift, I direct him toward the Nactue’s side of the wing. Then once we reach my chamber door, I point to the room next to it. “This is your quarters. Silvia will be your maid. I’ll send her in now.” I hope that I’ve already established somewhat of a kinship with my maid, and that I can trust her to report any strange behavior from the prince to me.

Turning to go into my chamber, I’m halted as the prince extends his arm, flatting his palm against the wall and blocking my exit. “Protector Kaliope,” he says, and I hear the lilt of a foreign accent as he says my name. “I have not eaten since our convoy left. Make sure the maid brings fresh fruit and meats.”

My fingers close around the hilt of my sword. My teeth grind, and my jaw aches from the pressure. Slowly, I turn my head toward him, and his deep blue eyes stare into mine. “I’m aware of how your country is ruled, Prince Paynebridge. But in Cavan—the
queendom
—women are respected. We’re the head of the household and the leaders.” I glare at his smirking lips and scowl. “And I don’t care that you’re royalty. It’s my job to guard you, and I assume, to keep you from making trouble. So you will not order me around. Understood?”

He drops his hand and pulls himself up to his full height that I guess is near six-two, and puffs out his chest. “Fruit and meat,” he says confidently, without a hint of annoyance. Then he pivots and opens his door. “Oh, and I’d like the maid to bring me fresh linens and towels daily.” He glances at me with a lopsided smile, then shuts the door in my face.

My blood boils. I stare at the door as if I can see right through the wood and flay the prince with my eyes. Taking a measured breath, I count to three before I turn and head into my room.

I press my back to the cool wood of the door. For the first time, I question my empress’s discernment. Surely, if Alyah has given her insight as to who I am, she knows my temperament. She knows what I’m capable of and what I did to my father. I close my eyes, pushing away the memory.

Alyah, give me tolerance
.

I clamp down on my anger as my father’s face appears in my mind. If His Highness continues to try my patience, I fear Perinya will soon be mourning the loss of a prince, as well.

Static hisses. “All right,” she says. “I’ll see you this afternoon. But I can’t wait until everything is worked out so we can all be together.”

“I know. Me, too. Keep Willa out of trouble.”

Her robotic voice laughs. Then a long beat filled with static follows before she says, “I hear the prince of Perinya is quite handsome. Do you think the Nactue can use him for sparring practice?”

Rolling my eyes, I say, “Lills, believe me, once he opens his mouth, all they’ll want to do is knock it shut.”