Tangled Web (10 page)

“Your Will is supposedly unquestionable, but if you push your nobles too far, they will destroy you.” A stabbing pain hit her squarely in the chest, reminding her of why she was sitting in the middle of his private chambers. She had been sent to kill him, and when she failed, another assassin would be sent to finish the job. How long would that take?

“Do you think I fear them?” He stood and paced in front of her. “You’re right in that I’m a slave to my title, but instead of following in the footsteps of my ancestors and continuing their destructive cycle of conquest, I want to reform the empire, make it a better place for all the citizens. And if I anger a few nobles, so be it. I refuse to cower from their threats and not do what I think is right.”

“Titus, you know I support your ideas for the empire, but you have to be careful not to shock the Deizians all at once. Free the slaves, but don’t add insult to injury by preferring my company when you should be securing an heir.”

He jerked to a stop. “Are you saying you don’t wish to be with me? Is that what this is all about?”

“Not at all.” She rose from the cushions and approached him. “I’m trying to counsel you to pick your fights carefully and be sure to soothe any wounds that occur. That way, your nobles will be more likely to forgive you.”

“What makes you think you know so much about politics?”

As he stood there with his jaw set and his hands clenched in fists at his sides, Azurha caught a glimpse of the steeliness that lurked under the surface. Titus had a long, hard journey ahead of him if he wished to rule the empire as he had planned, but he possessed the strength and will to do so. Maybe she shouldn’t be so worried about him.

But he also let a skilled assassin into his bed, one whose hands were stained from too many political arguments that had turned deadly.

He watched her but didn’t move when she touched him. She splayed her fingers across his bare chest, enjoying the warmth that radiated from the hard muscles under his skin. He was so alive, and she dreaded the day she would discover his cold, still corpse. “I just want to keep you safe.”

His lips slowly curled up into a smile, and he cupped his hands around her elbows. “Shouldn’t I be the one protecting you?”

“I’m quite capable of taking care of myself, Titus. Besides, I’m a nobody.”

He rubbed his thumb along her bottom lip, sending a shiver down her back and making her grow wet for him all over again. “You’re somebody to me. Somebody very special.” He released her and picked a small wooden box off the table.

When he gave the box to her, she didn’t quite know how to react. A gift? For her? No one had ever done such a thing. Everything she owned she’d bought for herself, right down to the golden cuff bracelets that proclaimed her freedom. She opened the box and gasped. The value of the emerald alone rivaled anything she’d ever been paid for a job.

She held it up and admired the intricate swirls of gold that surrounded the stone. “You shouldn’t give such things to me.”

“Why?” He took the necklace from her and fastened it around her neck.

Because of who I am and what I was sent here to do.
The cool metal caused goosebumps to appear where it rested on her cleavage, and the pendant hung heavy around her neck, feeling more like a yoke than a gift. The urge to tell him everything nearly choked her. “I don’t deserve something like this. It’s far too precious.”

“I feel the same way about you.” He pressed his lips against her temple.

Azurha bit her bottom lip to keep the stinging in her eyes from spilling over into tears. She had yet to decide if Titus was a blessing or a punishment from the gods. He treated her like an empress, but her conscience kept reminding her that she was nothing more than a fraud, a slave who’d become so skilled at killing that it no longer fazed her.

Until now.

She caught his mouth and kissed him as if she could convince herself she was worthy of him. Every ounce of joy and sorrow was poured into it, and she clung to him like he was trying to run away from her.

He wrenched the sheet away from her body and pushed her back into the cushions. His eyes were so dark with passion, she could barely see the thin blue rims around his pupils as he stretched out next to her. He grabbed her foot and starting sucking her toes, carefully watching her reaction.

She gave him an approving moan. Then she stretched her leg out. He responded by trailing his lips up her calf with agonizing slowness, nipping her flesh and soothing it with the flat of his tongue an inch at a time. By the time he reached her knee, she wanted to pull his teasing tongue to the place between her legs that ached for his attention.

Titus lifted his head and gave her a wicked grin. “I’ve been wanting to do this since the first night you came to me.” He got the honey pot off the food tray and smeared some of the sticky liquid on the inside of her thigh.

Her heart raced in anticipation. She enjoyed the brief experience of having him lick it off her breast and her neck, but nothing compared to the gut-tightening sensation of him removing it from her thighs. Her womb coiled with tension, and her body trembled from restraining the demands that wanted to pour out from her mouth. She needed him inside her again. Would she ever get enough of him?

He crawled closer and closer to where she needed him, licking away honey he smeared on her legs. “You taste so good, Azurha.” His breath tickled her swollen sex, heightening the dull ache that only he could soothe. “I’d be happy to stay right here.”

“Please don’t.” She angled his head closer to her clit.

The first time his tongue flicked over the sensitive nub, jolts of bliss slammed into her body like a hurricane. She held on to him for dear life, but it was too late. She was already drowning in ecstasy, and she didn’t want to be saved.

12

The cold metal of the pendant dug into his chest, but Titus still smiled when he saw it sparkling between Azurha’s breasts. He found it almost comical how she fought him when he suggested she remove the necklace before going to sleep. It told him that she liked it more than she let on, despite all her initial protestations.

He pulled her closer to him to enjoy the curves of her body a few moments longer before he had to get out of bed. Something nagged at the back of his mind, making his palms sweat. His gut told him trouble awaited outside the doors of his chamber.

Azurha stirred. “Something’s wrong, isn’t it?”

He found her watching him with a solemn expression. “Perhaps.”

“I feel it, too.” She nestled closer to him. “It’s like seeing an approaching storm. No matter how calm things are now, you know chaos will take over soon.”

“What do you think it is?”

“I don’t know, but please be careful today.”

The worry in her eyes added to his anxiety. She knew him too well, and he couldn’t hide it from her. He dropped a kiss on her forehead and crawled out of bed. “I promise.”

The first rays of the sun were peeking over the rooftops as he grabbed his robe and went to the bath. Varro was running late. Yet another thing that added to his unease this morning. He tried to carry on this normal morning routine and was climbing out the pool when the steward arrived.

“My apologies for being late, Emperor Sergius.” Tension laced his voice as he handed him a towel. “There is a matter that requires your immediate attention in the throne room.”

Thoughts of an outraged Claudia and her father demanding to be seen filled his mind. They could wait. He took his time drying off. “What is it?”

“The barrier is failing in Alpiria.”

Titus threw the towel away and snatched the tunic from Varro’s hands. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“What is it?” Azurha stood in the doorway, her dress falling off her shoulder.

“Nothing for you to worry about. Varro will take you back to the harem when he gets a chance.”

His palm pressed against the golden plate, unlocking the doors, but her touch on his shoulder stopped him. “I know you’ll be able to fix it.”

Her whisper sent a wave of power through him, more intense than before. Its tendrils wound around his chest and coiled down his limbs like a vine. They steadied him, reinforced his weak spots, wrapped him in a protective armor. His confidence renewed, he dashed out of his chambers with an optimism that he’d never felt before.
Yes, I can fix it
. The bronze globe that normally filled him with dread didn’t seem so intimidating this morning.

He scanned the surface and spotted the flickering red lines along the Alpirion border of the empire. “When did they falter?”

“Just in the last hour, Your Imperial Majesty,” one of his advisors replied. “It fell faster than we thought it would.”

“Is that why you waited so long to inform me?” He traced his finger along the border and poured his magic into it. The flickering stopped, but the line still glowed red, indicating a weakness.

“I apologize, Your Imperial Majesty. I had no way—”

“Shut up and let me concentrate.” He squinted at the border, forcing every bit of his mental energy into it. His muscles locked, and a bead of sweat trickled down the side of his face. Manual labor in the hot fields had to be easier than this. Yet the safety of the empire depended on him, and only him, reinforcing the magical walls that kept outsiders from pillaging the realm.

He closed his eyes and thought of Azurha. He was struggling to defend her ancestors’ homeland. Would she think less of him if he failed?

A violent well of magic rose up inside him, different from the powers he normally channeled. This magic felt wild and uninhibited, lashing against the barriers of his body like a tempest he was unable to restrain. It spilled from him into the barrier, turning the entire border of the empire into a flash of blinding white light. Titus yanked his hand away from the globe and shielded his face.

When his eyes adjusted to the brightness, he noted the awestruck expressions of everyone in the room. The borders sparkled like a string of diamonds under the midday sun. He took a step back and turned to his advisors. “Is the border stable now?”

One of them managed to close his gaping mouth long enough to reply, “I don’t know, Your Imperial Majesty. I’ve never seen it glow like that.”

“I’ll send a message to one of the watch towers to find out,” another advisor offered and ran out the door toward the communications room.

“Perhaps someone can also find out why the border fell. Why Alpiria now? It’s on the opposite end of the empire from where it was failing before. I want answers.”

Two more men ran toward the communication room in response to his demand.

Titus continued to stare at the new, revitalized border on the globe. Where had the magic come from? And more importantly, would it keep the Barbarians out? He tried to draw on it again, but felt nothing. Whatever well he’d tapped had run dry.

Marcus moved to stand next to him. “Care to explain what just happened?”

“I would if I knew.” He ran his finger along the border again, and an odd feeling of peace washed over him. The only time he felt anything remotely like that was when he was with Azurha. Could she be responsible for this? “Marcus, have you ever heard anything about the Alpirions possessing magic?”

His friend’s brow furrowed, and he stroked his beard. “Do you think they attacked the border?”

“No, I just—” He caught himself midsentence and looked around at his advisors. The possibility that a former slave could possess such power would probably have them calling for her head. “Let’s continue this conversation in private.”

Once they were behind closed doors, some of the tension eased out of his shoulders. “I’m beginning to wonder if Azurha is more than she seems.”

“Oh?” Marcus stiffened, and his hand reached for the knife that normally hung from his belt when he was outside the palace. When his hand came up empty, he smoothed it on his tunic. His tight movements revealed his unease. “Do you think she’s behind the border failing?”

“Just the opposite.” He checked his palms, trying to see if there was any change in them over the last week. “Since she’s come into my life, my powers have grown, but the magic is not like your typical Deizian magic.”

“I’m glad to hear that bit of good news.” Marcus glanced over his shoulder at the closed door, the tension in his body betraying the levity in his words.

“Have you heard any more news of the price on my head?”

Marcus nodded, his carefree smile noticeably absent. “There are whispers that someone has hired the Rabbit.”

Titus closed his eyes and took a deep breath to steady himself. Very few assassins lived long enough to gain notoriety, but the Rabbit had been plaguing the empire for almost a decade. No one knew anything about him other than that he always succeeded. He’d killed men in over a dozen ways. The only clue he left behind was a rabbit’s foot tied around the victim’s wrist.

“Thanks for the warning, Marcus, but I’d like to see the Rabbit gain access to the palace.”

“He doesn’t need to get inside to kill you.”

“True, but he needs to get inside to leave his marker. If he wants to get paid, he’ll have to let everyone know he did it.”

Marcus nodded, and the lines vanished from his face. “True, but I mentioned to Varro that having a food taster wouldn’t be a bad idea.” He leveled his gaze with Titus. “Surround yourself with people you trust.”

“Are you trying to tell me something?”

“It’s just that you’ve gotten some interesting concubines recently.”

“I’m not naïve enough to fall into Pacilus’s trap. Claudia can stay in the harem until she decides to run back home to her father and con some new idiot into becoming husband number four.”

“And Azurha?”

“I trust her. She’s had ample opportunity to harm me, and as you can see, I’m standing here in better health than I’ve been in years.”

“I’m sure none of her specials skills have anything to do with it, huh?”

Heat flared deep within him, starting at his cheeks and settling down into his groin. Based on how little actual sleep he’d gotten in the last few days, he should be exhausted, but as soon as he thought of her, any weariness vanished. He’d stay up all night pleasuring her if he could, just so he could see the sleepy, satisfied smile on her face after he made her come.

A knock sounded at the door, interrupting them. An advisor poked his head into the room. “Your Imperial Majesty, we have reports coming in from the borders.”

Marcus gestured toward the door. “After you.” As Titus passed him, he whispered, “We’re not done with this conversation.”

…

Azurha eyed the rooftops and considered climbing on top of them to escape. Titus had left a mere half-hour ago, and she already felt like she was trapped in a cage. Varro’s news that the barrier was failing unnerved her more than she cared to admit, making her heart pound against her ribs like an enraged prisoner.

She’d travelled to the edge of the empire and stared face to face with the Barbarians on the other side of the barrier. Their leathery grey skin and flat eyes were enough to make her skin crawl, but their reputation terrified her and every other citizen of the empire. They desired nothing more than utter destruction and chaos. Gold didn’t appease them. They migrated too frequently to value land. The only thing they seemed to enjoy was eating the flesh of their live captives. If they invaded, Titus would be forced to defend the empire. And as emperor, he would be standing on the front line.

At the sound of the locks clicking, she whirled around. Freedom at last. And hopefully, news.

Varro entered the chambers with an unreadable expression on his face. “Are you ready to return to the harem, Lady Azurha?”

She grabbed her palla and wrapped it around her face. “Was Titus able to restore the border?”

Varro’s eyes widened at her casual use of the emperor’s praenomen, and he cleared his throat with a cough. “Yes, Emperor Sergius was able to restore the border.”

“What caused it to falter?” She followed him out into the hallway, determined to get as much information as she could from him before he transferred her to her next holding cell.

“The emperor is looking into the matter right now.”

“This reeks of sabotage. Someone is out to make him look like an incompetent ruler.”

Varro quickened his pace, making his limp seem even more pronounced than usual. “These are not appropriate matters for us to discuss.” He stopped in front of the harem doors and pressed his palm against the plate. “Remember your place.”

Azurha’s anger rose up inside like steam in a kettle, threatening to explode if she didn’t release it soon. She wasn’t some stupid concubine. Years of experience and travel had given her contacts throughout the empire. If she could only break free of this place, she could personally find out what was going on.

The hard lines in Varro’s face softened. “Lady Azurha, I don’t mean to insult you, but you need to realize that the emperor is already burdened with this problem. It is your job to help him relax at the end of the day so he can think clearly in the morning. We all have our part to play for the betterment of the empire, and this is yours.”

“And what is your place?” She glanced down at the scar on his leg. “You don’t get wounds like that from being a household servant.”

“I was a member of the Legion. I was wounded at the Battle of Hellista.”

Azurha fought to muffle her gasp. Because of the Legion’s skill and bravery, only two emperors had ever been killed in battle, and that was only after every member of the Legion had given his life to protect them. “A wound like that could end a soldier’s career.”

Varro’s chin quivered for a split second as he nodded. “I pledged my life to protecting the emperor. When I was no longer fit to be a member of the Legion, Emperor Decius gave me this position.” He rubbed the leather bracer that concealed the tattoo all members of the Legion bore on their wrists. “I may not carry a sword anymore, but I will do all in my power to protect Emperor Sergius. Are we clear?”

The steely tone in his voice made every hair on her body stand on end. Did he know what she was?

“There you are.” Claudia appeared from the courtyard, scowling. “I have been waiting all morning to have my slaves dress me for the day.”

“They are the emperor’s slaves, not yours.” Varro’s usual crisp, businesslike demeanor returned as he addressed the new concubine and began his daily inspection of the harem. “But if you would like, I’ll see that they will come to your chambers at dawn every morning.”

“That early?” She turned and was about to go back to her room when she spotted Azurha’s necklace. “Where did you get that?”

Azurha covered the heavy pendant with her hand. “It was a gift from the emperor.”

“A parting gift, naturally.”

“I doubt that.” The corners of her mouth curled up into a mocking grin. It was time Claudia learned her place, too. “He seemed quite disappointed to leave me this morning.”

“Why, you impertinent little slave!” The Deizian grabbed the nearest thing she could get her hands on and hurled it at Azurha.

The vase narrowly missed her head and shattered on the wall behind her. Her reflexes jumped into action, and without a moment’s hesitation, she grabbed a shard and had Claudia pinned against the wall. She pressed the sharp edge against her rival’s throat.

“Let’s make a few things clear here. First, if you ever refer to me as a slave again, I will carve your face in such a way that you’ll hide behind the thickest veil you can find for the rest of your life.” To prove her point, Azurha raked the shard against Claudia’s cheek, leaving a faint red line in its wake. “Second, Titus wants me, not you, and if I hear of you trying to sway his favor away from me, I’ll make you pray to the gods for death.”

“Ladies.” Varro’s sharp command jerked her attention away from her victim. He marched over to them as quickly as he could and clamped his hand around her wrist. “This kind of behavior is uncalled for and unbefitting for women in your position.”