How To Tame An Empress (BOOK I)

Chapter 42 - The Gilded Cage

--Valeria POV--

The palace gates opened as though Rome itself had been waiting to swallow me whole.

The cheering followed us into the courtyard, swelling as Stacius guided his stallion beneath the grand stone archway. Flower petals drifted through the air, settling upon the ground only to be crushed beneath the hooves of horses and the boots of soldiers as the people continued to call my name.

Palace attendants crowded the steps while guards stood in perfect formation along either side of the courtyard. Servants peered through open doorways and from behind marble columns, abandoning their duties for the chance to discover whether the rumours were true.

Whether their Empress had truly risen from the dead.

Their eyes followed me as though I were a ghost made flesh, but all I could think about was how difficult it had suddenly become to breathe.

Stacius dismounted first before reaching up for me, and for one fleeting moment, I considered refusing his hand, but knew that he would only lift me down himself if I resisted.

So I placed my hand within his as his fingers closed tightly around mine. He helped me from the saddle, keeping one arm around my waist even after my feet touched the ground while my attention turned to Evan.

He was brought forward moments later, resting comfortably in Tiberius's arms while playing with the fastening of his cloak, but before I could move towards him, a commotion arose at the palace entrance.

"Your Imperial Majesty!"

An elderly senator hurried down the steps, the edges of his robes gathered in one hand to prevent himself from tripping. He looked as though he had abandoned a meeting the moment he heard news of our arrival.

"Is it true?" He asked breathlessly before his eyes landed upon me, and once they did, they widened until I feared they might escape his skull entirely.

"I would hope your own eyes can answer that question." Stacius said dryly as the senator stared at me for another moment before remembering himself and lowering into a hurried bow.

"As you can see, my wife is very much alive." His arm tightened around me as though the senators might attempt to take me from him. "Therefore, you may inform the rest of those old men that there is no longer any need to parade their daughters before me."

"Your Majesty, the Senate was merely concerned for the continuation of the imperial line." The man attempted to defend himself through his reddening face.

"Then the Senate may put its concerns to rest because I have also recovered my son." Stacius looked towards Tiberius and the little boy still held in his arms as all attention shifted towards Evan who stared back at the gathered officials before offering them a cheerful wave, entirely unaware that his very existence had just solved an imperial crisis.

"And..." Stacius continued, his hand moving possessively over the curve of my stomach. "...Rome will soon be blessed with another imperial child."

A murmur spread throughout the courtyard as people began speaking over one another, growing louder until I could scarcely understand any of them, but then another voice cut through the noise, and this one, I understood clearly.

"Valeria?"

The sight of Julius standing at the top of the palace steps caused everything within me to still.

For perhaps the first time in his life, my brother looked completely stripped of composure. His lips were parted, his face pale, and one hand remained wrapped around the hilt of his sword as though it was the only thing keeping him upright.