Fly or Fall

Chapter Thirty-Four

"Tell me everything you've uncovered," empress Crissa ordered.

"Layla Echowood is in league with the Wythynians," Sage started. "She betrayed her niece and nephew to them." She was on her left knee and her head was bowed so she could not see the empress's expression but she imagined it was something fierce. "Prince Kolan and princess Haelyn were captured in an attempt to rescue lady Annabel and lord Andrew. However, Kolan, Haelyn and Annabel managed to escape."

"So, they were never in the hands of M.A.G.E?"

"No, your majesty."

"How," she asked, her voice tensed, "long have you known about this?"

Sage swallowed. "A couple of days."

"Days?" the outrage in her voice was potent. Sage flinched at the sound of it. "I should have your head for this."

"No, you should not," this was Val. Sage raised her head just as the throne room door closed behind Val. She stood in a midnight-blue lace gown. It had a sweet-heart neckline and an embroidered bodice. She walked towards the throne with her head held high—in full throttle of the authority of her title. She glared at her mother, a fierce fire in her eyes. "You will not harm her in any way."

To this the empress frowned. "Mind your tongue," she warned. "I am your empress."

"And she," finally Val's eyes met Sage's. The fire in them simmered and she nodded, "is my love." Sage rose to her feet and came to stand beside Val. "I refuse to be bullied by you a moment longer. I love Sage. I want to be with her and no one else. I'm sick and tired of your interference."

The tick in the empress's jaw was so profound it looked painful. Her doll-like features faltered, and for once the empress looked human. Terrifyingly so. She rose from her throne. The motion of which was slow, purposely so. Her steps down were even slower. Time in the throne room seemed fractured, running by it's own rules. It was an eternity before the Empress stood before them but it also happened all too fast. Sage's heart raced in her chest yet her body stood perfectly still. For a moment she thought the empress was going to strike her. If she did, Sage knew she wouldn't stop her. Instead she braced herself, but the hit never came.

"Where," the empress spoke instead, her voice teetering with malice, "are my children?"

"They're not here?" this was Val. Her face looked disappointed, brow furrowed, eyes solemn and lips curved downward. "I thought... Sevan said..."

"I'm sorry about that, your highness," this came from Nyx Logan, who'd been standing in the room watching as the entire conversation unfolded before her. "I told Sevan to tell you that."

"Why?" Val asked uneased.

"To fool Layla and whoever she's working with," Sage explained.

"If they believe," Nyx continued, "the prince and princess have returned they'll assume Anna is with them. And make another attempt to capture her."

"You want to set a trap for them," Val concluded.

"They'll act fast. Before they think Anna can tell us what is going on. So tonight."

Empress Crissa cleared her throat to get the attention of the room; clearly irritated at being ignored. "Where. Are. They?" she repeated her previous question.

Sage flinched again. The empress's gaze was bitterly locked on hers.

"On their way to New Emeli," Val spoke in Sage's stead. "They're going to rescue Andy."

The empress gave a bitterly cruel derisive laugh. "New Emili." She turned back to her throne and climbed back up the steps. "You allowed," her eyes were focused on Val now, "your little brother and sister and this island's only hope of survival to walk into the hands of the enemy." She lowered herself onto the throne. "You better have a damn good explanation for this."