Garden of Light: Beneath Devouring Eyes #1

Chapter 19 | Part 1

For the first time in his life, Daedalus was the one to gather his family in the Caeles beneath the purple blossoms of the illusory jacaranda trees.

Gemma and Epileus might have been far away in Provincia Sicarii, but they looked every bit as real and solid within the Caeles as the people here in the Onyx Palace. His foster sister paced, her stress rippling through the shady grove, and Epileus had an upset stomach. Daedalus had not said much when he sent them the royal order to attend this meeting, just that he planned to speak to them about his twin brother.

Cercitis sat on a mossy tree stump here in the Caeles and at Domi's bedside in the palace. Daedalus's twin had been moved to the guest wing and healed after Cercitis stopped his heart, but the lifeholder kept him asleep for now. He needed rest after his brush with death, and they needed to keep him hidden from curious eyes.

Astricus and Sidus stood side-by-side, Daedalus's foster father at parade rest with an inscrutable expression and Sidus with his arms crossed over his chest, leveling a surly glare at Cercitis. Daedalus still could not believe his foster mother drugged Sidus that morn and dragged her son all the way from Provincia Sicarii to the palace.

He remained shocked by many of the things his foster mother had done. He barely recognized the woman any longer.

One person remained absent. "Where is my father? I commanded him to attend."

"Ausus is still unavailable on the night-side, Basilicus," Astricus said.

Daedalus nodded, a pang of fear shooting through him as it always did when his father wandered beyond the Trellis's reach. However, he must not worry about such matters now. He juggled far weightier concerns at the moment than his father's dangerous night-side adventures.

Daedalus drew his face into the strict regal mask Comitas drilled into him from birth. He knew it appeared even more formidable here in the Caeles and noticed his family members still at the expression.

"Today," he said, "I do not speak as your foster son or foster brother. I speak as your Princeps, and I expect you to obey me."

"Yes, Basilicus," they said.

"Astricus." He turned to his foster father. "You are my head of security. You will ensure this matter stays secret until I am ready to acknowledge my brother in public. We must be able to show the world he is no danger before such can happen. That will take time. See that I have it."

"Yes, Basilicus," the starholder said, bowing his head. "However, given his rapid advancement through the rankings, I must warn you that we will not be able to keep this secret long. Eventually, the Compendium will rank him directly below you, and when that happens, everyone will understand what it means."

"Indeed," Daedalus said. "That is why we must proceed in secrecy but also with speed." He turned to the rest of them. "All of you, hear me. Under no circumstance is anyone in this family to approach the Rex or Princeps Mindholder with information about this matter. Not without my express permission."

He paused, weighing the wisdom of his next words. There might be consequences for what he planned to require of his family, but those risks would be less dire than the alternative. "However, should either of them—or an agent acting in their name—initiate the conversation, then you will do your duty and explain what you know in full and without reservation."

Cercitis's head snapped up. "But Basilicus—"

"No," Daedalus said. "It is dangerous enough for us to delay releasing this information. I will not let this family become guilty of perjury as well." She opened her mouth, and he lifted a hand. "I have made my decision on this."

She gritted her teeth. "Yes, Basilicus."

Daedalus drew a deep breath. His kin would favor what he said next even less than his previous words. They all wished to protect him, and while he understood their desire to keep knowledge of this mess within the family, they should not try to handle a situation like this alone.

He needed to gather a team of people he trusted. Someone must shape his brother into a suitable Principis Heres Worldholder, fit to control the Trellis and govern from the Throne of Solitude if such ever became necessary. And Domi's education must progress with haste, because Astricus spoke the truth. Soon, the Compendium would reveal Domi to the world. When that time came, the people of Aquarius must see a Principis Heres Worldholder, not an untrained Pullatus.

"I will also share this information with a select few people outside of our family who I must rely upon to protect and train my brother. You will not interfere with their work in any way, and you will assist them as needed."

As expected, his words drew immediate protests from each of them. "But Basilicus—"

"No, you can't!"

"Please, I must recommend that you not—"

"I did not grant you permission to speak." He nodded as they subsided, each unhappy but obedient. His kin knew today was not the day to try him. "Furthermore, you will do nothing to harm my brother in any way." He narrowed his eyes, glancing from one to the next in turn, holding Cercitis in his gaze longer than the others. "He is my heir, and should I die without a child, he will become your Princeps Worldholder. In private, you will treat him with all the respect and obedience due to him by authority of that office, though his existence cannot be announced yet. In public, you will do what you must to keep his identity confidential."

"Yes, Basilicus," they said, clear reluctance in their grumbling voices.

"Sidus." His foster brother offered him an easy smile when Daedalus spoke the older boy's name. He did not smile back. Not this time. As far as he was aware, Cercitis's and Astricus's youngest child was the only one who had not conspired to murder Domi. Still, Daedalus did not trust him. He did not know if he could trust anyone in his family ever again. Yet they were all he had, and of them, Sidus remained the most honorable. "You still have another two years left in your education at the Silvula Salutis conservatory. I cannot send Armati to guard Domi, and I do not want to reveal his identity to undercover bodyguards. You will stay near him, and keep him safe. You shall be to him as Astricus is to me."

"With pleasure, Basilicus," Sidus nigh purred.

Daedalus paused at his foster brother's tone. Surely Sidus and Domi were not... No, they could not be, right? Cercitis said Domi had been at the Collegium a short time, and Sidus had not yet been interested in anyone in such a way when Daedalus last spoke to him two years ago.

Still, he must not take any chances. Daedalus fixed the older boy with a stern glare. "Do not cause any scandals." Sidus smirked. "I mean it. You are betrothed to the Rex's daughter, and I will need to help my brother find a suitable spouse. Any—" He coughed, blushing to think of such things. "—arrangements made between the two of you must be negotiated with care."

"We're not bedding yet, Basilicus," Sidus said, smirking at him.

Daedalus suddenly regretted bringing the matter up. Heat crept into his face. He did not want to think about bedding now. It made him feel like the adolescent boy he was instead of the ruler he was supposed to be.

"But if we do," his insufferable foster brother plowed on, "I'll make sure he doesn't scream too loud for me. No one will overhear our fun and make a fuss."

"Eternal Radiance, Sidus," Epileus groaned, though he appeared more amused than aghast, unlike Astricus, who grimaced in discomfort to hear any of his children talking about bedding in front of him.

"What? He talked about it first." Sidus said, ignoring Gemma's warning glare. "And I thought this meeting was to be business, not pleasure."

"Sidus!" Cercitis said in a growl, casting him a quelling glare. Under her gaze, Sidus at last subsided.

"Sorry, Basilicus," he said, sounding a bit more contrite.

Daedalus sighed and rubbed his forehead as a headache threatened. "You are all dismissed."