Mermaid Tear (The Fated #2)

07 | Pride

She needed to lie.

The words bubbled to her lips, mind supplying everything she knew she needed to say. But, gods if it wasn't a struggle. They couldn't seem to escape, laying on the tip of her tongue without the faintest desire to move further.

She wanted to yell. Scream. She wanted to toss her tea in Rae's secretly smug smile. She wanted to demand they tell her how she was supposed to like a man who had his possession of her engraved into her very skin itself.

But, it would be pointless.

Because, in the end, they knew. They knew--and each word she said would be in Zuher's ears before the end of the hour.

'Release your pride.'

It was so easy to think, but ten times more difficult to do. Iliana drew a breath in through her nose, pasted a smile on her lips that stunk of Aeolis, and tightened her grip on her teacup until she could have sworn the porcelain might splinter beneath her fingers.

"I...admire him, truly."

She wanted to throw up.

"He's terrifying, of course. But, that's the least an emperor should be, isn't it?"

For some reason, her mind went to Lykos. It recalled those moments as he rescued Natia, when she recognized him as the people's king. Awe-inspiring in the most fearful of ways.

"I'm afraid I don't know enough of him just yet to have a more informed opinion." She needed to stop while her tongue was still civil. "But, his kingdom is thriving."

On the backs of its people.

"So, I think he fits the position well."

The position of a tyrant.

Rae's smile thinned, before she laughed. "That's true. I suppose I'll have to ask you in a few months when you've had more of a chance. He does enjoy playing the slow game with his pets."

There was an unspoken request in the demon's words. And, despite her earlier censor, Iliana couldn't help but seize the bait.

"What of you, Lady Zavitika? What do you think of His Imperial Majesty?"

The demon's black eyes widened, one of her hands releasing the other to cover her cheek in mock surprise. "Me?"

"I'm curious," Iliana explained. She picked up her tea, using it to busy her mouth lest she say more.

The woman studied her for a moment, no doubt letting the tension amongst the ladies build. The anticipation was near palpable, as the other tables seemed to feign petty conversation, but spoke no louder than a whisper.

They all wanted the answer.

"Oh, it isn't much different than yours, I'm afraid," Rae admitted slowly. "I admire him greatly. He has done wonderful things for my family. He gave us status we couldn't find in Letia after the war and offered my husband far more opportunities than he deserves."

Iliana had thought it before, but did Rae not like her husband?

"Oh, he even recently offered to find me a bella," she added. "He knows how much the loss of my last pains me so."

Rocks weighted Iliana's chest. They were so heavy she struggled to think past those simple words.

Gods. The dreams were right.

Ayo--Zuher's second in command, Rae's father in law--had been the one to enslave Callias and Melitta.

She'd had her doubts despite the memories clearly showing Melitta leaping into Nicolet's arms, and Callias strapped up at a whim of Rae's, but here it was in front of her. Near verbal proof.