Beyond the Rabbit Hole

Point of Impact

"You want to know why you're here?" Charles staggered to his feet. Battered pride straightened his back and pursed his bleeding lips. "Why the disgraced lord of a great house hired you? I was protecting you from this knowledge, but I see now that it was a mistake to trust lessers to know when they should keep their heads down."

Eleanor shushed the boy in her hands and rubbed the back of his head until he calmed down.

"How noble of you to protect us from the cushioned seats and wailing babe," Bjurrin joked. "I think none of us would have survived it."

"Laugh, barbarian, while you still have the freedom to ignore the world around you," Lord Desira scoffed. "But soon, the turmoil simmering in the back alleys and council chambers will boil over and flood the city streets, and you gutter rats will not be able to think of anything other than whether it will drown you or cook you alive."

Bjurrin's smile waned. "Then speak."

"His Imperial Majesty has been searching for ways to weaponize the Eyes of God," Lord Desira began with a low huff through clenched teeth. "At first, he commanded his house sage to research ways of extracting the eyes to transplant them into himself."

"House sage?" Benard raised an eyebrow. "I had no idea there ever was such a thing."

"Of course you didn't, it was a state secret," Charles shook his head. "A waste of funds is what it turned out to be. This Raymon Atrepous—we lost contact with him earlier this year. So much for the 'Prodigy of Ruby College,'" he scoffed.

"To think such an esteemed sage would stoop to such an immoral quest," Valentina lowered her gaze in disappointment.

"This setback did not halt His Majesty's ambitions, unfortunately," Charles continued. "The council of high lords prepared three contingencies in the event of failure. Families under the thumb of the great houses have been coerced into sending their daughters to the cathedral, many of whom are training to become lunasent maidens. The second plan is in the form of Lord Mecurias' son. The young heir to House Sable has begun studying lost arts under the great Mohamm with the intention of passing the knowledge of immortality onto His Majesty. The third plan involves House Assai, but I was not made privy to those plans." The sour-faced noble gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. "That warmonger, Marco. . . he has always been a close confidant of His Majesty." Charles let out a light sigh. "I could not tolerate the idea of such a madman as Henri gaining so much power. He would set his own realms ablaze with war just to watch the fires expand beyond them. I cannot imagine what drives him if not a simple desire to witness the suffering of others."

Alyss and Morgyn glanced at each other, their minds the same. Nothing good can come from this emperor, who caused Ash so much suffering, acquiring such power.

"You served him for years, did you not?" Alyss grimaced. "Surely you would've figured out what kind of person he was early on. Why leave now?"

"Because. . ." Lord Desira averted his eyes. "I am ashamed to admit it, but I felt the same as the other lords for a time."

"What?" Alyss scoffed. "Did you think he wasn't that bad because he never aimed his cruelty at you?"

"You aren't far off, unfortunately." Charles lowered his gaze in shame. "We all hate him. I can say that with certainty. There is nobody other than Marco, perhaps, who bears any love for His Imperial Majesty. He is utterly demented and deplorable. However, the council also thinks him malleable. He is young and vulnerable to influence from a strong hand. I shared that thought until recently." His voice trembled as he spoke. "But there is intelligence behind that cruelty. I am afraid that the council that thinks him wrapped around their finger will soon, instead, be ensnared in a trap of their own making."