Honest

Chapter Four

"I think the Queen found out about Bertha," said Emer.

"It would make sense." Emmerich, ever-the-diplomat, smiled at Emer. His gray eyes were silver in the light of the fireplace and soft with understanding. "It's a pity. She was a great ally."

Emer felt something lodge in the middle of her throat. She had never worked with Bertha, but she had heard the rumors. The Silver Fox was said to have helped sneak hundreds of crates of food and supplies to the Colonies. She was brilliant at her job. And braver than Emer had ever given her credit for.

"Have a sip of wine, friend. It will help soothe your throat."

Emer flushed. He had noticed. Of course he had noticed – he noticed everything. She took the silver flagon, and then sipped the mulled wine. It slid down her throat like molasses, rich and heavy with spices, and she didn't stop drinking until half the glass was empty.

"Thank you," said Emer. She pushed the wine away. "Honest knows."

Emmerich hummed.

"She told me she thought it was more than just an accidental killing."

"Well," said Emmerich, "I always did say she was a clever girl."

"You don't understand." Emer fiddled with the lock around her neck. Honest had gifted her it on her thirteenth birthday. It was shaped into a map of Talamh, Emer's birthplace and her dead father's home kingdom. "She wants – she wants to investigate it."

Emmerich eyed her. Something about his facial expression made her skin crawl, but she brushed it off. It was the wine. As much as her reputation stated otherwise, Emer was a terrible lightweight. Half a glass and she already felt woozy, uneasy in her own skin.

"Is that a bad thing?" Emmerich pressed his chin into his palm. "This might be a good opportunity to bring the Princess onto our side."

"No." Emer shook her head. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not?"

Because Honest would get hurt. Because Honest would hate her for not telling her sooner. Because something innate within Emer wanted to protect her best friend, the movement and Emmerich's careful plans be damned.

Emer stayed silent.

Smiling gently, the smile of a father admonishing his disobedient child, Emmerich traced the whorls of gold and silver on his desk. He was rich, the richest man in the empire, his wealth second only to the Queen and Honest. "Did you know what the Queen decreed the military do today?"

Emer stilled. She knew then. Shew knew what he would say, because he looked at her necklace. Because his face was shadowed. Because this was the Queen, and her military never did any good, never.

Emmerich's eyes were clouded. Sad. "A rebellion broke out in the capital of Talamh. Sirel, the name is. It's a beautiful place. Or should I say, was a beautiful place."

Emer knew, but she still froze.

"The Queen ordered General Leon's troops to raid Talamh and end the rebellion." Emmerich sighed. "I could not stop her, even as the head of the RPM. Even as her advisor." He pushed the cup of wine at her. "Drink."

Emer unfroze. She grabbed the flagon with shaking fingers and downed the rest of the wine in one sip.

"She had specific orders for Sirel. Burn their temples, destroy their gods, and enslave the working population." His words dropped into a whisper. "Everything in Sirel was incinerated – all of that beauty, that culture destroyed."

Emer's head ached. She closed her eyes.

As soon as she had been old enough, she had snuck away from the castle and left for Talamh. She had fallen in love with the ancient kingdom, with its green forests, sprawling stone manors, and endless blue sky. Talamh had the clean, after-rain smell she adored, and its people were friendly and bright-eyed, happy to help a lost visitor, happy even to feed her.

"Do you understand now?" His voice was not unkind. "No one is safe under the Queen's rule. She is a tyrant set on keeping her crown no matter the consequence." He leaned forward, and his skin was awash in a sickly yellow glow from the fireplace. "And unless the Princess is brought to our side, she will eventually become like her mother."

A/N:

Every fourth chapter is going to have a POV change to another character. It won't be one specific character for each chapter, but rather, a side-character.