Empire of Deceit

Chapter 10: Preparation for the Wolves

The time between the car ride to the Duchess' mansion and then to the train station went by quickly. Perhaps it was because my mind would not stop whirling. It all felt as though everything was happening too fast. Between Amir, Gideon, the Praelium...

I leaned my head against the window of the train, staring out at the landscape. We were going through the forests now, and the trees were shifting from emerald hues to lavender the deeper we went.

Indigo patted my knee. "What's wrong?"

I couldn't look at her. "I have lived in this country for so long, and every day I have been working to redeem my past mistakes. I have made a life for myself here that I never thought I would be able to live. And now..." I clenched my fist as my blood began to warm. "Now it's all going to be for nothing."

Duchess Nikita entered my roomette. She had piled her ebony waves into a low bun, and instead of her usual pantsuit, she wore an ensemble composed of a turquoise blouse paired with a heather grey skirt and black heels. A silver necklace holding an eye-sized opal which rested just above her lower neckline. Diamonds glittered on her earlobes, glistening in the violet sunset.

"Indigo, may I have the room?"

I watched the Naiad stand. 'Later,' she mouthed, before sliding past the duchess and moving to another room.

"May I sit?"

I motioned to the sofa across from my bed. I was still dressed in my pajamas, not having the energy to throw on whatever costume they wanted me to wear.

"Rei..." Duchess Nikita trailed off.

She cleared her throat. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see her beginning to twiddle her thumbs.

"I'm sorry for rushing all of this on you. I know that this is not exactly what you wanted, I know that you would have wanted to stay out of the spotlight, but I have a duty to this Empire."

I didn't respond.

"And you have a duty to Amir."

By Aion she knew how to make me talk. "There's nothing I can do for him. He's in the Challenge; he will fight and he will die." Just the thought caused tears to well up in my eyes. "Whatever happens to him is up to the gods."

"No, no, my child. It is up to you." The duchess crossed the room and sat on my bed. She placed a placating hand on my shoulder. "If you win the Praelium, you can free him. By Kiet, you could free him before the first Challenge Day, if you meet the right people."

I shook my head. "There's no place for people like me at this court."

"Then make a place for yourself."

Her words were indeed encouraging, but... "No one will accept me there, no matter what I do."

"Arerias," her tone now turned demanding. "You are the sepsu zagmi. You will not tolerate the injustice most citizens in this empire face. You have been Marked by the Cardinal Gods to serve their will, and this is their will."

I thought over her words. There was nothing wrong with what she said. I had indeed been trained for decades to serve.

"I lost my home because I could not protect my country from the gods' wrath. I knew what the Council of Elders was doing was wrong, and yet I let them pursue their reckless goals anyways." My blood began to warm again. My Marks glowed gold along my arms.

I met Duchess Nikita's eyes. "What do I need to do?"