Tales of the Vangen: The Black Ministry's Betrayal (Book 1)

Chapter 19: A Revelation of the Gilded Past

Vizith, or more correctly, Tyrannus laughed. His husky voice a mixture of honey and malice; Overtly sweet with just a drop of poison too it. "Is that all you have to say, Dux? What has it been, twenty years since we last met? After the Pyres Day inauguration, I haven't seen hide nor hair of you. I take it you've been busy?"

Dux gave a hard look, enough to scare even Civis. He had seen the Captain take on his iron mask persona in hard times, but this was different. From the shadows, the Captain appeared a daemon scorned.

"Enough with the pleasantries," Dux growled.

Tyrannus eyed the Captain coyly before turning his attention to Civis. "My, my, and you have the traitorous inquisitor with you. What a motley crew you have in the Vangen. Truly, the Empress must love to keep her friends close and her enemies closer. Do you like what I've done with your rebellion, Florian?"

"Bastard." Civis reached for his sword.

"Civis," Dux raised a hand at him, his eyes hard in the dim, green light of Tyrannus' magick. "Shut up and sit down. That's an order."

Civis felt he had a lot more to say, but obeyed regardless. He let go of his sword and turned to sit on the barrel alongside Nox in the shadows. This time the Austerland did not smile. He only nodded grimly and continued to watch.

"The youth in this world are so feisty these days," Tyrannus glibbed, earning himself another chuckle. "So enamored for change that they'll topple empires just to make it happen. Unlike us. Isn't that right, Dux.

A muscle feathered across the Captain's jawline. "Don't make yourself for a hypocrite. I know you started this war. You want the Empress dead, don't you?"

Tyrannus shook his head and shrugged. "The secrets out then, but I wouldn't lump myself in with the traditors in your rank and file."

"Oh?" Dux asked. "How so?"

"Because I'm not trying to bring down the Empire. I'm trying to preserve it," Tyrannus smiled, sending a muted shiver up Dux's spine. "The false Empress cannot be allowed to sit on the Onyx Throne any longer. Her lust for domination will only bring about the Empire's demise."

"And you think using the citizens of Byzantia to start a rebellion will help you with that?" Dux said, cutting into the matter like an ax through flesh.

"Dux, you wound me," Tyrannus said. "Sacrifices have to be made to achieve peace. Better that it be an internal coupe than an outside army. If word got out that the Empress had been dethroned, then every vassal under the Empire would turn against us. The world would plunge into chaos."

"And who would take her place then, hmm?" Dux began to pace, as he always did when the gears in his head started turning. "Who's ass is going to fill the Onyx Throne if you get your way? You? Please, I've known you for a long time, Tyrannus, and your ass couldn't fill a dimple in that accursed chair."

Tyrannus frowned slightly. "Hurtful words, dear friend, but no. I have no desire to sit in that abomination."

"Then who." Dux pressed.

"The only one who's ass mattered in all of this." Tyrannus grinned from ear to ear. "The Emperor, of course."

Dux stopped pacing. A painful silence stretched on in that cramped stone room as he digested over what Tyrannus had said.

"That's impossible," Dux said finally.

"Nothing is impossible," Tyrannus replied.

"I was there when the Empress killed the Emperor. I watched her pluck the golden heart from his chest with my own eyes. I watched his body turn to ash."