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.Camilla shivered as she imagined the blade slashing into her, splashing black blood and revealing her dark secrets, but the woman’s gaze passed over her without recognition.Directly in front of them a man sat behind an ornate table directly in front of them.He wore a green silk doublet embroidered with gold, and a golden circlet upon his brow.“Your Majesty,” Emil said, bending to one knee.Camilla curtsied as gracefully as her quaking knees allowed, noting the grinning young man wearing a silver circlet, who stood to the emperor’s right.“Corryn!” Tim exclaimed.“Tim!” Emil hissed, grasping his son’s arm firmly.Camilla glanced sidelong to see Tim kneel awkwardly, blushing in embarrassment at his outburst.The prince grinned, and waved surreptitiously to his boyhood friend.“You may rise,” the emperor said, his voice edged with stress and…something else.Fear? Yes, that was it.Camilla was well acquainted with fear.“Count Norris, We are pleased to see you and yours alive and well.Congratulations on the recovery of your son.We know how sorely his disappearance affected you.”“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Emil said with a short bow.“I believe you know my secretary, Mister Huffington, and my son, Timothy.This is Lady Camilla, of whom you have read in my missives concerning the seamage.She is…in my care.”“Your letters did not do the lady credit, Count Norris.Her beauty graces Our presence.”“Your Majesty is too kind,” Camilla replied, curtsying again as heat flushed her cheeks.“We will hear a detailed account of your activities in the Shattered Isles at a later time, Count Norris, and We expect you to attend a council in the morning to address the threat of Akrotia.”“Of course, Your Majesty,” Emil agreed.“There is first, however, a matter that requires both your attention, and that of Lady Camilla.We hope you don’t think Us presumptuous, but according to Captain Donnely’s report, you two are…very close, and the lady will be staying at your residence.”Camilla blushed, while Emil replied, “That is true, Your Majesty.”“Very well.” The emperor gestured to a guard who stood beside a small door to one side of the room.The guard opened the door, and a woman entered.She was dressed in a gray uniform with a white apron, and held a blanket-wrapped bundle in her arms.Camilla didn’t understand; she had never seen this woman before.She glanced at Emil, and from his blank expression, she could tell that he, too, didn’t recognize her.Then the bundle gurgled, and a little head popped out from under the woman’s hair to peer anxiously down into the blankets.“Mouse!” Tim yelped, starting forward, only to be pulled back by Emil’s grip on his arm.“Eep?” Mouse chirped, perking up from his position on the nursemaid’s shoulder.He did not, however, launch into the air to meet them as Camilla suspected he might.Instead, he looked warily at the tall woman in black who now stood before the emperor, her sword drawn and a scowl on her face as she watched the little sprite.“You’re afraid of Mouse?” Tim asked with a snort of laughter that was cut short by Emil.Without realizing that she had moved, Camilla found herself walking toward the nursemaid.She reached a hand out to the bundle of blankets, then hesitated.Misreading her intentions, the nursemaid deposited the bundle in Camilla’s arms, then folded back the blanket.A baby peered up at her, green eyes wide and trusting, pink lips pursed as they blew a bubble.Mouse hopped off the nursemaid’s shoulder to Camilla’s arm, then cuddled down next to the baby, patting its face and planting kisses on its soft brow.“Cynthia’s baby?” she whispered.“His name is Kloe, after Master Ghelfan,” Tim said as he moved to her side.“I don’t understand, Your Majesty,” she heard Emil say.“The seamage’s child?”“The child is currently a ward of the empire.As Lady Camilla was companion and confidant to the seamage, We feel it is appropriate that she, and you, be appointed as the child’s guardians.”“If it pleases Your Majesty,” Emil said, “where are the seamage and her husband?”“For actions that led to the loss of Our ships Clairissa and Fire Drake,” the emperor declared, “Cynthia Flaxal Brelak was sentenced to ten years in the imperial prison.Feldrin Brelak will be executed for treason in twenty-five days.”“Executed!” Tim gasped.“Tim! Quiet!” Emil rebuked his son sharply.The rest of their short time in the emperor’s presence was lost to Camilla.She heard various apologies and orders, then felt Emil gently wrap his arm around her shoulders and guide her from the room.In the back of her mind, Camilla grieved over Cynthia and Feldrin’s plights, but those troubles seemed far away.The warm little bundle in her arms was real.She frowned as she ran her fingers over Kloe’s soft cheek and down his neck, finally resting them on his chest.Her fingertips pulsed in time to his heartbeat.He was so small, so fragile.The emperor trusted them to keep Kloe safe, but did she trust herself?Chapter 25Choices“It’s not fair!” Tim shouted, his voice echoing off the walls of the townhouse’s atrium.“They’re going to kill him for something Sam did! It wasn’t his fault!”“I’m not arguing with you, Tim; it’s not fair.But there’s nothing we can do about it.” Emil grasped his son firmly by the shoulders, imploring him to understand.“Some very powerful families lost loved ones when those ships were destroyed.The emperor’s decision is as much based on politics as it is on justice, Tim.”“Politics? They’re going to kill him, Father.It’s not right!”“I know it’s not right, but there’s no reprieve for the condemned when it’s the emperor’s final judgment.That’s the law.”“Well the law’s stupid! Sam was the one who fired that catapult.Feldrin didn’t even know she was aboard!”“I’m afraid the law backs the emperor’s decision on that, too, Tim.” Emil released his son and took a deep, calming breath.It had been a trying day, and what should have been a joyous homecoming had turned into an all-out argument.“A captain is responsible for the actions of all aboard his ship.Not knowing Sam was aboard is no excuse.Technically, Feldrin was responsible.”“Technically?” Tim’s voice broke on the word.“How can you say that? It was Sam’s fault!”“I know, Tim, but—”“Milord,” Huffington interrupted, placing a hand on the count’s arm and nodding toward the settee.The sight of Camilla with a very fussy Kloe in her arms, tears streaming down her cheeks, froze his heart.Both Camilla and Mouse were trying to calm the babe, while he and Tim railed at each other.“Oh, Camilla, I’m sorry!” Emil said as he came and knelt at her side.“The baby…” whispered Camilla [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]