They turned a corner and headed down a hallway, empty apart from two guards blocking a set of double doors at the end and the flickering light from the sconces. A faint memory tickled at the back of her mind of another hallway, one she sometimes dreamed about.
Maybe she’d been here before when she first arrived in Matherin? She tried to remember, but the more she focused on it, the more the memory slipped away.
As they approached the end, Prince Eithan glanced at Elric. “Someone will retrieve you when his majesty is ready.” He motioned towards the statue-like men, and they wordlessly opened the doors, allowing him to slip inside.
Vera wanted to have a panic attack. Like, she really wanted to. Elric seemed so calm next to her, and it only further confused her poor, chaotic emotions.
“I can’t do this. Oh gods…I’m about to meet the emperor. I don’t even know the correct way to meet an emperor!” She yanked on her plaited hair, biting her lip and pacing back and forth. The two men guarding the door gave no reaction, perfectly ignoring her minor meltdown.
“It will be fine. Just stay quiet unless addressed and answer every question honestly.” Elric looked at her sympathetically, which did nothing to soothe her frazzled nerves.
Several more agonizing minutes passed before a knock came at the door, startling her out of her pacing. The two statue men appeared to know what it meant and instantly responded, reaching their arms towards the doors.
“Vera?”
“Hmm?” She decided it was probably best she didn’t open her mouth, worried about what word vomit might explode in front of an audience.
Elric looked down at her with a small smile, “You’re a lady. Make sure you curtsy, not bow.” Glaring in his direction, she shook her head in mock anger, but he only laughed.
As the guards finished pushing the doors open, she took a steady breath and tried to clear her thoughts the same way she did before a sparring match. She could do this. If Elric wasn’t worried, she shouldn’t be either, right?
Keeping her head high, she walked in next to him. The butterflies in her stomach threatened to overwhelm her, but she made it across the threshold without tripping or fainting, which she considered a riveting success.
The room—if that’s what you could call it—was massive. If she yelled, her voice would likely echo back to her just as loud. She certainly hoped they didn’t execute people in a room with those kinds of acoustics.
Pillars adorned the entirety of both sides with varying banners hung on the walls between them. The colors and emblems appeared to represent the highest noble families.
The floor was a polished gray stone with a single, midnight blue carpet running from the doorway to the bottom of a raised platform. On both sides of the runner, sat long tables that were, to her relief, empty. She definitely would have bolted if the entire noble court had been present.
Behind the platform were three floor-to-ceiling windows, with tapestries showing the royal crest between them, and settled right in the center of the dais, was a large throne. It had nothing adorning it, no details or gems, no banners or etchings. Just solid, smooth stone. Its simplicity somehow making it that much more intimidating.
It projected the confidence of the man sitting upon it. She supposed you didn’t need an intricate throne when you held power over an entire continent.
On either side of the dais were smaller thrones of the same design, apart from their indigo upholstered backs. Prince Eithan stood before one, while the other sat empty. The emperor’s consort had died during childbirth and he’d never remarried.
Finally reaching the center of the room, she stopped just a second after Elric and curtsied deeply as he lowered into a bow. When they rose, she caught a glimpse of confusion on the prince’s face before he again controlled his expression into something akin to boredom. She looked away, only to be ensnared by a set of similar, pale blue eyes that did not belong to the prince.
With his eyes and shoulder-length blond hair, Vera was taken aback by just how much the prince resembled his father. Even with the emperor’s full beard, their likeness was uncanny.
He continued to stare at her with an almost expectant look on his face, although she wasn’t quite sure what he was waiting for. He lounged lazily against his hard-backed throne and laced his fingers together. She exhaled a shaky breath when he finally released her from the weight of his gaze to look at Elric. When he spoke, he didn’t bother trading pleasantries, and his voice was as rough and terrifying as she’d expected.
“Weapon’s Master, Prince Eithan has informed me you believe to have encountered a male from Bhasura while at Midpath. From what I understand, you and your…ward,” the corner of his lip quirked up, “witnessed the male specifically tailing my son, but failed to kill or apprehend him. Is this accurate?”
Vera fought the urge to hunch her shoulders as she again felt his stare on her.
Elric took a small step forward, “Yes, your majesty. But to describe the events in full, there are other details I would need to discuss with you regarding what occurred that night.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Vera saw him glance deliberately her way before shooting a glance toward Prince Eithan, who now wore a blatant look of confusion.
The emperor’s posture changed in an instant. He sat forward, and his eyes hardened as he continued to stare at her. Did he ever blink? He seemed to be contemplating something. Looking over at his son for a moment, he rubbed a hand over his beard before nodding to himself.
“You may speak freely on the subject.”
Elric glanced at the prince one last time before taking a deep breath and widening his stance. “The Magyki in question had been tailing his highness, and we were, indeed, unable to discern his exact motives or what he might have sought to attempt.”
He swallowed, “The male chose to abandon his intent on his highness when he unintentionally discovered Veralie. He was able to corner her before eventually making his escape.”
Vera fought the urge to turn and gape at him. Elric hadn’t used her full name since she was a child. It sounded foreign to her, like it belonged to someone else. Someone she no longer was.
She breathed a little easier when she realized he wasn’t going to willingly admit she’d been the one doing the ambushing, not the other way around.
She glanced at Prince Eithan again in time to see his eyes narrow slightly. “He ambushed your ward? You never mentioned that.” He closed his mouth, his brow furrowed. He was clearly displeased at not being told the entire story, but he controlled himself and settled for just crossing his arms.
The emperor; however, showed zero surprise. He knew exactly what she was. If there had been any doubt in her mind that he knew, it was long gone now. He pushed himself up off his throne with such force, it startled her, and she took a hesitant step back.
“What happened then?” he demanded.
“Well, your majesty, he—” Elric began, but the emperor silenced him with nothing more than a raised hand.