Divined (3 page)

“How very forgetful of you, Commander,” Clio said, trying to ignore the pleasant burn his lips always left on her skin.

“I wonder what could have brought you
all
the way here into the city on this day, Lady Clio.” Clio didn’t miss the reproach in his tone.

Zarae glided between them. “Commander, as a high-ranking warrior, Lady Clio is part of the nobility.”

“I’m aware.” Riece shifted his gaze to the princess.

“And I was sent to lend support to you as you put forth this difficult question to the nobility of Sheehan. While we are graced with the presence of Lady Clio, perhaps it would be prudent to put the question forth sooner rather than later, while we have her, that is. After all, you did say you wanted all the nobility present, did you not?”

Clio watched something pass between Riece and Zarae. Something that had Riece straightening up, every muscle tense. He risked sending Clio a quick, nervous look, and Clio realized he hadn’t wanted her to be here for this at all.

Riece paused, his gaze landing hard on Zarae. “Of course, Princess.” Turning away, he walked over to the center of the room and motioned for the palace drummers to silence the crowd into attention.

Clio caught the satisfied smirk that played across Zarae’s lips. “He didn’t send you to fetch me, did he?” Clio asked, knowing the answer.

Zarae lifted her chin so as to look down on Clio. “Let’s see you try to stay out of everything now,” Zarae whispered as every face in the room turned toward Riece.

“Noblemen and women of Sheehan, I thank you for making the time to greet me today. I promise I will not keep you long, but I’m afraid my betrothed and I come to your glorious city with upsetting news.”

Zarae stepped forward to stand at Riece’s side, a show of beauty that relaxed the room. Surely, Sheehan wasn’t in danger if the princess was here.

“You recall years ago how Sheehan relied on a woman who styled herself as the Oracle,” Riece continued.

Clio felt herself shrinking into the crowd. She caught Derik’s eye for a fraction of a heartbeat, but dared not make any sudden movements.

“We thought she and her entire line had already suffered death for the treason they committed against your good king and our great Emperor. But the Emperor has recently heard one girl survived.” Gasps echoed across the stone, but Riece held his hands up, urging silence. “She has claimed the powers of the Oracle, and is by her very nature a crime against the union between our glorious cities. The Emperor knows none of the good people of Sheehan would have willingly harbored this criminal, but I must urge you—anyone who has any knowledge of this Oracle is commanded to come forward. There will be no punishments. The Emperor is forgiving to any and all who would seek to bring this woman to his justice. The Princess Zarae and I will stay in Sheehan to help you with this painful and trying task until the Oracle can be found and forced to answer for her crimes. Thank you.”

Clio forgot to breathe, and her lungs stung in protest. She ignored the pain. The most powerful man in the entire Empire knew about her. He wasn’t interested in using her powers, in speaking to the Deities, or hearing how she had made a promise to never act on a single Vision ever again. All he wanted, all he had ever wanted, was to kill her.

CHAPTER FOUR

Murmurs passed through the crowd. Everywhere Clio looked, nobles were whispering nervously to each other, their eyes darting around the room. Riece briefly met Clio’s gaze as he took Zarae’s hand in his and led her from the room. Clio waited, taking the time to speak to some of the other high-ranking warriors before leaving the throne room through the same archway as Riece and Zarae.

She found them in Derik’s private chambers. The guards had been dismissed, and Clio entered the room to discover Riece and Zarae staring at one another in silence.

Riece turned to Clio, his expression no longer calm and controlled. “What were you thinking coming here? Is it your calling in life to defy everything I say?” he asked, keeping his voice low.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Clio started, her head still foggy from the draught. “You sent your betrothed to come fetch me, and I came—which while we’re on the subject, don’t send your betrothed to fetch me.”

“I did no such thing,” Riece hissed. His eyes widened, and he turned to Zarae with quiet anger gritting his teeth. “I told you to tell Clio
not
to come, to wait until I could get away.”

Zarae shrugged, unapologetic. “She needed to hear this.”

“She would have heard it from me when I came to see her,” Riece growled.

“Honestly, Riece, you have more pressing concerns at the moment. Take a good look at your beloved mistress.” Zarae flipped her hand in Clio’s direction. “Tell me I should have just left her in that pathetic hut to waste away while we handled the mess she’s created.”

Riece’s gaze faltered, his eyes flickering over to Clio then back to the princess. “You and I will finish this another time.”

“I look forward to it,” Zarae said, her eyes cast upward in frustration. “Now please, attend to your mistress so we can start thinking of a plan.”

“Riece,” Clio began, holding a hand up to him as he turned to face her, all his anger drained away.

Grabbing her and pulling her into him, he began running his hands along her arms, her neck, holding her head up as if to inspect her for injury. “You look half-dead,” he said, his eyes crinkling. “What happened to you? Why did you leave the palace? Did you take Derik’s healer with you?”

Clio laid a finger against his lips. “I’m fine, Riece.”

He pulled her hand down, frowning. “You’re not. Look at you. You’ve wasted away since last I saw you.”

“It’s the draught Nox sent. It keeps Vazuil away, but it has certain side-effects…”

“Like killing you? Absolutely not. You need to stop taking it at once, Clio.”

“I second that,” Zarae voiced from across the room.

Clio spared the princess a quick glare before settling her gaze back on Riece. “I’m really fine. So I won’t be in any battles any time soon—it’s not as if I would fight even if I were strong. I’m done with that.”

“You can’t be done with it while the Emperor is looking for the Oracle,” Zarae said, taking a seat at Derik’s desk.

“So this is what you wanted? I find out the Emperor is looking for me and I, what, invite back the Visions? Allow the Deities to use me for their own purpose in the hope they help keep me alive?”

“We could make a deal with this Vazuil. It would be a start. He could help us, and in return you could help the Deities,” Zarae said with a meaningful look. Clio knew the princess would happily make a deal with the Deities in return for freeing her home from the Empire.

“No.” Clio bit her tongue as she blinked back more pain. Vazuil was listening.

Riece brushed a hand along her cheek almost wistfully. “Clio, you can’t go on like this.”

“I can.”

“And what happens when the Emperor finds out who you are?” Derik asked, suddenly entering the room and taking off his heavy golden breastplate.

“How would he? No one in Sheehan knows me as anyone but a dark-haired warrior.” Clio desperately wanted to sit down, to lean her head against the cool palace stone, but she knew if she allowed herself such weakness, Riece would never listen to what she had to say.

“Someone told him you were still alive.” Derik turned to Riece. “Do you know who?”

“If I knew who it was, they would be dead,” Riece answered quickly.

“Mannix,” Clio breathed as Vazuil clawed at the back of her mind. “It has to be.”

“No.” Riece’s voice was firm. “I’ve had my most trusted men looking for him. I would know if he were in the capital. Anyway, if it were Mannix he would have told the Emperor exactly who the Oracle was and where he could find you.”

“Well, there are only a handful of people who even know about me.” Clio twisted around to face Zarae, who was busy flipping through the maps Derik kept on his desk.

“What?” Zarae asked then laughed. “You think
I
told the Emperor?”

“You already made it clear today that you’re willing to do anything to get me where you want me. Who’s to say this isn’t all part of your plan?”

“Clio…” Riece chided.

“No, if it’s not Mannix, then Zarae has the clearest motive. She would do anything to get what she wants.”

Zarae stood. “What I wanted was your help, not to get you executed.”

“So you tell the Emperor just enough information so that I fight the Emperor beside you—”

“Hold on,” Riece interrupted. “No one is fighting the Emperor.”

“—or the Emperor has me killed,” Clio went on, ignoring Riece. “Then there’s nothing standing in your way to finally wed Riece and seize power for yourself.”

For a moment, no one seemed to know how to respond. Finally Zarae huffed out a breath. “Wed Riece yourself for all I care—but you’ll have to leave that moldering hut and actually take part in the affairs of the Empire.” She paused and looked around the room to Derik and Riece. “I suggest you figure out how you’re going to hide Clio without the Emperor finding out his own heir and the king of Sheehan are guilty of treason in the process. Whatever you decide to do, I’m done.” She walked to the door, stopping just in front of Clio. “I know you don’t care for your own life, but take a moment to consider the effect your helplessness has on those who, for whatever reason, seem to love you.”

Zarae swept out of the room, leaving behind only the faint sweetness of her honey perfume.

The ache in Clio’s head was so fierce she was beginning to feel the room spin around her. She needed to lie down, to rest. And she needed more of the draught. She needed to return to the quiet before Vazuil found out too much.

“I should go home,” Clio stuttered, rubbing her brow. “The longer I stay here, the more opportunity nobles will have to find out about me.”

“You’re not going back there. Look at yourself. You can hardly stand.” Riece took her elbow, inviting her to lean into him. She would have resisted had she been able, but her eyesight had gone hazy.

“I can’t stay here. Zarae was right, I can’t endanger you. Either of you,” Clio said, looking to Derik.

“You can’t go back to that hut. Riece is right,” Derik added. “A woman, living by herself on the outskirts of Sheehan. Who does that sound like?”

“I don’t live alone. I have Ixie and Ashira,” Clio offered, knowing it wasn’t enough. Derik was right, and her mind had been too muddled to see it.

“You live like an Oracle even if you don’t act as one. You should move back to the city and marry someone.”

“What?” Riece and Clio said in unison.

“Taking a husband and living within the nobility would clear away any suspicion.”

“You can’t be serious,” Clio said, incredulous. “Who exactly do you have in mind?”

“I could easily arrange something for you. As the king, it’s within my right to arrange marriages among my favored lords.”

“Absolutely not,” Riece said, his voice hard.

“Well, it’s not as if you’re in a position to wed her. Not while the Emperor wishes you to wed Princess Zarae.”

“I’m not
yet
in a position to,” Riece said slowly, looking at Clio. “But I will be one day.”

She couldn’t find any words. Riece couldn’t possibly think the two of them could ever live together. He was heir to the Empire, and she was worse than cursed.

“As romantic as the notion is, I’m afraid Clio doesn’t have time to simply wait for you to find a way to break your current betrothal,” Derik said calmly. There would have been a time when he might have harbored some jealousy at Riece’s remark, but Clio knew those days were far behind them. Derik had been nothing but a brother to her ever since the day he killed Daizon.

“All right, everyone stop.” Clio held her hand up, finally recovering her voice. “How about I’m not going to marry anyone. Especially not just to hide away from the Emperor.”

“You should move back into the palace,” Riece suggested.

“And then have Derik killed if the Emperor ever found out? No.”

“Then what do you propose?” Derik asked. “We all agree you can’t continue the way you are.”

“You’re right, I can’t. But I’m not going to endanger anyone else with my presence. I’m going to do what I should have done a long time ago. I’m going to leave Sheehan.”

“And go where? As much as I’d like you to come to Morek, I don’t exactly think it would be the wisest course of action.” Riece’s eyes searched hers for an answer.

She stepped forward, taking his hand in hers. “I have to leave the Empire completely. It’s the only way to be sure neither of you are blamed for what I am. I’ll leave tomorrow.”

“No.” Riece’s hand tightened around hers. “You’re too weak to be on your own.”

“I don’t need to be strong to live in hiding. It’s the only way to be safe. The Emperor won’t find me, and no one outside of the Empire will know me for what I am, not like this. It’ll be better this way, for all of us. And Vazuil will be kept far away from the people of Sheehan and Morek.”

Riece wouldn’t release her hand. His eyes were pleading, and Clio couldn’t ignore the hurt that twisted his features as her words sunk in.
 

“I’ll arrange any transportation you need,” Derik said, walking over to a chest beside his desk.

Clio shook her head. “I’ll travel alone so no one knows where I am.”

“Then take this at least.” He tossed her a small pouch. Clio weighed the contents. Gold. It would get her set up in a foreign city. She nodded gratefully.

“I don’t like this,” Riece said.

Clio nearly laughed. “You never like my plans.”

“This one especially.”

“I’m going, Riece. You can’t stop me. You won’t stop me, because you know I’m right. Now excuse me, I must be going. I have a long journey ahead.”

CHAPTER FIVE

Clio didn’t know how long ago the sun had set. The fire needed stoking. Its dying embers cast weak shadows across her room as she paced the dirt floor packing up the few possessions she would bring with her on her journey. Ixie and Ashira had stayed in Sheehan, making the final arrangements for Clio’s trip, spreading rumors of the Lady Clio’s departure to see family abroad, and gathering the food and supplies Clio would need to make it out of the Empire.