Didn’t I?
“I’m glad to hear you’re in agreement,” Lilitha said, some of the anger leaving her disdain coated voice.
“Your Majesty,” the healer spoke. “I hate to interrupt but, although the princess may not have been physically injured, she’s not well. She needs to rest.”
The empress pursed her lips but nodded. “Very well, I just have one more question for her.” She pressed her fingers beneath my chin, raising my eyes to meet hers. “I need you to be completely honest with me. The assassin who killed your sister, was he the same man who tried to kill you the night of the harvest festival?”
Why did it matter? He most definitely was not—his eyes, though gold, weren’t Ryker’s.
“I know you had your reservations about your intended being the assassin, but I assumed that was due to your naivety and because you’d never seen an Outlander before. Now that you have had other comparisons, do you still think Ryker tried to kill you that night?” The empress' eyes bore into mine.
Yes. I did. And no one would ever be able to convince me otherwise. Whether he still wanted me dead was another question altogether. His gold eyes flashed in my mind—filled with the concern I’d found every time I caught him looking at me lately. If I told my mother the truth, would she believe me this time? And if she did, how would that affect Ryker? Would she send him away? Or worse, execute him? Torture him? My broken heart wrenched, and a gasp escaped my throat, breaking me slightly from my stupor.
“Kaleah—”
“No,” I rushed, shaking my head to try and clear the fog that muddled my thoughts. The truth would bring only more pain, but lying? If that was the price to protect him, to keep him by my side for even a couple more weeks, then I was willing to pay it. Even if he never knew, even if he never cared—I did. “I didn’t get a good look at the assassin that night, but I don’t think it’s Ryker anymore.”
Her blue eyes searched mine, and I prayed she would believe me. She gave a curt nod. “This only strengthens the conclusion my generals and I have come to over the past week. It doesn’t seem as if this was a coordinated attack on the part of the Outlanders, but a few lone killers with a vendetta.”
Lilitha’s hand moved from my chin to my cheek as she ran a smooth finger over my skin. “It takes a strong person to admit they were wrong. I’m glad to see you’ve overcome your distaste for your intended, and given him the chance to prove himself. Your union bodes well for both our peoples, and you may yet be the key to bringing peace to us all.” Dropping her hand, she turned to go.
“Wait.” I stumbled forward out of Cassie’s grasp, catching the hem of Lilitha’s sleeve. “Why do the Outlanders hate us so much?” Everyone in the infirmary froze as the empress slowly pivoted back toward me.
“I already told you, they wish to rule Empyria for themselves.”
“So, we’re not at war with them? There’s not people forced into slavery outside the capital’s walls?” I pressed, needing answers.
“Kaleah, don’t you think I would have told you if—”
“No, I don’t. You’re the empress; you can do what you want,” I said, repeating her earlier words. Cassie stepped forward and wrapped her arm around me again, a warning to watch where I treaded. Right then, drowning in grief, I didn’t even care if I walked myself off a proverbial cliff.
Lilitha’s eyes narrowed. “Is that what he told you? So what, now you believe some assassin over your own mother—your own empress?”
The assassin’s words echoed through my head, his actions following. He showed no fear, no doubt. “I don’t believe people go to the kind of lengths that man did to kill someone unless they have a very good reason.”
Lilitha’s lip curled, but Ariadne interrupted her before she could retaliate.
“Kaleah, I understand your concern, but now is not the time for this. You’ve just been through a considerable ordeal—”
“Are you just covering for her?” I snapped.
Ari’s face crumpled. “Of course not, child.” She wrapped her arm around my shoulder and guided me past the empress. “Let’s get you dressed and into bed where you can rest.”
“No. Take her to the Outlander’s room.” The empress’ words stopped me in my tracks and I spun.
“What?”
The empress shot me a look of disdain, but a moment later sighed. “Are you pregnant yet?” Bile rose in my throat, and Cassie sucked in a sharp breath behind me. “I made my wishes perfectly clear and with the Ascension approaching your window of opportunity is quickly closing. So until then you’ll be sharing quarters with your intended.”
“Please, mother,” I whimpered, hanging my head. “I can’t.”
Ari stepped between us, holding me close as if she could save me from my mother’s wrath. “Child, listen to me. I know you don’t love him, but it’s imperative you be with child sooner rather than later.” Why was she pushing this? Why did she even care? “It would only have to be one time.”
Cassie scoffed. “Even I know it doesn’t work like that.”
“Because you’re the expert on pregnancy?” the empress cut in. Cassie scowled. “I didn’t think so. The tea Kaleah has been taking not only alters her body to just bear daughters, it prepares her body to be much more receptive to becoming pregnant.”
My stomach churned, the taste of copper washing over my tongue as I bit my lip hard. “I can’t do it.”