We Are Dying Gods, page 32
“What are you doing?” Sarah whispered, being sure to keep her smile plastered on her face.
“Dancing with your cousin is not the power move you think it is,” he whispered back.
“Then who is going to dance with me?”
“Don’t worry,” he said, lifting her hand to his lips as he backed away from her and melted into the crowd, leaving her standing in the center of the empty dance floor. She kept her eyes focused on the doorway with her hands clasped in front of her as she waited for the savior that Sal had promised her. Her heart raced as she listened to the other princesses be called, but Sarah refused to let her mask crack.
Sal had given her all the information that he had on his sisters, and it had been hard for Sarah to reconcile that the people they were trying to send to the gods weren’t strangers to Sal and the others as they were to her. They’d grown up with the other princesses — had seen them every day of their lives and shared memories with them. Knowing that made her stomach flip so, as she watched them arrive, she tried to focus on committing their faces to memory as they took their spots on the dance floor with their escorts.
“Now introducing Princess Asuna Sentera, first daughter of the reigning Queen Leia.”
Sarah had walked out to absolute silence, so her eyes widened as claps echoed throughout the room. She’d thought it was customary for the princesses to enter into silence, but now she realized just how great the obstacle before her was. It was more than just out-maneuvering the other princesses if she wanted a chance at the throne — she would have to win over every person in the queendom. At the very least, she would need to win over the people standing in the ballroom. And she would only have one night to do it. She squeezed her hands tighter together as the audience died down and Asuna curtsied to the crowd, throwing them a radiant smile.
The crowd had much the same reaction for her sister, Cazie Taren, second daughter of the reigning Queen Leia. It wasn’t until the last entrant for the bid walked in that the claps and shouts of excitement morphed into scattered whispers around the ballroom.
“Now introducing Princess Grace Bertanal, third daughter of the reigning Queen Leia.”
As she walked onto the dancefloor, the whispers grew — filling every empty space like radio static as hushed voices began speculating about the girl with the vibrant red hair pinned atop her head. And just as Asuna wore blue for her Asarian heritage and Cazie wore silver for her Carnian one, Grace wore a deep violet ballgown to represent her Lindlian background. Her dress was strapless, with a jeweled corset shaping her at the top, and layers of tulle filling it out at the bottom. Her escort was a stocky Lindlian man who seemed anxious to be standing next to Grace in front of everyone. The queen, who sat upon her throne at the front of the room, lifted her hand and the hall fell silent as the orchestra situated on the other side of the room lifted their instruments to play.
Sarah glanced around, searching for a familiar face in the crowd as the other ladies faced their escorts with smiles, moving into the starting positions for their dance. She’d practiced for days with Sal to make sure she wouldn’t make a fool of herself, but apparently the joke was that she would have no partner. She could feel the eyes on her as the conductor looked over at her, stalling in the hopes of giving her time for a miracle to happen. And as she fought to keep the panic in her chest from rising and the tears pricking the corner of her eyes from falling, she spotted a familiar bald head in the crowd.
She sucked in a deep breath as Russ came strolling forward. He wore a dark gray suit as he walked forward with a smile on his face, and Sarah had never been so grateful to see a single person before. Her smile morphed into something genuine as he extended his hand and bowed.
“May I have this dance?”
“Yes,” Sarah breathed, tightening her core as he placed a hand at her waist and the conductor began waving his hands. The gentle music she’d come to expect wafted over them and she smiled up at Russ as she followed his lead around the floor. She worked to keep time in her head, and he grinned down at her.
“Relax,” he whispered. “You’re doing great.”
“You have no idea how quickly this can all go wrong,” she whispered back. “I’m not very good at this.”
“I’m here,” he assured. “I won’t let you fall.”
Sarah met his gaze for the first time and smiled again, her practiced one dissolving into a light laugh as the panic she’d felt in her chest began to fade. It was replaced with a new anxiety, but for the first time in weeks, she felt like she wasn’t alone. Russ’s hand was warm on her waist, and she trusted him in a way she couldn’t with Noble or Sal. She couldn’t say what it was about him, but Russ made her feel comfortable and she squeezed his hand as he led them around the turn that had caused her to trip over her feet every time in practice. But rather than focusing on what her feet should be doing, she focused on the person in front of her. And she finally understood what Sal had been trying to teach her.
“See?” He grinned. “That wasn’t so hard.”
“No,” Sarah agreed. “It wasn’t. Thank you, Russ. For being here,” she said. “I’m glad it was you.”
He beamed at her words and tightened his grip on her as he gazed down at her.
“I’m glad it was me, too.”
The music slowed and applause rang out over the ballroom as the escorts stepped away from the princesses and bowed, lifting their fingers to their lips before melting away into the crowd. Russ winked at Sarah before taking his leave and, after a moment where the princesses curtsied to the crowd, a softer tune began playing and Sal reappeared at her side as if he’d never left.
“That was a wonderful display,” he said, grinning as he guided her through the crowd of people moving toward the dancefloor. “I wasn’t convinced you’d survive the dance, so color me impressed.”
“Your lack of faith in me never fails to astound me,” Sarah shot back, her smile still in place as she nodded at the people they passed. She knew this was part of Sal’s plan. To have her be seen around the ballroom before she spoke with anyone. According to his intel, the other princesses would be making a beeline for their supporters, and the first few minutes after the dance would be the most opportune time to discover who they already had in their pockets.
None of the faces were familiar to Sarah, but Mara and Sal had assured her that it wouldn’t matter. They would give her all the information she needed to navigate the minefield of influential people. So, as they walked around the ballroom, Sarah put on her bravest face and made eye contact with everyone she could.
“Good,” Sal whispered as they made their way to where a young Lindlian woman wearing a suit with a top hat stood. “Make them notice you.”
“I’m doing my best,” Sarah whispered back, fluttering her eyes at a few men who offered partial bows to her. It wasn’t truly appropriate, but Mara had warned her not to expect more. She was an unknown variable to most of them, and none of them would risk showing her outright favor, especially if they saw her before they spoke with anyone else. The bid could be just a dangerous game for them as well if they weren’t careful — if they aligned themselves with the wrong princess, everything could crumble around them. So, she instead chose to watch and smiled as they reached the woman Sal had been searching for.
“You ready for this, cousin?”
“As I’ll ever be,” Sarah said, taking in a deep breath.
“Lyla,” Sal called out to the woman as they approached, and she looked up from her conversation with an older, more petite woman and offered Sal a polite smile.
“Risal,” she crooned, holding her hand out to him. “It’s been too long.”
“Indeed,” he grinned, shaking her hand before gesturing to Sarah. “Allow me to introduce you to my cousin. This is Sarah Rothens, first daughter of the late, Venetia.”
“May Freya have mercy on her soul,” Lyla said, nodding her head.
“And Sarah, this is my dear friend, Lyla,” Sal said. “She is the next owner proprietor of Podigious. They are the biggest manufacturer of luxury transport pods throughout the realm.”
“Yes,” Lyla cut in, smiling as she turned towards Sarah. “We are also one of the biggest advocates for dispersing pod-code within Carna and Asari’s domains. One of our goals is to be able to bring our technologies to every domain.”
“That sounds wonderful,” Sarah said, allowing her voice to sound light as she looked up at the woman. “What amenities do your pods offer? I’m intrigued by your luxury line.”
“Have you never been in one?”
The question came from the woman Lyla had been speaking to, and her hazel eyes were sharp as she looked at Sarah. With a single glance over her, Sarah felt as if the old woman had read her entire life and she smiled and she shook her head.
“I’m afraid not,” she answered. “I’m still very new to the luxuries that come with being a princess.”
“Oh?” The woman asked, her thin eyebrows reaching upward. “And why is that?”
“I was raised in Asari’s domain rather than here in the tower,” Sarah offered, choosing to leave out that she was only familiar with Asari’s outskirts. “His inner ring doesn’t boast the same technologies as Rothe’s and Lindl’s domains do.”
“How tragic,” the woman said, clicking her tongue, her gaze drifting around the crowd. “That is no way for a princess to spend her life.”
“I don’t know,” Sarah laughed. “I’ve found that this realm has so many exceptional things. I always have something new to discover and appreciate. In this conversation alone, I’ve learned of your luxury pods, as well as your hopes of expanding your business into Asari’s domain,” Sarah said, biting back a smirk as the old woman’s eyes cut back over to her. “I hope that I’m able to be a positive force in helping you achieve that.”
“Well,” the woman said, sizing Sarah up in a new light, “I can’t say that I would be disappointed to see our expansion come to fruition.”
“And neither would we!” Sarah agreed. “I would love to experience the luxury you offer for myself one day as well,” Sarah forced her eyes wider as she turned to Sal. “Oh! Do you think we could take a tour of the inner ring? I haven’t spent much time beyond the tower yet.”
“Sure,” he said, turning his eyes to the old woman. “But we’d need enough pods for a royal escort. Would that be possible?”
“Of course,” the woman said, beaming. “Lyla! Be sure to gather her advisor’s contact information so we can arrange things with them,” she demanded of the younger woman beside her.
“Yes, grandmother,” Lyla answered, meeting Sal’s gaze with a smirk. The older woman nodded at him and her granddaughter before offering a proper bow to Sarah.
“It’s been fortunate meeting you. I look forward to our business together.”
“As do I,” Sarah offered, returning a half bow out of respect. The old woman huffed with pride before stalking off, Lyla winking at Sarah as she walked to keep up with the swift moving woman.
“What was that about?” Sarah asked, glancing up at Sal. “That granddaughter seemed rather pleased with herself.”
“She should be,” Sal chuckled. “Lyla just scored some major funding for her new endeavors.”
“What endeavors?”
“She’s looking to revolutionize pod technology,” Sal answered, smiling as he guided Sarah around the room. “So, while what I told you was true, Podigious deals in more than luxury pods and their code.”
“Do I even want to know the rest?”
“They’re also breaking into the market for black eurithium,” Sal answered.
“Should I know what that is?”
“Yes,” Sal answered. “But just know that it’s a precious material. Expensive and hard to acquire. But if Lyla succeeds in merging it with current pod technology, that’ll bring the queendom into a new era of innovation.”
“And how does that benefit us?”
“Catching on quick there, cousin,” Sal chuckled. “If she succeeds, your name will be behind the shift as her supporter. We’ll have to fund them in the meantime, but it will improve how others see you. And an increase in public opinion isn’t something that the council can easily ignore,” he pointed out.
“I see,” Sarah whispered. “Your sisters have popularity on their side. But if I can demonstrate an ability to network…”
“A brilliant mind will always be worth more than a pretty face,” Sal said, grinning.
“Are you saying I don’t have a pretty face?”
“I’m saying that you know what you look like,” Sal countered. “My opinion doesn’t really matter. What does matter,” he said, continuing on before Sarah had the chance to interject anything else on the topic of her physical appeal, “is that you managed to impress, Lilna Parshner. She’s been uninterested in any of the princesses. Until now.”
“And that means something?”
“Take a look around,” he said, guiding her toward the balcony as she stole glances around the room. The people who had been avoiding her gaze before were now watching her with care as she navigated the room. With one conversation, the tide of the room had changed, and Sarah’s heart jumped into her throat at what it could mean.
“I see.”
“Good,” Sal grinned, leading her up to a young couple in matching gold outfits. They were both tall and lean with warm smiles, and Sarah returned them as they approached.
“Who are they?”
“Risha Davens and her husband, Malacai. She’s the head of the committee that decides on all educational expansion within Rothe’s domain,” Sal whispered in her ear. “You ready?”
“Always.”
It was nearly an hour later when the music drifting through the air quieted, and the crowds parted to allow the princesses to walk down to the front of the room, where they stood in front of the queen and her consorts. Sarah clung to Sal’s arm as they stood on the far left, facing the queen’s throne. The last notes of music faded away, and Queen Leia rose from her seat. She took the time to meet the gaze of every princess who stood before her, searching their eyes as if she could reveal the secrets of their mind, before lifting her eyes and voice to the crowd behind them.
“Today,” she said, her voice spilling over the ballroom like cool water on a hot night, “we celebrate the closing of an era and the beginning of a new one. It has been twenty-two years since I first stood were my daughters and niece,” she said, smiling at Sarah before returning her gaze to the crowd, “now stand. I am proud to have been chosen as your queen and humbled to have served you for as long as I have. I thank you.” She bowed her head, and the crowd returned the gesture before she lifted her head and spoke again.
“This gathering marks the opening of a new bid,” she announced, her voice growing stronger. “Four of Freya’s daughters stand before you now, seeking your approval to sit upon this throne as your next ruler. But only one may see the future she wishes to create. Only one may leave this bid as queen.”
The queen turned her attention once more to each of the girls standing in front of them, and when she met Sarah’s gaze last, a pang of longing overtook Sarah. The queen was beautiful, and she wore the same face as Sarah’s mother. Hers was older, and she had the same creamy skin as all Asarians did instead of the rich brown tones her mother had, but there was no mistaking they’d been sisters. And in that moment, Sarah couldn’t decide if she wanted to know everything about her aunt to feel like she had a connection to her mother, or if she wanted to send the woman to the gods for taking her mother away from her. She didn’t have long to ponder it though, because as soon as the moment passed, the queen was speaking again.
“Sarah, Asuna, Cazie, Grace,” she said, saying their names in order from oldest to youngest, “you stand before your queen, your people, and your gods today to declare your intention to claim this throne as your own. Should you succeed, do you accept the responsibilities that this crown carries?”
“Yes,” they answered in unison.
“And should you fail, do you accept that you will meet the gods with your defeat?”
“Yes,” they answered again.
“And you agree to respect the rules of this bid? To uphold the traditions set forth by your predecessors?”
Once more, they all agreed in unison and the queen grinned as she lifted her hands to the air.
“Then let it be heard and let it be known,” Queen Leia called out. “The princesses Sarah, Asuna, Cazie, and Grace have all agreed to enter the bid! So, it shall begin!”
The crowd roared at the announcement, claps and whistles resounding throughout the ballroom. Sarah’s eyes darted to the other girls, her heart pounding in her chest as she accepted that if she were to be successful in what Brandi asked of her, the other three girls would meet the gods because of her. Her conscience was already weighed down by it and the bid had only begun. She tried to swallow the lump in her throat as her anxiety welled up inside her.
“Is that a joke?”
The question cut through the noise of the crowd and the queen looked up from the princesses who stood before her to the back of the room. The guards standing by the doors were thrown aside as they were thrust open. A collective gasp sounded, and people pushed together as everyone turned to see what was happening. Sarah’s eyes were wide as she searched the crowd for the source, but when she glanced up to Sal, she saw a wide grin plastered across his face.
“One thing she knows how to do,” Sal chuckled, “is make an entrance.”
Sarah’s eyes turned toward the door and she fought back the laugh of surprise that wanted to bubble out of her. Brandi stood at the entrance with Jack, and Sarah could have cried from how happy she was to lay eyes on her. She was breathtaking as she stood in a strapless cocktail dress that was blacker than a shader’s fur. It clung to her curves, revealing her long, toned legs. Her feet were clad in black stilettos and her thick hair was twisted down into neat knots.
