The Princess, page 29
“His manservant found him less than a half hour ago,” Sophia answered. “As for the how, no one seems to know. He was lying in his bed as if he were sleeping, but there was no pulse. There are no marks on him, but Lord Cassian is already trying to blame Sapphirus.” She wrinkled her nose. “But she has been with you all night. And none of the servants have said that they saw her wandering about.”
“That wretched man,” Aurelia said, her shoulders tensing as frustration and anger filled her. It shouldn’t have surprised her that Cassian would lay the blame on Sapphirus; he’d made it clear that he hated her as much as Silvanus did, but she would not let them turn her wildcat into something she wasn’t. “Has a physician been called for?”
“Tegula is with Lord Cassian in Lord Silvanus’ chambers.”
“Help me ready, please, Sophia,” she said, throwing her legs over the side of the bed, only to be hit with a wave of dizziness. “Then please remain here with Sapphirus while I go to Silvanus’ chambers.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Sophia rushed through the preparation of one of Aurelia’s remedies. Mornings were always difficult for Aurelia, and one of the times of day that her symptoms were more often than not the most acute. Brynn had highly advised that Aurelia drink a specific mixture before rising each day, and while it helped, it was also yet another thing that slowed her down.
After Sophia brought Aurelia a goblet of water with her remedy mixed in, she set to pulling out Aurelia’s clothing for the day. Once Aurelia was done drinking, Sophia helped her put on a simple dark green day gown, along with helping her pull her long black hair into a single plait. By the time Aurelia stepped out of her chambers, her stomach was in knots. The gods only knew what would await her on the other side of the hallway.
Using her cane to help steady her, she took a deep breath and pushed herself onward, walking past the numerous portraits of Silvanus’ ancestors, all wearing grim, intimidating expressions, and mosaics featuring creatures of the sea and abundant flax fields. When she finally reached the dark-stained wooden door that led into Silvanus’ rooms, she was met by his manservant, who was standing just outside the door.
“Your Highness,” he said, greeting her with a bow.
“I wish to speak with Tegula,” she said. “Immediately.”
“Yes, Your Highness. He is right inside with Lord Cassian.”
He opened the door for her to step through, and she was greeted by Cassian and Tegula, the two men standing just outside Silvanus’ bedchamber door, speaking in hushed tones. She ran her thumb over the top of her cane, trying to soothe the quiver in her middle as she walked over to them. Nothing looked out of place in Silvanus’ common room so far as she could tell. She had only been in it twice since their brief marriage, but there was no obvious sign of a struggle or malicious attack. Her thoughts flitted back to the meal the previous night. Silvanus had seemed as if he were feeling a bit unwell before she had retired for the night, but what would take him so suddenly?
“Your Highness,” Tegula said as he and Cassian both bowed to her. “I am sorry to bring you such ill news.”
“What happened?” she asked. “Just last night, he was sitting and eating dinner, perfectly healthy.”
Tegula shifted his leather bag on his shoulder, not fully meeting her gaze. “I believe that his heart gave out, Your Highness.”
“But he was not even thirty,” she said with a shake of her head.
“Sometimes these things happen,” Tegula replied with a wave of his hand.
“I still think that wild beast is at least partly responsible,” Cassian said, narrowing his eyes at Aurelia. “Silvanus was right to wish for such a dangerous creature to be removed from his home.”
“Sapphirus was in my chambers the entire night,” Aurelia said, lifting her chin.
“So you say,” Cassian said with a low snort.
Tegula loudly cleared his throat. “There was no evidence of any sort of attack on Lord Silvanus’ body, nor in his chambers. I believe that his heart gave out sometime in the night. It is not common, but it is not unheard of. If you have any need of me, please do not hesitate to send for me.”
Tegula bowed to Cassian and Aurelia both before taking his leave. As the door closed behind the physician, Cassian released a dramatic sigh.
“Such a tragic loss for the House of Lapis,” he said. “And he was so very young.”
“Yet you do not seem particularly aggrieved by such unexpected and alarming news.”
“Careful, Your Highness. The same could be said for you. I see no tears or womanly theatrics with your dead husband’s body just on the other side of that door. One must wonder if you perhaps had something to do with his unfortunate demise.”
She clenched her jaw, her grip on her cane so tight that her knuckles were beginning to grow white. She had not loved Silvanus, and he had made her life miserable on many occasions, but she had not killed him.
“Perhaps it is you who should take care,” she said, “when making such weighty accusations against a member of the Imperial House.”
“I suppose perhaps it is a blessing in disguise that Silvanus never bedded you,” Cassian said as he absently inspected one of the glittering rings on his right hand. “A child from your union with my brother would make the whole business of succession rather nasty after we’re wed.”
She jerked her head back. “After we’re wed? You are full of delusions, aren’t you?”
“Not delusions, Your Highness,” he said with a cold smile. “Certainties. His Majesty will wish to keep the ties between the House of Lapis and the House of Vepi strong. After all, he has put in so much work to mend centuries of bad blood and distrust. He will not wish to throw that all away, and I am willing to take soiled goods.”
“Get out,” she said, pointing toward the entrance with her cane. “You speak of my lack of concern yet you are already plotting to wed your dead brother’s wife while his body is still warm. I see no reason for you to remain here. You are clearly well recovered from your injuries.”
“Oh, do not worry. I have already been called back to the field. I’m to board a ship for Lapis in a few hours, and will personally inform my father of the devastating news of his eldest son’s untimely death.”
He smirked, delivering a bow before striding out of the room. As the door swung shut behind him, Aurelia sank down into a nearby chair and massaged her temple. Her headache from the previous night was returning and the rise of emotions that had flooded her had left her heart racing and her skin feeling hot.
Cassian had not seemed the least alarmed by Silvanus’ death, and his words about making her his wife in the wake of it left her feeling sick to her stomach. Cassian would certainly have much to gain from Silvanus dying, and his chambers were only a few doors down from Silvanus’. It would have been easy for him to slip into Silvanus’ chambers in the dead of night.
Or perhaps it wasn’t even in the dead of night, she thought, worrying her lower lip as she again thought back to Silvanus’ seeming unwellness after dinner. Perhaps it was something that happened before then. She had read about poisons in the Imperial Archives. The nobility of Kelnore were no strangers to them, and they had been a preferred solution for disposing of one’s enemies in a cleaner, secretive manner for centuries. Again, her thoughts returned to the dinner they had all shared. When she had mistakenly grabbed Silvanus’ wine, Cassian had been quick to correct her mistake. Could he have tampered with it at some point? Start with the kitchens, she told herself, pulling her shoulders back as she got to her feet. Then get word to Father. Some foulness had been afoot in Lapis House and by the seas, she would find the truth of it.
Chapter 45
The gossip had been incessant since Silvanus’ untimely death, and to Dimitri’s frustration and disgust, Aurelia had been at the center of much of it. Alekos had worked to dispel the worst of the rumors, but there were still whispers in hallways, snide remarks in court, and debates in clavas, all speculating about who was truly responsible for the demise of the once future Duke of Lapis. In the days that had followed Silvanus’ death, Aurelia had moved from Lapis House back to the Imperial Palace, and while a part of Dimitri longed to be back on the field with his men, another part of him was relieved that he was present to help his twin navigate the treacherous waters she had found herself in.
As Dimitri half limped down the hallway with the crutch that Cyrus had insisted he use, he grumbled under his breath. His ankle had not yet fully healed and the physician had been insistent that he not bear too much weight on it yet. Still, he was weary of being slowed down by his injuries and forced rest. He was more than ready to be once again leading his men, despite knowing that Luca and Adrian had things well in hand in his absence.
Though there might be less of a need for the Imperial Army and Navy guarding Kelnore’s coastline soon, he thought. Something had changed after the attack on Parvum. A few days after the raiders had attacked the city, Kelnorian warships had been patrolling the nearby waters and had stumbled across something entirely unexpected. A massive wreckage of what had once been the raiders’ ships had been found a few hundred miles from the shore.
What had caused their demise was still a mystery, though there had been plenty of speculation, including rumors that swore the sirens were somehow responsible for the raiders’ doom. Regardless of whatever ill fate the raiders had met, there had been no more attacks, or monstrous storms, since. Fabian had been hesitant to call a premature victory and still had ships scouting the waters of the Salis Sea, along with soldiers guarding many of the empire’s port cities, but as the unexpected period of quiet continued, more and more hope was spreading that perhaps they had finally seen the last of their deadly foes—and Fabian was already beginning to be painted as the victor.
When Dimitri finally reached Aurelia’s chambers, a light bead of sweat had broken out on his brow, despite the coolness inside the palace. Opes’ bones, would he be ready to return to the field in a few short weeks? He shook his head ever so slightly as the guard outside the door bowed to him before granting him entry. He would be ready. That was the only acceptable answer. When he shuffled into Aurelia’s common room, he was greeted by Sapphirus, the wildcat letting out a few chirps as she padded over to him. He grimaced, trying to take a few awkward steps backward as Sapphirus attempted to rub up against his legs, but Aurelia soon intervened, thank the gods.
“Sapphirus, come here,” she called, beckoning the wildcat over to her as she walked out of her bedchamber with one of her handmaidens trailing behind her. Sapphirus flicked her tail twice and then trotted over to Aurelia, who gave the wildcat a treat.
Dimitri couldn’t hold back a quiet sigh of relief. The thought of Sapphirus pressing up against his still healing leg was enough to make him wince.
“Be careful down at the market, Sophia,” Aurelia said to her handmaiden as the other woman opened one of the servants’ doors. “I don’t know how much truth there is to these rumors, but with so many traders flooding the city, it is probably wise to be cautious.”
“Yes, Your Highness,” Sophia said, curtseying to Aurelia and Dimitri both before stepping out of the room.
“What rumors have reached these walls now?” Dimitri asked, readjusting his crutch.
“Shall we start with the ones that concern me or the ones that don’t?” Aurelia replied.
“The ones that don’t concern you. Save the worst of the gossip for last.”
“First things first, why don’t you have a seat. Does Cyrus know you’re wandering the palace on that leg?”
“He gave me permission to do a bit of walking,” Dimitri answered, wincing ever so slightly as he sank down into a nearby chair and absently rubbed his aching leg. “He just said not to go far.”
She pressed her lips together as she took a seat across from him on a dark blue chaise, Sapphirus climbing up beside her. “Two large groups of traders from Darnic apparently arrived in the city yesterday. According to the gossip, they’re rabble-rousers, intent on infecting Talekos with the seditious and treasonous talk that has supposedly begun to take root in the north. I don’t know if there’s any truth to it; it could very easily just be people’s prejudice toward those who hail from the northern provinces.”
“It could,” he said, rubbing his chin. “I’ve heard that Remus has had some trouble of late from some of the miners, but from my understanding, he’s been swift to get any dissenters back in line.”
“What sort of trouble from the miners?”
“Some have argued that he’s sent too many young children to work in the mines. They paint him as greedy, wanting to strip the land of its resources at whatever cost.” Dimitri gave a wave of his hand. “It’s all talk, as far as I know. It’s true that there are not as many able-bodied workers since the plague, but those numbers are slowly improving with time. And Remus has been keeping the mines busy, but the empire needs the resources that fill the mountainsides of the north.”
“Is Remus sending children into the mines?” she asked with a frown.
“The mines have always employed children. Not just in Darnic, but all across the empire. It’s the same as what is done in the fields. No one is having them do the most dangerous work, and it allows them to earn a little coin for their families.”
She nodded, though her expression remained troubled. In truth, the rumors surrounding what all was taking place in the mines of Darnic had begun to make Dimitri uneasy. Mining was dangerous for a full-grown man, much less a child, and word had spread that Remus was forcing his workers to take one too many risks in the name of pulling precious minerals and metal from the mountains as quickly as possible, risks that had potentially ended in a stark increase of deaths. But that is the way it has always been, he told himself. The commoners pull the resources from the land and the nobles discern how to best distribute them. That has always been the balance.
“Have you finally had a chance to speak with Father about Cassian?” he asked, eager to change the subject to something that left him feeling a bit less troubled.
“Last night,” she answered, her posture slumping as she leaned back in her seat, stroking Sapphirus’ back. “I was hoping that it was just Cassian pushing for a quick marriage between us, but it appears that Lycaon is doing the same.”
“Is Father considering it?” Tension crept into Dimitri’s shoulders. He’d seen enough of Cassian to know that he vehemently resented the very idea of Aurelia being pushed into wedding him. Cassian was no better than his brother. In fact, he was likely worse.
“He’s unsure. The last thing anyone needs is Lycaon causing trouble again, but the events surrounding Silvanus’ death are murky at best.” She paused, biting her lower lip. “I know I should be willing to do my duty to the empire, just as I did with Silvanus, but the thought of wedding Cassian… I am not altogether certain I can bear it. It has been such a relief to be back here at the palace, for my body as well as my mind. Perhaps it makes me weak, but I am not so certain I can go back to a life like the one I was living before.”
“There have to be other ways of keeping Lycaon quiet. Father is emperor. There is little he cannot do.”
“I worry that another marriage is the only thing that Lycaon will accept. And I…” She paused again, leaning forward before lowering her voice. “I cannot help but be suspicious that Cassian had something to do with Silvanus’ death.”
“Have you told Father this?” Dimitri said, his brow wrinkling.
“I have.” She let out a frustrated sigh. “The problem is that I have no proof. I asked around the kitchens repeatedly before leaving Lapis House to see if anyone had noticed anything odd the day before Silvanus died. No one spoke of noticing anything unusual. I did learn that the main servant who has been tending to Cassian was making up a few remedies from Tegula in the kitchens a little less than an hour before dinner, but the last of the remedies had already been used the following morning. There was nothing but empty bottles. But at the end of the meal, Silvanus had looked a bit off. Like he wasn’t feeling well. I cannot help but wonder if Cassian somehow poisoned him. Father is looking into it, but thus far, he has found no solid evidence either.”
“If Cassian is indeed a murderer, I cannot fathom Father allowing for any sort of union between you. And quite frankly, I wouldn’t put such an act of depravity past Cassian.”
“I have prayed to the gods that proof will be found. Along with some other solution for pacifying Lycaon.”
“I’ll speak to Father as well. Encourage him to consider other alternatives than you marrying that bastard.” She had already been through enough with Silvanus. She did not deserve to go through more misery with the likes of Cassian, especially if he had indeed killed his own brother.
“Thank you,” she said with a weak smile.
“What mischief has Sappphirus been getting into, now that she’s back at the palace?” he asked, inclining his head toward the wildcat and hoping that the change in the direction of the conversation would help lighten the heavy mood that seemed to have settled over the room.
“Well, yesterday she tried to help herself to one of Father’s fish in one of the fountains. Thank the gods I caught her before she succeeded. I would have hated to explain that to the head gardener, and to Father.”
Dimitri laughed, easily envisioning the wildcat getting herself into such trouble, and another smile tugged at Aurelia’s lips as well. As she continued to regale Dimitri with stories of Sapphirus’ antics, he pushed aside his lingering worries regarding his twin’s future. Alekos would contend with Lycaon, just as he had before. Dimitri was certain of that.
Silvanus’ death had thrown an unexpected twist into the troubled ties between the House of Lapis and the House of Vepi, and whether Lycaon had somehow orchestrated his own son’s death, or if Cassian had been acting on his own, Dimitri had no doubts that Lycaon would inevitably try and manipulate the situation into his favor. But the House of Vepi would come out the victor in the end, just as it had every time before.
