Solstice of the Drowned Empire by Frankie Diane Mallis

Author:Frankie Diane Mallis [FRANKIE DIANE MALLIS]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Seven Queens Press
Published: 2022-09-10T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIX

The following weeks passed by as slowly and torturously as had the litter ride across the Empire. I couldn’t decide which was worse, being trapped inside those four tiny walls for endless hours with my father or the daily attendance at Arkasva Batavia’s Court listening to petitions and enduring the moments Lady Lyriana arrived in formal attendance.

I tried not to look at her, but there were times I felt her eyes on me—a sensation I could not explain—and I’d find myself unable to stop my gaze from drifting toward her. Our eyes meeting across the room. Then I’d be wracked with guilt and fear. Everything good was always ruined for me; everything I ever cared about had a way of turning against me or being twisted by my father. Everything I ever touched turned to shit when he was around. The people I loved were hurt because of me. It was always my fault in the end.

The longer I spent in Arkasva Batavia’s Court, the Ka Hart gryphon emblazoned in silver thread across the chest of my pressed black tunic, the more I knew I needed to forget Lady Lyriana. Banish her from my mind. My heart. My soul.

There was no point in caring about or for anyone or anything else. Not until he was gone. Not until I was free. If I ever would be.

My only small glimmers of hope came from the fact that Imperator Kormac had only stayed a week, and I’d heard not one more word about the engagement of Lady Lyriana to Arkturion Kane or any other gryphon-shit asshole in the north.

I’d taken to stalking the halls when not dining or standing in Court. I’d keep an ear open when I neared any group of gossiping nobles or crowd of servants. Servants always knew the stories before anyone else. If any betrothals had been arranged, someone in the fortress would know about it and gossip. And if Lady Lyriana knew, surely there’d be some shift in her demeanor or conversations.

Her noble mask had slipped enough times that if she were engaged and unhappy about it, I’d see some clue. Or if she were engaged and happy about it, I was sure that would show, too. Yet, daily, my findings turned up empty.

Plus, every few days or so, I’d check in with Jules. Ask her if there was anything new to report. She always said the same thing. There wasn’t. And though Lyriana was well aware that nothing had happened between us, Jules also said that she didn’t seem as convinced as before that I was a good person.

But over the last few weeks, I had more moments where I slipped, where I was weak. Where my gaze fell on her, drank her in, memorized her every slope and curve and the subtle shift of color in her hair or the darkening of her skin as summer progressed and she spent more time at the beach, laughing with her sisters and cousins and Lord fucking Tristan as they raced into the waves.

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