I woke the next morning to a heated argument outside my door. A real door, thank goodness. Not flimsy curtains or prison bars. Still, it was too thin to allow for any real peace and quiet, it seemed. As I focused my ears, I realized there was no juicy gossip to be overheard. Two servants were arguing over whether I should be given my breakfast right now. The prince had ordered that I be given breakfast at a certain time and also that I be allowed to rest without being disturbed, and they couldn’t agree on which was the higher priority.
“You’re worried about Renyi,” Ghost said.
“He doesn’t need me to worry about him. He’s strong, bold…”
“Reckless, bullheaded,” Ghost added.
“Ah, subtext. You’re getting better at human communication.”
Ghost scoffed, flipping his head to the side. More human-like gestures. He really was improving.
A knock on my door interrupted us.
“Come in,” I said.
A servant entered with a small bowl of soup, placing it next to me on a tray.
“Please hurry and finish your meal. Prince Renyi requests your presence at court today,” she said.
“Me?” I asked, surprised. I’d gotten much closer to the man, but court?
“As an observer,” she clarified. “His Majesty believes it will do you good to see how our kingdom operates and how His Majesty runs its government.”
I nodded. This was sure to ruffle even more feathers.
“Alright,” I said, digging in. The servant girl looked at me with an expression of disgust. No doubt I was ignoring some very important etiquette expected of a lady. From what I’d read, this zone had plenty. I couldn’t be bothered to learn them.
After finishing my soup, the servant helped me get dressed in formal, cultural clothing. Not something I’d normally choose to wear, but it was definitely beautiful.
I was guided to the throne room, where petitioners were already lining up to speak to their soon-to-be emperor.
The throne room was a sight to behold: massive, with high ceilings and ornate pillars.
Renyi looked every bit the part of future emperor, his wounds carefully concealed beneath elegant robes. Still, I could see the strain on his face. Keeping up this facade was surely difficult.
“The people are afraid, Your Majesty,” an elderly official began. “The plague claims more and more each day, and we are hearing there was an attempt on your life…”
“An attempt that failed, as you can plainly see,” Renyi said coldly.
“Yes, but—”
“I will hear the next petitioner.”
A younger man stepped forward, nervously clutching a scroll.
“Your Majesty, I represent the merchants' guild. Because this sickness is spreading faster, it has hampered our efforts to reach out to other zones and—”
“This is a matter for the Ministry of Health. They are reviewing the changes and drafting new policies.”
“Your Majesty, if I may be so bold…” Renyi said nothing, but didn’t stop the man from continuing. “Some of our contacts have reported a cure for this sickness being given to other zones. A woman from PanTech brought—”
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Renyi’s eyes found mine in the crowd, a mixture of relief and something that felt almost like an accusation.
“We do not accept aid from outsiders. This is our law, unanimously passed by all officials and cannot be overturned without the same vote. And, of course, my approval.”
I frowned. Was this really how it would remain? Once again, I worried I was wasting my time, blocked again by stubborn bureaucrats.
These same questions continued for hours, ranging from minor concerns about construction in a remote part of the kingdom to grain distribution, taxation, and everything in between. Multiple inquiries continued to pour in about the virus and the recent assassination attempt, but tapered off after being met with the same stonewalling from the prince.
Finally, the last petitioner was dismissed.
“Leave us,” he ordered, prompting the few remaining officials to clear the room.
Renyi stood from his throne and approached me, only to stumble and catch himself on one of the pillars. I rushed to help him, supporting him until he could steady himself. He leaned against the pillar and took a deep breath.
“You’re pushing yourself too hard,” I scolded.
“I cannot appear weak right now. It would only invite opportunists. The cowardly target the vulnerable.”
I sighed, understanding what he meant.
“Then let me ease your burden. The merchant who spoke earlier told you the truth. There was a woman from PanTech curing this sickness in other zones. You already know that woman was me. It’s why I’m here. Call a vote. Let me present my vaccine to them. Hasn’t it already claimed the previous emperor?”
“And not a moment too soon,” he said flatly.
“What do you mean?” I asked, taken aback.
“My father was selfish and cruel—a proper stooge of PanTech. Tannis was far more of a father to me than that man. Rumors were that my father had planned to install one of the other princes but died before he could draft the necessary decree. Though I wouldn’t know any of this as a fact—my father did not wish to see me in his final hours. Tannis used his power as the chief adviser to select me, much to the fury of my brothers.”
“I’m sorry…” I said.
“It isn’t difficult to read the writing on the wall, Taylor. Our first act was to declare independence and force a pledge of loyalty from Adversity Management. Sick and with no support from headquarters, caught completely off guard, they relented. No doubt they seek to reclaim their authority, likely with the aid of one of my brothers—perhaps more than one of them. This kingdom has never agreed more than on the law we passed separating ourselves from outsiders.”
Despite the weight of the conversation, I was distracted by his physical state. He was sweating, and his breathing had become heavier. I quickly placed my hand on his forehead, confirming my suspicion.
“You have a fever!” I said forcefully, while keeping my voice down.
“It doesn’t matter,” he replied.
“It does matter. What if you’re too ill tomorrow to come out here and put on the same show? Go and lie down.”
He smiled, and the reaction confused me. He placed his fingers gently on my chin, lifting my face up to meet his, nearly touching. Suddenly, my heart raced. My cheeks burned, as if I were the one with the fever. He was about to kiss me, and… I didn’t want to stop him. I leaned forward, rising on my toes, slowly moving to meet him.
“Your Majesty!” a man shouted, sprinting into the room.
Renyi pulled away, alarmed by the interruption.
“I believe I ordered the room to be clea—”
“It’s Chief Adviser Tannis, Your Majesty. He… he’s…”
“Speak!” Renyi ordered.
“He was found dead. The physician who came to examine him said he had a complication from the sickness. His servants reported he’d been showing symptoms but chose to hide them from you so as not to burden His Majesty further.”
Renyi placed his hand against the pillar, bracing himself.
“Both of you, leave now,” he said.
The man rushed out, but I stayed where I was.
“Leave,” he repeated.
I reached out, taking his hand. I could see the pain clear on his face, powerful and deep, I could nearly feel it myself. My heart ached for him.
He yanked his hand away.
“Don’t. Just… don’t,” he said, looking away. He wouldn’t bring his eyes to meet mine.
He limped away, not looking at me again, and I didn’t follow him. The additional stress on him right now was dangerous.
As I exited the chamber, I saw the royal physician and grabbed him by the arm.
“The prince is running a fever. One of his wounds is likely infected. Go see him quickly. Don’t tell him that I made you aware of it. Make some other excuse to insist on entering his chambers.”
The old man simply nodded, swiftly making his way toward the prince’s chamber without argument.
I slowly made my way back to my room, my mind boiling over with frustration at the inconvenient mixture of emotions swirling inside me.
I’d discuss it with Ghost, but already this was not adding up. No man, no matter how tough he may be, could hide symptoms of the virus all the way up to his death. This reeked of foul play.
I needed to find a way to examine Tannis’s body, and fast. Then, an idea struck me.