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Emmy cleared her throat and clapped several times before shooing away the gathered guards. “Show’s over now, everyone! Expect even more action during the next rehearsal!”

Rehearsal… I wished I could spin stories as fast as she did!

While some chuckled with good humor, a few guards gave us both hard looks before retreating from the courtyard, and I wondered exactly how long it would take before my latest escapade would reach His Holiness.

“Um… Miss Emmy,” I stammered, “I believe it would be in our best interests to talk a little in private.”

She pursed her lips for a moment, doubt crossing her features. “Surely you can do better than that.”

“Huh?”

She pointed directly at me, her eyes narrowing. “Emmy, you and I need to talk right now. Follow me.”

“Uh... right. What you said.”

“No. You say it just like I did.” She waited with arms crossed.

“Um...”

“I did not start with um. I started with ‘Emmy.’”

I sighed. “Emmy. You and I need to talk right now. Follow me.”

“Again, with more conviction. Address me directly.”

I glanced away, distracted by a group of suspicious guards who had decided to linger, trying to note any unique features that would help me identify them later during my inevitable interrogation. I’m sure Relias is going to blame me for this one too…

Emmy began tapping her boot impatiently. “I’m waiting.”

Turning back, I straightened and announced, “Emmy, you and I need to talk right now. Follow me.”

She nodded approvingly with a slight bow. “Lead the way.”

I glanced at Tetora and Prince Mito, and they bowed as well, though both made no attempt to hide their outrageous smirks.

Once we made our way back into the main building of the High Temple, Emmy paused in the middle of the main hallway. After considering scrutinizing several guards, she targeted one near a stairwell, snapping her fingers imperiously. “You there, guard. Take us to a private room immediately.”

The guard flinched under her gaze before mumbling, “My orders are to stand—”

“Your orders are to serve the Captain,” she interrupted, crossing her arms. “And that includes securing an area to discuss sensitive information. Unless you’d like to be reassigned to the outer gates.”

The dubious guard looked between Emmy and me several times before bowing my way. “This way, er, Captain Lightbringer…”

“Well… I suppose that answers that…” Emmy mumbled cryptically. She gestured for me to lead, and I felt her eyes on my back as we traversed the halls. We ended up in a small, dusty library filled with tattered scrolls and abandoned books. A wooden table with chairs and a few oil lamps provided a makeshift meeting space.

“Let’s make this quick,” Emmy said after shutting the door. “Which Councilman do you work for? Inutilis? Has he finally made his move?”

“I don’t work for any—”

“I don’t care which one’s officially backing you. But I need to know what side I’m switching to, preferably before I’m arrested. I’m sure it won’t be long now.”

I blinked in confusion. “Why would you be arrested?”

She shrugged. “It’s obvious by how the guards inside the temple are acting… I’ve fallen out of favor. I’ll be accused of impersonating the Chosen One, presenting myself as a false claimant.”

Oh, wasn’t that part of Relias’s fifth charge during his trial?

Prince Mito raised an eyebrow. “You seem well-versed on this…”

Emmy laughed loudly, the sound echoing in the small room. “Oh yes. Not a week goes by without someone being hauled in front of the General Assembly for it. Usually, it’s merely a confused commoner being forced to make a public apology and volunteer their services to the church for a few years. But that would interfere with my long-term plans.” She looked at me speculatively. “I think I’ll switch to the winning side and throw Procul to the wolves. I didn’t much care for his attitude anyway… So, which Councilman are we working for?”

I tried my best to keep my tone even. “Relias.”

If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

“Hahahaha! Okay, no. Which one?” she pressed.

“I’m serious,” I replied. “His Holiness is the reason I’m here in Chairo.”

Tetora shoved a few papers off the table to see Emmy better. “Where have you been for the past week, exactly? Didn’t you hear about Captain Lightbringer’s return? Pravum’s farce of a trial against Relias? The church declaring a Crisis of Faith?”

Emmy stared at Tetora like he had three heads. “I’ve been rehearsing, of course! My debut is—er, was to be next week. I don’t have time to engage in church gossip!”

Prince Mito sighed. “Emmy doesn’t pay attention to the world around her… she’s her own special being.”

Emmy huffed. “The General Assembly is always crying about something involving His Holiness. He doesn’t do enough. He did something they didn’t like. He should be punished. He’s missing. He’s starting trouble with the Order of the Blue.” She threw up her hands. “They’re always blaming him for everything, even when it’s nothing.”

“I’m not surprised…” I mumbled as a wave of guilt came out of nowhere.

Emmy folded her arms, her eyes closed as she nodded a few times in concern. “Holy Sage Relias, huh… But you say he was on some sort of trial?”

Prince Mito and Tetora glanced at each other before His Highness took over the conversation. “Pravum brought charges against him, and Procul was also involved. Relias countered them by successfully declaring a Crisis of Faith. As a result, both councilmen are in protective custody, and Inutilis is missing.”

I guess mentioning the part about Amos would just cause more chaos and confusion at this point…

Emmy took a moment to consider the terse update. “So, who’s in charge here then?” she finally asked.

“Relias,” I reiterated.

Her eyes widened. “He’s… finally taking control?”

“I think it’s temporary. A Crisis of Faith can only be in effect for a month or something,” I replied, thinking how nice it would be if all such disruptive events could simply end so quickly.

She slapped her hands on the table, making me jump. “Then I’ll sing his praises wherever I go until the next leader rears their head! Oh, but before that, Captain Lightbringer, you need to work on your imposter syndrome.”

I shot up out of my seat indignantly, annoyed it was so apparent. “I’m… I’m trying!”

“Yes, but you’re fighting it on too many fronts.”

I looked around, confused. “Too many fronts?”

“How many Captain Lightbringers are there in this world?”

“Is this a trick question?”

Emmy rolled her eyes. “Just answer it.”

“There’s only one.”

“That’s right,” she agreed. “And it’s me.”

She’s crazy! “No, it’s me! I just proved that to you in the courtyard. Are you telling me we have to have a rematch? I won’t hold back next time!”

“What a wonderful idea!” She smirked. “Every time I see you, I will ask that same question. And every time, I expect you to say there’s only me! Do you understand?”

“No,” I answered bluntly. “I don’t understand you at all!”

She shook her head. “Did you see how easy it was for me to provoke you? It’s one thing to question one’s own abilities since we’re always trying to improve. But if you let others do it, too, you’ll lose sight of your ideal self. Don’t wage a war on two fronts; learn to shut down the external noise so you can focus on you.”

Ideal self…

Prince Mito coughed. “Emmy is an expert on self-confidence…”

Self-confidence…

Emmy scoffed. “You say that like it’s a bad thing. But I know I’m the best me there is, and no one else can be me, so why should I let others tell me how to act?”

Don’t actors take stage direction from… oh, directors… Like the one who cheated on her.

I decided on a different question. “But what if you end up disappointing someone important?”

“Who could possibly be more important than me?”

“Uh…” I hesitated, realizing I needed to name a proxy since I wasn’t sure she could relate to my situation with Relias. “Your audience.”

“They’ll come back. Or they won’t.” She waved her hand dismissively. “But either way, it’ll happen regardless of whether I worry about it. But that’s on them for having unreasonable expectations.”

Maybe I wasn’t asking the right questions.

“You… use your amity as part of your act, right? If the audience is disappointed in your performance… then…” The lights go out, literally. Their trust is gone.

“I don’t let their thoughts shake mine. That way, I always have something left to use. I also never do the same play the same way twice.”

“Really?” I couldn’t help but ask, getting distracted. “Wouldn’t it be easier just to set a standard and try to meet that as a performance goal?”

“No play is ever perfect, nor will it be. I make changes all the time. Mostly small… sometimes they’re successful, sometimes they’re not. That way, I’m never standard. I’m always learning, ultimately improving.”

She’s confident in her abilities… but not so much so to say she’s perfect. Huh. I sorta like it.

The sound of metallic marching thudded through the hallway into our room. Captain Corwin forcefully opened the door, his stony face indicating he had been pressed into service against his will. “Ms. Emilia Archambault,” he intoned, his voice resonating as his hand rested firmly on the hilt of his sword. “By order of the General Assembly, I am to escort you to Vicar Thomas for an immediate review of the charges against you. You stand accused of presenting yourself as a false claimant, falsely declaring yourself a hero of the Goddess. Your cooperation in this matter is not only appreciated but expected. Failure to comply will be met with severe consequences.”

Emilia Archambault… Even her full name was epic!

“Of course, Captain. You’re right on time.” She stood up slowly, then turned to me, gently raking her fingers through her hair and striking a pose. “How do I look?”

“Absolutely fabulous,” I declared before turning to Corwin, who appeared startled at our exchange. “Emmy is a new acquaintance of mine,” I explained. “I’d appreciate it if you’d show her the proper courtesy. If it’s possible… I think she should talk to Relias privately before her trial. I’m sure he’d be interested in what she has to say.”

Emmy beamed as Corwin blinked several times before spluttering, “You’re not… mad about… this?”

I shook my head. “It’s kinda funny, actually.”

I mean, I was, but not anymore.

Corwin shook his head but said nothing as he and his retinue took Emmy away.

“Thank you, Captain Lightbringer,” Prince Mito said gratefully after they left. “I was about to say something myself…”

“I’m not sure I entirely trust her,” I admitted. “She seems to turn on a whim. But you vouched for her, and it seems like she knows what she’s talking about. If she has anything she’s willing to share that would help take Procul down, well, all the more reason to give her a chance.” Also, she might be my ticket out of here, at least for a little while.

Tetora glanced at me, his eyes narrowing. “You have that face Nora does when she thinks she’s being sneaky.”

“Isn’t that all the time?” I asked as innocently as possible.

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