The Empty Throne

by Cayla Kluver

  I opened the door to scan the bedroom and saw no Sepulchres lurking in the darkness. Unwilling to trust my fragile and stressed mind, I dashed out to grab a robe. Without care for my bare feet, I ran into the hallway, my excellent memory leading me down another carpeted corridor to reach the Lieutenant Governor’s study. A light shone at the bottom of the door, telling me Luka was working late. I smoothed my hair, trying to will away the color in my cheeks, then firmly rapped upon the wood.

  “It’s open,” Luka called. “You may enter.”

  Obeying his invitation, I walked into his study to find him poring over some papers that were spread out on top of his mahogany desk. He looked up, and I thought both pleasure and surprise played upon his face.

  “Anya,” he greeted me, coming to his feet. “This is unexpected.” He stepped out from behind his desk and motioned for me to take a seat on an embroidered sofa. I obliged and he joined me in the seating area. “Is there some way in which I can assist you?”

  The desperation that had driven me to seek him out was rapidly slipping away, the void replaced by embarrassment. I was paying a late-night visit to the Lieutenant Governor wearing nothing but a nightgown and robe, a rather rash and definitely improper action. What had I been thinking? But it was too late for a dignified retreat—and in spite of the blush I could feel creeping up my cheeks, I knew I couldn’t leave without the relief I sought.

  “Yes, at least I hope so. I’m having trouble sleeping, and I thought you might offer...” I trailed off, plucking at the threads of the sofa, wishing I’d developed more of a plan before charging in so boldly.

  Fortunately, Luka came to my rescue, too polite to let me flounder. “Your wrist, I presume. I could send for some pain medication, or I could offer you a glass of wine. It doesn’t have the healing power of Sale, but it can numb the senses. Which would you prefer?”

  I pretended to consider the offer, not wanting to appear overly eager, though I suspected I had already passed that point.

  “A glass of wine would be lovely, but I don’t want to distract you from your work.”

  “Sometimes a distraction proves to be quite enjoyable.”

  He moved to the sideboard and filled two generously sized goblets with red wine from a crystal decanter. Returning, he extended one to me, then settled into a nearby armchair, slowly swirling the liquid in the bowl of the glass he held. I, on the other hand, took hearty swallows, finding the taste much more to my liking than ale. Luka raised an eyebrow, but he did not address my thirst.

  “So tell me, Anya, other than the Queen, are you expecting any members of your family to arrive in Tairmor?”

  “I’m sure my father, who is Queen Ubiqua’s Lord of the Law, will be with her. His position is somewhat similar to your own.”

  “And your mother?”

  I hesitated, then drained my goblet before responding. “She died a few years ago. And I have no brothers or sisters.”

  Luka stood to retrieve the wine decanter, topping off his own goblet before refilling mine.

  “I’m sorry to hear that,” he said, placing the decanter on top of the low glass table that defined the seating area before reclaiming his armchair. “It seems you and I have more in common than we realized. My mother died a few years after my brother, William. As with you, my family now consists of my father and myself.”

  “You never married, then?” I flushed, the wine making me more inquisitive than I should have been. “I’m sorry—that was an impertinent question.”

  He laughed. “Quite all right. No, I never married. Something my father has plans to rectify.”

  “What do you mean?” Once more, I was bolder than I should have been, and I retreated to the safety of the goblet, taking another swig to give my mouth an alternative to asking rude questions.

  “He has taken it upon himself to make a match for me—a young woman of great wealth and impeccable breeding, if not beauty. I personally find the topic tedious. I am quite content with my life as it is.”

  “But don’t you ever feel lonely?”

  “Loneliness implies a lack of companionship, a condition I have never suffered. Marriage is something else entirely. In my experience, it doesn’t necessarily bring either companionship or happiness.”

  There was a touch of bitterness in his tone, but with the emptying of my second glass of wine, I was now feeling too warm and fuzzy to follow up on it.

  “And you, Anya,” Luka pursued with a smile. “Surely you have male admirers.”

  “You’re right. I do.” My voice came out louder than I intended, and I reverted to what I thought was a confidential whisper. “But they don’t know about each other.” I giggled, picturing Davic and Tom in a face-off, though I had no doubt who would win.

  “Oh? Can I assume one young man is Fae, while the other may be human?”

  “That’s right! You’re very smart.” I leaned toward him, then slyly added, “You even know him.”

  He looked at me in amusement, refilling my goblet a third time. “I thought I might. But tell me—is there a problem between the two of you right now?”

  “Not a problem exactly.” I wished Luka hadn’t reminded me of my looming confrontation with Tom—picturing an argument wasn’t nearly as amusing as the fanciful joust between Davic and Tom that had been playing in my mind. “It’s a secret he knows. About me. Only he shouldn’t know it.”

  “I guess that’s the essence of a secret. Is there anything I can do to help you out with this problem of yours?”

  “No!” I exclaimed, almost spitting out a mouthful of wine. “You’re the person it’s supposed to be a secret from!”

  I stared at him, horrified, suddenly realizing what I’d said. Desperate to clear my head, I tried to stand, spilling the rest of the wine from my glass on the table. I bent forward, swiping at the mess with my bare hand, and the looking glass pendant I’d hung around my neck swung free.

  “It’s fine, Anya,” Luka placated, catching my arm to steady me. “No harm done.” Reaching out with his other hand, he examined my necklace, his brow furrowed. “This is quite distinctive. Tell me, how did you come into possession of such an interesting piece?”

  I put a finger to my lips. “Shhh, it’s another secret.”

  “I won’t push you for an answer, then. Like all women, you are entitled to keep a certain number of secrets.” He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and mopped the wine off my palms. “Now let me escort you back to your room. I believe you have imbibed a sufficient amount of pain relief to enable you to sleep.”

  “I think you’re right,” I mumbled, trying to focus on his face.

  Without protest, I let him lead me back to my room, where he waited by the door until I had entered and made my way safely to bed. Feeling like the room was slowly turning, and no longer caring about the wind against the windows, I fell into a slumber so deep it was also blissfully devoid of dreams.

  Chapter Fifteen

  FITNESS TO RULE

  I woke with a headache, though I remembered very little of the evening before, only that I had shared a glass of wine with Luka. In the gentlemanly fashion I had come to count on, he made no mention of our late-night meeting at breakfast, nor did he comment on my lack of appetite. He did, however, put forth a suggestion for how I might spend my time this day.

  “It’s a beautiful morning, Anya. If you’d like to get a bit of fresh air, I would suggest the garden that can be accessed through the solarium. After that, you should return to your chambers for a consultation with Galina on your wardrobe for tomorrow’s events. A seamstress will be on hand should any adjustments need to be made.”

  “Some fresh air would be lovely,” I murmured, my own thoughts centered on one and only one issue—I wanted to avoid Officer Matlock, whose working relationship with the Lieutenant Governor frequently placed
him in the mansion.

  “Shall I escort you?” Luka asked, and I nodded, coming to my feet.

  The Governor headed to his main-floor office, and Luka led me through the solarium and out the back door into a large garden. A cobblestone path wound through it, leading to the sprawling grounds of the estate, which were bounded by an imposing stone wall. He settled me on a bench beneath the canopy of a shade tree, and the birdsong that filled the air brought a smile to my face.

  “It is beautiful here,” he remarked, glancing around at the shrubs and freshly budding flowers. Then he skirted the topic of the previous evening. “Would you like me to arrange a visit from our physician? Perhaps he could provide something other than wine for pain and help in sleeping?”

  I shook my head, blushing. “No, thank you.”

  “No need to be embarrassed. I enjoyed our conversation very much. But I want to make sure your injuries are properly treated.”

  “Don’t worry. I’m actually doing quite well.”

  He searched my eyes as though he didn’t quite believe me, and I directed my gaze away from him, spotting a tall, open-air structure toward the back of the property near the carriage house and stables.

  “Excuse me, Luka, but is that for housing birds?”

  He laughed. “That wasn’t the smoothest change of subject, Anya, but I’m willing to drop the matter of your health for the time being. And yes, that’s the aviary where we keep our snowbirds, and where messages are sent and received. Now, is there anything you need before I start my day?”

  “No, only...”

  “Yes?”

  “Will I be able to see Zabriel later?”

  “Of course. I could perhaps arrange for the two of you to eat dinner together.”

  I grinned. “That would be wonderful.”

  “Dinner it will be, then. I will look for you late afternoon.”

  He turned on his heel and departed, and the anxiety I had been suppressing immediately began to rise. I was far from all right, only it wasn’t my wrist that was the problem. I was already dreading the thought of the upcoming night, knowing I would have to face it without Cysur and without wine, for I couldn’t pay another visit to Luka. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so quick to dismiss a visit from the doctor. Pain medication or a sleeping potion might provide some form of relief.

  I stood and crossed the lawn to reach the base of the wall. It stood triple my height, and I could see no easy way to scale it, especially with only one good arm. A guard patrolling the grounds took a step toward me, and I immediately retreated toward the mansion. Without wings, I was stuck on the Governor’s estate, only that didn’t make me feel safe; it made me feel trapped. With that thought escalating my latent fears, I walked back through the garden and into the solarium, knowing the only way I would get through this day was to stay busy. I’d have to worry about the nighttime later.

  As soon as my feet hit the second-floor landing of the marble staircase, I ran into Officer Matlock. He was coming down the corridor from Luka’s office, thankfully keeping pace with Constable Farrier—he wouldn’t have the chance to talk to me now.

  “Anya,” Marcus Farrier brusquely greeted me, continuing down the staircase, and I glared after him, his manner enough to put me on edge. There was something inherently dislikable about the man.

  “I’ll be there in a moment,” Tom called after him, stopping to survey me. “You don’t look well, Anya.”

  “That’s a fine way to greet a young woman,” I chided, my racing heart making me light-headed. “A gentleman should always extend a compliment, whether sincere or not.”

  “And what should a friend do?”

  I dropped my gaze, certain the temperature in the corridor was rising.

  “I don’t mean to be unkind,” he continued. “I’m just worried about you.”

  He laid a hand on my arm, and I jumped at his touch. Feeling as though the walls were closing in on me, I took a step away from him. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

  “You’re clearly not all right, Anya, so don’t bother trying to convince me otherwise. Can we talk later? I’ll meet you wherever you want.”

  My eyes snapped to his, a frightening hunger rising inside me, pushing me to take a chance. Perhaps I could use him to make a prison break.

  “Even in the city, Tom? Would you take me into Tairmor?”

  “Matlock!” Constable Farrier bellowed from the entryway below. “Now!”

  Obviously torn, Tom descended one step, then turned to look at me. “I can’t take you away from here, but I’ll meet you anywhere on the grounds. Just name the place.”

  “Not tonight,” I sniped. “The Queen arrives tomorrow, and there is much to be done. And you’ve made it plain that I need a good night’s sleep.”

  He opened his mouth to say something more, then apparently thought better of it, practically running down the steps after his partner. Relieved, I continued down the hallway toward my rooms, much preferring to face Galina and the seamstress than to have a conversation about Cysur with Tom.

  I hesitated upon reaching my door, my thoughts having traveled to Constable Farrier. The activities my cousins and I had discovered in the government-owned facility on Evernook Island had to be directed by someone with a lot of authority, and Farrier had shown himself to be antagonistic toward the Fae at the time of Evangeline’s death. It had struck me then that his power might be great enough to use others like pawns. If and when Tom and I were again on speaking terms, I resolved to ask him about the senior officer.

  Taking a deep breath, I entered my room and crossed to the sofa, resigned to wait for Galina.

  * * *

  It was late afternoon when the Lieutenant Governor came to escort me to the west turret to visit Zabriel. I practically burst through my bedroom door upon hearing Luka’s voice, manic energy on the rise. I was excited, nervous, and overly aware of the setting of the sun.

  “Feeling better?” Luka asked, motioning for me to precede him down the hallway.

  “Just excited to see Zabriel.”

  “Understandable.”

  He stepped up beside me but did not say anything else, and I found his manner disconcerting. At least when he spoke, I had some idea what he was thinking.

  “Is everything ready for the Queen’s arrival tomorrow?” I finally asked, the walk seeming endless, the silence much too loud.

  “Yes, my father has had many years to plan for this meeting.”

  Having reached the west turret, Luka unlocked the door and permitted me to enter, then secured it behind us. We began to mount the spiraling stairs, and he finally raised a question of his own.

  “My father tells me with some satisfaction that the Queen isn’t fond of dogs, and I find myself curious about the reason. Care to enlighten me?”

  “I don’t know if it’s true or not, but the story goes that she was in human lands and was being taught to ride a horse. And a yapping dog caused her mount to bolt, unseating her.” I smiled at the image of my dignified aunt making a rather undignified dismount. “Even an Air Fae can hit the ground pretty hard.”

  Realizing Luka had halted, I swiveled to look at him. He was standing a couple of steps below me, gazing out one of the windows, lost somewhere in his thoughts. Mystified, I checked the view myself, but saw nothing unusual.

  “Is something wrong?” I called down to him.

  “Nothing’s wrong. I was just thinking of my brother.” He lifted his eyes to mine and resumed the climb. “I seem to remember William trying to teach Ubiqua to ride when they were betrothed. But I’ve never heard the story you’re sharing. And it’s probably not one I should relay to the Governor. Some wounds continue to fester.”

  At his comment, my apprehension grew. What would tomorrow bring? The Queen had never told the Governor of Zabriel’s birth, le
aving him to wonder all these years whether or not he had a grandchild. How deep might his resentment run?

  The double doors at the top of the stairway stood open, and I rushed forward to find Zabriel sitting on the edge of the bed, wearing a loose-fitting shirt and trousers. A table had been brought in and set for two with plates, silverware, and goblets, a picnic basket resting in the center.

  “You look a hundred times better,” I gushed, crossing the floor to stand beside him. In my peripheral vision, I caught sight of the bottle of painkillers that still nestled on his nightstand.

  He smirked. “Kind of makes me wonder how bad I looked before.”

  “I see the picnic meal has been brought,” Luka interjected, stopping at the foot of the bed. “I apologize, but Zabriel’s presence here must be kept quiet until tomorrow morning. And that means the kitchen staff cannot be told.”

  “So today I’m a ghost, and tomorrow I’m the Prince?” Zabriel asked.

  “That sums it up, my boy. The general house staff will be told tonight that you have arrived in advance of the rest of the Faerie delegation, at which point these quarters will formally become yours. After that, you can move about the grounds. But let me remind you—you are not to leave the Governor’s estate, either one of you. And no one from Zabriel’s former life here in the Territory can know he is alive.”

  Luka’s stern manner reinforced the serious nature of his warnings, eliciting a somber nod from Zabriel. I was only half listening at this point, mind preoccupied with the painkillers. A bead of sweat trickled down my back as I considered how to pocket them. I could just ask Zabriel, but I doubted he would give me the whole bottle—he might give me a dose to get me through the night, but he’d probably want me to see the doctor. And I didn’t want to do that, not yet. I had no idea how long it might be before I could obtain more Cysur—I might need that ploy a couple of days from now.