Galen looked at her then back at his horse. “I am not so certain that this is dignified.”
Evony grinned. “It’s not. But it’s something you should do at least once. You’re not afraid, are you?”
He held her gaze for a moment, glanced over at the tree, then back at her. “If you think it is a necessary experience...”
When she only continued to smile at him, he exhaled slowly, walking Kalendae a short distance away. It took him no time at all to tie his mount securely and return to Evony. She didn’t give him the option of getting out of it and grabbed his hand, pulling him along behind her.
Evony chose the tree two away from the chestnut she’d been in before. The oak had more thick branches lower and they were closer together than the ones in the chestnut. Just the thing for a novice climber. The thought made her grin again, tickled to have found a weakness of Galen’s. There were chinks in his stone armour and she was going to break through it and find the real him if she could.
She stopped in front of the oak and dropped his hand then, flashing him a smile over her shoulder. “Just follow me and do what I do. It’s not hard, I promise.”
Galen nodded but his lips had a distinct downward pull. Evony swallowed a chuckle at his obvious reluctance. Still, she wasn’t about to risk his safety and made sure she moved slowly as she pulled herself up onto the first branch. Normally she’d have swarmed up like a squirrel, and it required a lot of thought to keep to a reasonable speed. She paused with an arm hooked around a branch several passus up, and looked back at Galen.
He was close behind her, a few bits of bark clinging to his hair, his face set as he moved gingerly, a hand always wrapped tight around a branch. Glad he was keeping up, Evony continued until she reached a wide branch that curved on an upward slant, creating a natural seat. Once she was level with it, she shimmied herself along, leaving the part closer to the trunk for Galen.
With her arm around a thinner branch that went almost straight up from where she sat, Evony watched Galen close the remaining distance between them. He eyed the space she’d obviously left for him before he actually shifted into it. The branch swayed as he settled himself, his hands pressed into the wood beneath him, leaning into the trunk slightly.
“See?” Evony grinned. “It’s not so bad. And you wouldn’t get a view like this from below.” She swept her arm out to indicate the way you could see spots of blue sky through the ever-shifting tapestry of green and brown, while the ground beneath them was a mix of bushes, moss, grass, and the odd wildflower.
Galen looked around, eyes lingering on the yellow feathers of the bird flitting about the tree across from them and the shaft of sunlight that pierced the canopy to centre on a tall white flower. “It is an interesting perspective.”
“I like being high up. It’s nice to be where it’s hard for people to reach you. I used to run off and hide away in the trees all the time when I was little, though I was always found in the end. But I’m Amazzi, and we’re all comfortable with being in trees.”
“I was not aware of the connection.”
Taking in the furrows running across Galen’s forehead, Evony smiled. “If you’d been to Silvinsula, you’d know. Most of the island is forest, and we’ve long kept buildings in the bigger trees just in case of emergencies. It’s easy to draw invaders into the forest and pick them off from the trees. It’s what we did the last time pirates tried to hit us. None of them made it back out again.”
Galen studied her for a moment. “It would seem I should visit Silvinsula, or at the least, have some of my men learn some of your techniques.”
“If you’re sending men over, they’ll probably find themselves overwhelmed. It’s rare we get men who aren’t traders and there are more than a few Amazzi who don’t like the idea of having to go looking for a stud.”
“As I understand it, your people do not leave often.”
Evony shrugged. “Most leave once or twice to get with child, some will go for a time if they feel the need to hone their skills in combat or a specific trade, and sometimes some of our people aren’t comfortable with the Amazzi lifestyle. Sometimes those people return, sometimes they don’t. I know my mother once left to visit my father’s family. I don’t know what happened, but from the way they both speak about it, I don’t think it went well.”
Galen remained silent, gaze on the ground below them. After a few moments, Evony cleared her throat and asked a question that had been circling her mind for a while now. “What was your father like? We rarely know more about the imperial family than what rumours bring us. Not unless we’re called to serve the Fusciennes.”
He looked at her, eyes meeting hers squarely, but she didn’t look away. It was Galen who broke from her gaze first. “My father was a strong emperor. He promoted trade and kept our borders safe. Not that any of our then neighbours looked to invade, but he ensured that all of our lands were at peace.”
Evony frowned. She wasn’t sure if Galen thought of his father as emperor first, or if that was just what most people wanted to know. “That’s not what I meant. What was your father like as a person? You should be one of the people who knew him best.”
Galen blinked for a moment. “As a person? Father was...very dedicated to the empire. He taught me about ruling and how to be the best emperor I could be. He did his best to be fair and to ensure everything ran as smoothly as possible. He spent a great deal of his time in meetings on the state of things, but he did his best to be a father as well, often stopping by to visit with myself and Callisa.”
He stopped talking then, face stiffening back up. “Your sister,” Evony said, not wanting to pry into something obviously painful but thinking that he might need to talk about it. Balint had said he never spoke of her death, and if that was true, then he might not have had a chance to process his emotions or bleed off some of his grief. “Will you tell me about her?”
Galen’s eyes were as hard as his face, the tension of his body telling her how he felt about it. But still, he spoke, voice tight. “Callisa half raised me. She taught me how to live within the palace without causing problems for myself or our father.”
Hoping to switch him to lighter thoughts and drawing from her own childhood, Evony said, “She never taught you how to climb trees?”
“No.” The silence between them stretched for several heartbeats before Galen added, “She did teach me to make flower chains.”
Evony smiled. “My sisters and I used to make them when we were younger. Occasionally we decorated our brother with them.”
“Callisa made me wear them sometimes, when I was still young. Father always used to tell the story of when she covered every bit of me in flower chains when I was still only toddling. He always laughed at that story, and Callisa always blushed. She said she had still been a child herself then.”
Seeing the way Galen’s face softened, she tried to nudge him a bit further. “She must have loved you a lot.”
Like iron suddenly cooled, Galen’s face hardened back up into its usual mask. “She did. She died protecting me.”
Evony inwardly cursed herself. She’d had him relaxed and should have left it at that, especially the way he looked now. Her stomach twisted. She’d never wanted to cause him pain, to make him think of his sister’s death. Evony reached over to put a hand on his shoulder, meeting his eyes with hers. His gaze was as shuttered as his face. “Sometimes it helps to remember the good times, not just how someone died,” she said, thinking of her grandmother’s death. “And if you need to talk about—”
He cut her off with a curt shake of his head. “I am fine.”
She held his gaze for a few moments more but knew nothing she said would get through to him anymore. It would take time, patience, and effort to get through the walls he’d built up inside of himself. And seeing a hint of the face and pain that lay underneath, Evony knew he needed som
eone to do exactly that. She didn’t know if that was something she was capable of. She wanted to think she could, but the depths of pain she’d seen in his eyes the moment before the mask had reappeared told her it would take just the right kind of person. And as an Amazzi only here temporarily, without knowledge of court or him prior to now, she didn’t think she was that person. Even if she wanted to be.
Chapter 14: An Attempt
Standing up, Evony dusted off her hands and the bottom of her dress as she took a last look around her new room. With its elaborate frescoes depicting underwater scenes and another raised bed, it was nicer than the previous one. And most importantly, unlike her last room, this one had a window with heavy curtains currently drawn back. She’d already looked out to see that the view was that of a small garden complete with fountain. This room was also far bigger, boasting not only the bed and elegantly carved armoire, but also a desk, chair, small divan, and wash basin. It was definitely the nicest bedroom Evony had ever stayed in.
Not that she was surprised, given they were being housed in the imperial wing of the palace.
While Evony hadn’t been sad to see Akasma leave, she thought she was going to miss Asahi and Fiorella. Being down to six already, she hoped Galen had a better grasp on what was happening and who was moving against him. Because she still didn’t have a clue.
With nothing better to do, Evony headed out. Their new hall was smaller, with all six rooms lining it being the extent of it. Evony glanced towards the right door marked with red, but knew that Admina was taking a nap. She eyed the purple door on the other side of her, but really wasn’t so desperate for company that she wanted to speak to Paran. That girl often felt unnaturally sweet to Evony and was the type of person she had the most difficulty with.
She glanced across the hall and then shook her head. While Chana and Neah were kind, Evony really didn’t feel like having anyone around when she was essentially going to be finishing her scouting of their new home. They’d likely only think her behaviour odd. Venita wasn’t even a consideration. Evony would rather run laps around the palace until she collapsed than be forced to endure another of her rants.
Mind made up, Evony entered the larger hall that connected theirs to the rest of the imperial wing of the palace. She took a left and headed out through the first archway she came across. She emerged into a narrow walkway that seemed to run right by the garden her room overlooked. She walked through the columns until she felt the sun kiss her skin momentarily, before a fluffy white cloud meandered in front of it. With the heat of the day, the brief disappearance of the sun was a relief.
The sound of approaching footsteps drew Evony’s attention away from the fountain at the centre of the garden. Shading her eyes, she recognized the approaching figure and smiled. “I didn’t think I’d be seeing you so soon after we moved in.”
Galen frowned as he came to a stop just across from her, still on the walkway. “Is my presence an issue?”
She laughed as she walked back towards him. “No, I thought you wouldn’t be here until we had another challenge or something.”
“The next challenge will not come swiftly,” he replied. “There are things I would like to research first. In that respect, I would like to speak to you.”
“Go ahead.”
He tilted his head in the direction he’d come and began walking. Evony followed close behind. Seeing she was keeping pace with him, Galen said, “What do you know of Rector Solana of Porfirio?”
Evony frowned, trying to remember which of the girls that was “Porfirio? What colour province is she from?”
“Purple.”
“Purple...ah! She’s the one who looked like she was about to cry when she was eliminated. Beyond that, I can’t tell you much. I don’t think I even spoke to her. Why?”
Galen said nothing until they were past an aide of some sort who hurried away with an armful of papers. “From what we have discovered and those we have talked to, those of Porfirio have spoken heavily against me. More than merely spoken it seems. One of their most trusted servants has been seen in areas that are less than savoury, which has given rise to several questions. Questions I would very much like the answers to.”
She nodded as they turned down another walkway, gardens and courtyards to either side of them. “Do you have someone who can swim those waters and tell you what they’re up to?”
He gave her a sidelong look. “We have certain...people we can use in situations like these. My reluctance is in risking the loyal in something that may be solved through simpler methods, and if we were to make use of those who are less loyal, I would not be able to trust their information.”
Evony raised her eyebrows. “You’re pretty certain there’s a plot against you and you’re hesitating? Do you not take your own safety seriously?” She wanted to shake him, unable to believe he was willing to gamble with his life like this. She might gamble with her safety, but that would be in the heat of battle, not when dealing with plots and who knew what else.
“It is not hesitation. It is a calculated risk.”
“It’s a stupid risk. If people are looking to hire mercenaries or worse, you’d better send people you can trust to look into it, or you might not be around for long.”
He shook his head as he led the way down another walkway, this one leading back towards the main palace building. “You do not hesitate to speak what you believe, do you?”
Evony snorted. “Don’t act like you’re surprised.”
His lips quirked up and he stopped to look her over. “I am trying to decide if your blunt honesty is refreshing or insulting.”
She couldn’t resist the grin. “Can’t it be both?”
Galen smiled at that, the expression lightening his whole face and making him look much younger, like he really was only in his twenties. She laughed. “So you do smile! I was beginning to think you’d never learned how.”
The expression disappeared as soon as she spoke and he frowned at her, a little crease appearing between his brows. “Don’t stop!” she told him, smiling and pointing at her mouth. “See? It’s easy.”
He shook his head. Approaching footsteps drew both their attention towards the far side of the walkway. Galen glanced over the man in servant’s garb before turning his attention back on Evony. She studied the man, who had his eyes on the ground, but kept glancing up towards them. She frowned and took a few steps towards him, ignoring Galen’s quizzical look.
As he got closer, the man gave them both a deep bow, arms at his side in the western coastal tradition. Watching him look up again, Evony realized his gaze kept going to Galen. The hair on her arms prickled as goosebumps rolled down and her stomach gave a tiny lurch. She shifted over so she was directly in front of Galen as he closed the distance between them.
“Excuse me,” the man said, trying to push past her.
She grabbed his arm, feeling deep down that something was off about him. Evony felt the muscles in his arm tense and leapt back as the knife he held in his free hand slashed out towards her. She twisted his arm and kicked up at his armpit, knowing how sensitive the nerves there were.
The blow was solid and the man went white, a choked-off scream emerging from his mouth. Evony didn’t give him a chance to recover, but used her kicking foot to pivot as it went back to the ground so she could smash her other against the man’s face. His head bounced off the stone of the walkway and he went still.
Evony straightened slowly, hands on her knives, ready to make sure of him if he tried anything further. Someone grabbing her shoulders had her spinning and tensing, ready to lash out. But it was Galen’s face that greeted her. Eyes wide, his face paler than she’d ever seen it and with his lips pulled firmly down and new lines across his forehead. “Were you hit?” he demanded.
“What?”
“Were you hit?” he shouted.
&nbs
p; She shook her head. “He didn’t even touch me.”
The hands Galen had on her shoulder slid down to her elbows as he bowed his head for a second, his tawny hair hiding his face from view. His grip on her elbows tightened momentarily before he straightened, gaze hard as he looked at her. “That was dangerous,” he said, as pounding footsteps and shouts announced the arrival of guards, drawn no doubt by the sound of the man’s scream.
Evony raised her eyebrows. “I’m Amazzi. That is exactly the kind of thing I’m trained to handle.”
“You—”
Galen was cut off by the first guard stopping in front of them, bowing deeply while his fellows encircled the unconscious form of the assassin, swords drawn. “Your Imperial Majesty, what—”
The emperor held a finger up to Evony as he turned and eyed the soldier. “That man is an assassin,” he said, jerking his head towards the still unmoving body. “He has made an attempt on mine and Princeps Evony’s life. I want him questioned and imprisoned. If he requires medical attention to see that he lives, give it to him. If not, allow him to suffer.”
“Your Majesty,” the man said, bowing again, as more guards poured into the walkway.
Galen nodded, then jerked his head towards the building, staring at Evony. Four guards immediately separated themselves from the others, two moving up the walkway, while the other two held back. Evony glanced at them briefly before she followed Galen, keeping a close eye on both him and everyone they passed, as did the guards. If there was one assassin in the palace, there could be others, many others.
But the rest of their short walk to Galen’s rooms was done in tense silence and safety. Evony only relaxed her vigilance when they reached the guards on Galen’s door, knowing each had been handpicked by Balint and put through extra training prior to being allowed into the rotation. They stiffened momentarily at the sight of her weapons, but didn’t challenge her. She assumed because she was with Galen. The other four settled themselves in with the others and she presumed would remain there until Galen, Balint, or someone else with authority told them otherwise.
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