Chapter 2
The Veyran ambassador was not hiding.
He was unconscious.
They found Ambassador Soren Vale beneath the east archive stairs with blood at his temple and one shoe missing.
That detail bothered Cassia more than it should have.
The court physician said Soren had been struck.
Once.
Hard enough to drop him.
Not hard enough to kill him.
His missing shoe lay twenty feet away beside a bronze service door.
A black thread had caught on the buckle.
The same kind used to sew the hidden pocket in Cael’s blanket.
Captain Ren saw it.
So did Cassia.
Nobody said coincidence.
By nightfall, half the palace had been questioned.
The other half had discovered urgent reasons to be offended.
Nobles complained that their chambers were searched.
Ministers protested sealed doors.
Priests invoked sacred privilege.
Kitchen staff cried.
Guards argued over who had signed which gate book.
The palace had always looked organized from the throne.
From inside a security investigation, it looked like a crowded market wearing gold.
Cassia sat beside Cael in a small guarded chamber near the emperor’s private library.
Lucian had refused to send his son back to the nursery.
Aurelia objected.
Lucian ignored her.
The empress now had two guards outside her suite.
Not formally under arrest.
Not free either.
Cassia did not know whether Aurelia was guilty.
That uncertainty made everything worse.
If the empress had hidden poison, why let Cassia find it?
If she was innocent, why had she nearly struck Cael with the ceremonial hammer?
Fear did not erase cruelty.
Cruelty did not prove treason.
Cassia had to hold both.
Cael sat on a rug arranging carved wooden horses into a line.
“Red.”
Cassia handed him the red horse.
He frowned.
“No. Bad red.”
She looked at the toy.
“What red do you want?”
He pointed toward the door.
“Bad red.”
Cassia’s skin prickled.
The Veyran seal was red wax.
“Did you see bad red?”
Cael nodded.
“Where?”
He pushed the horse beneath a cushion.
“Hiding.”
Cassia stared.
Children spoke in fragments.
Adults turned fragments into whatever story they wanted.
She had to be careful.
“Someone hid red?”
Cael nodded.
“In blanket?”
He shook his head.
“Cup.”
Cassia stopped breathing.
“Red on your cup?”
He nodded.
Then whispered, “Bird man.”
Cassia frowned.
“What bird man?”
Cael flapped both arms.
“Bird.”
The palace had hundreds of bird symbols.
The western house used falcons.
The imperial guard wore eagles.
Temple priests embroidered doves.
Veyra’s broken sun sometimes looked like wings from a distance.
Cassia heard footsteps.
Lucian entered.
He had changed out of ceremonial robes into a plain black tunic.
No crown.
No sword.
He looked exhausted.
“Has he slept?”
“No.”
“Eaten?”
“Some fruit.”
Cael looked up.
“Papa.”
Lucian’s face softened.
He sat on the rug.
Cassia almost stood.
He waved her down.
“Stay.”
Cael handed him a wooden horse.
“Bad red.”
Lucian looked at Cassia.
She explained.
The cup.
Bird man.
Lucian’s eyes sharpened.
“What do you think he means?”
“I don’t know.”
“Guess.”
“No.”
He almost smiled.
Cassia continued.
“Everyone else is guessing enough.”
Lucian nodded.
Fair.
He looked at his son.
“Bird man?”
Cael flapped his arms again.
“Down.”
“Downstairs?”
The boy pointed toward the floor.
Cassia and Lucian looked at each other.
There were old passages beneath the palace.
Wine storage.
Servant corridors.
Temple foundations.
War tunnels from three dynasties ago.
Most were sealed.
Some were supposedly sealed.
Lucian asked, “Did a bird man take you downstairs?”
Cael’s face changed.
He dropped the horse.
“No.”
Cassia immediately said, “Stop.”
Lucian looked at her.
“He’s frightened.”
The emperor’s jaw tightened.
He leaned back.
“Okay.”
Cael crawled into Cassia’s lap.
Lucian watched.
Pain moved across his face.
Not jealousy.
Guilt.
“I was gone too much.”
Cassia said nothing.
He looked at her.
“You can say it.”
“Yes.”
The answer surprised him.
Cassia continued.
“You were.”
He nodded.
“Was Aurelia cruel to him?”
Cassia took a breath.
“Yes.”
Lucian closed his eyes.
“Before today?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Food. Sleep. Punishments for crying during ceremonies. Making him stand still too long. Sending away maids he preferred.”
“Did she hit him?”
“I never saw her.”
“Did she threaten him?”
“Not directly.”
Lucian looked at Cael.
“Then why did you never tell me?”
Cassia felt anger.
“I did.”
His eyes opened.
“When?”
“Three letters.”
“I received none.”
Silence.
Cassia stared.
“I sent one through the nursery office. One through Captain Ren. One through the imperial secretary.”
Lucian’s face hardened.
“Names.”
She gave them.
He stood.
“I want the letters.”
“If they still exist.”
“They exist.”
“You sound certain.”
“People in this palace destroy paper only when they think nobody knows it exists.”
Cassia looked at him.
“You know that from experience?”
He did not answer.
That answer was enough.
A knock.
Captain Ren entered.
“Majesty.”
“Report.”
“The substance in the vials is toxic.”
Cassia’s heart tightened.
Lucian’s face remained still.
“Specific?”
Ren glanced at Cael.
Lucian understood.
“Not here.”
“It is consistent with a known Veyran court poison.”
Aurelia’s accusation came alive again.
Enemy poison.
Enemy seal.
Enemy ambassador inside the palace.
Too perfect.
Lucian asked, “The cup?”
“Residue of a sedative herb mixture. Not the same substance.”
Cassia stared.
“Sedative?”
Ren nodded.
Lucian looked at his son.
“How dangerous?”
“Physician Halden says dose matters. The residue alone cannot tell us how much was used.”
Good.
No speculation.
Cassia asked, “Was the red seal on the cup?”
“No wax. But we found a red fiber.”
“From what?”
“Unknown.”
Lucian rubbed his face.
“What about Ambassador Vale?”
“Awake.”
“Talking?”
“Yes.”
“What does he say?”
Ren hesitated.
“He says he entered the palace because someone sent him a message claiming you wanted a private peace meeting.”
Lucian stared.
“I sent no message.”
“He knows.”
“How?”
“Because whoever struck him said, ‘The emperor will never see you.’”
Cassia felt cold.
Lucian asked, “Who struck him?”
“He did not see.”
“Voice?”
“Masked by cloth.”
“Male? Female?”
“Unclear.”
Cassia almost smiled despite the tension.
At least no convenient answer.
Ren continued.
“He says the message used a code known only to four people.”
Lucian stepped closer.
“Who?”
“Him. The Veyran king. Their foreign minister…”
“And?”
Ren looked at the emperor.
“Your late brother.”
The room went silent.
Prince Adrian had died three years earlier.
A hunting accident.
At least according to history.
Lucian stared.
“That code was buried with him.”
“Apparently not.”
Cassia looked at Lucian.
He had gone pale.
“Who else knew your brother’s papers?”
“My mother.”
The dowager empress.
Dead.
“His secretary?”
“Executed for treason after Adrian died.”
Cassia felt a chill.
“So anyone who stole from him.”
“Yes.”
Ren continued.
“Ambassador Vale says the original peace code was created during a secret negotiation years ago.”
“Between Veyra and Adrian.”
“Yes.”
Lucian looked angry.
“My brother negotiated behind my father’s back.”
“Apparently.”
Cassia asked, “Did the negotiation fail?”
Ren looked at Lucian.
He answered.
“It never officially existed.”
That meant many people had motive to erase it.
Or resurrect it.
A knock interrupted.
A young guard entered carrying a tray.
“Majesty, food.”
Cassia stood immediately.
“No.”
Everyone looked at her.
The guard froze.
Cassia pointed.
“Who prepared it?”
“Imperial kitchen.”
“Who carried it?”
“I did.”
“Before you?”
“Kitchen runner.”
“Before that?”
The guard’s face tightened.
“I do not know.”
Lucian said, “Remove it.”
The boy began crying.
“I’m hungry.”
Cassia’s heart broke.
Security had turned dinner into suspicion.
Lucian crouched.
“We’ll find food.”
Cael pointed at Cassia.
“Cass make.”
The emperor looked at her.
She nodded.
“I can.”
Ren said, “No one cooks alone.”
Cassia almost snapped.
Then stopped.
She was right.
Even trust needed witnesses now.
They went to a small private kitchen beside the library.
Cassia prepared plain bread and eggs from ingredients opened in front of Ren.
Lucian watched.
A strange little royal court.
Emperor.
Captain.
Servant.
Toddler.
No ceremony.
No poison.
At least none they knew.
Cael ate.
Halfway through, he pointed toward the ceiling.
“Bird man.”
Everyone froze.
Cassia looked up.
Painted into the wood beams was the imperial crest.
A crowned eagle.
“Bird?”
Cael nodded.
Lucian frowned.
“Imperial guard?”
The eagle was also stitched onto senior guard uniforms.
Captain Ren looked uncomfortable.
Cassia saw it.
“What?”
Ren hesitated.
“Our ceremonial armor uses a red eagle.”
Bad red.
Bird man.
Cassia’s skin prickled.
Lucian said, “Who wore ceremonial guard armor today?”
Ren began listing.
Twelve guards in the Hall of Ancestors.
Six at outer doors.
Four escorting ministers.
Two assigned to Cael.
Cassia interrupted.
“Who was nearest his cup last week?”
Ren stopped.
She did not know.
A guard would.
A servant might.
Lucian said, “Pull rotations.”
Ren nodded.
Before she could leave, another officer arrived.
Breathing hard.
“Majesty.”
“What?”
“We found the source of the black thread.”
Cassia looked up.
“Where?”
“In the palace guard tailoring room.”
Ren went still.
The officer continued.
“It is used only for ceremonial eagle cloaks.”
Bad red.
Bird man.
Downstairs.
Cassia looked at Cael.
The boy kept eating.
Lucian’s expression became dangerous.
“How many people can access that thread?”
“Forty-six.”
“Not helpful.”
“No, Majesty.”
The officer swallowed.
“But we found something else.”
“What?”
“One ceremonial cloak is missing.”
Ren stared.
“Whose?”
The officer looked at her.
Cassia felt dread.
“Captain?”
Ren’s face went white.
“My cloak is in my quarters.”
The officer shook his head.
“Not anymore.”
Silence.
Lucian looked at Ren.
The captain looked stunned.
“Someone took it.”
Aurelia’s voice came from the doorway.
“Or she used it.”
Everyone turned.
The empress stood under guard.
She smiled without warmth.
“I told you the servant wasn’t the only liar in this palace.”
Lucian stared.
“Why are you here?”
“I demanded to see my son.”
Cael immediately stopped eating.
Cassia saw it.
So did Lucian.
Aurelia saw it too.
Something cracked in her face.
Pain again.
Then anger covered it.
She looked at Ren.
“Search her chambers.”
“They already did,” the officer said.
Aurelia turned.
“And?”
The officer hesitated.
Lucian said, “Speak.”
The man swallowed.
“In Captain Ren’s room, beneath the floorboard, we found Veyran gold.”
Ren went completely still.
Cassia stared.
Too easy.
Enemy poison.
Enemy ambassador.
Enemy gold.
Every clue pointing exactly where war wanted them to point.
Lucian looked at Ren.
She said only one thing.
“Majesty, I have been framed.”
Aurelia laughed softly.
“Of course.”
Cassia looked at the emperor.
He had believed his wife too quickly once.
Would he do it again?
Lucian studied Ren for a long moment.
Then said:
“Arrest no one yet.”
Aurelia’s face hardened.
Ren almost collapsed with relief.
Lucian looked at the officer.
“Seal Ren’s quarters.”
Then at Cassia.
“Keep Cael with you.”
Then at Aurelia.
“You will return to yours.”
She stared at him.
“You choose servants over your wife.”
Lucian’s voice stayed calm.
“No.”
He looked around the room.
“I choose evidence over convenience.”
Aurelia went still.
Then she said:
“Then you should ask your precious evidence who opened the north crypt.”
Everyone froze.
Lucian’s face changed.
“What?”
Aurelia smiled.
“The old passage beneath the Hall of Ancestors.”
Cassia felt cold.
“You knew it was open?”
Aurelia looked at her.
“I know many things servants are not told.”
Lucian stepped closer.
“When?”
“This morning.”
“And you told no one?”
“I told Sevrin.”
The war minister.
Already implicated in hiding the prince’s cup.
Lucian’s face went dark.
“Why?”
Aurelia’s smile vanished.
“Because he said you ordered it.”
The room went silent.
Lucian whispered, “I did not.”
Aurelia looked at him.
May you like
“For once, husband, I believe you.”
And beneath their feet, somewhere beyond sealed stone, an ancient passage into the palace stood open.
