He startled and whipped his attention away. He said nothing to the servant as he left the swaying holograph behind.
He had expected to be taken to the throne room, but as they walked through an iron-grated door and into a far less luxurious hallway, he grew suspicious. On his left they passed an elaborate vault door.
“What’s in there?”
Expecting to be ignored, he was surprised when the servant answered, “The crown jewels and regalia.”
The crown jewels. In New Beijing they stored priceless artifacts and heirlooms in one of the most secure underground vaults. There they kept gemstones the size of eggs, millennia-old gold-plated swords, even the crowns of the emperor and empress when they weren’t in use.
It was clear that this wing was not open for general palace tours. Where were they taking him?
They turned another corner and Kai was ushered through a door into some sort of computer control center, full of invisi-screens and holograph nodes. Maps and surveillance videos were flickering on every wall and there were at least thirty men and women analyzing the abundance of feeds and compiling the ongoing data.
Before he could begin to make sense of what they were doing, he was shoved through a door into an adjacent room. The door was shut, locking him behind soundproof glass.
His gaze swept around the new space. A backdrop on one wall showed the city of Artemisia and Earth off the horizon. Two elaborate thrones sat before it.
The rest of the room was full of enormous standing lights and recording equipment. It reminded him of the media room in New Beijing Palace, but without any seats set up for journalists.
Levana stood behind one of the thrones, her hands rested on its back. She was dressed in a shimmering black gown hung with a silver sash. A brooch on the sash had a delicate gold filigree and rhinestones that read Princess Winter, Though Gone, Never Forgotten.
Kai’s lips curled in disgust. This bit of gossip, at least, had reached him in his captivity. Princess Winter had been murdered. Some were saying it was by a guard, some were saying a jealous lover. But after seeing the way Levana had snarled at her stepdaughter, Kai couldn’t help having his own theories.
Thaumaturge Aimery stood by the door, along with the red-haired captain of the guard. An unfamiliar man was fiddling with one of the lights.
Though Levana’s mouth was smiling, her eyes were vicious.
Something had happened.
Kai planted his feet and shoved his hands into his pockets, hoping to come across as composed but formidable. “Hello, my sweet,” he drawled, recalling the sycophantic endearments she’d mentioned in the ports.
Levana gave him a withering look, which spoke volumes. If she wasn’t willing to fake amusement, then something had gone horribly wrong.
Which he hoped meant something had gone horribly right.
“I was promised that I would be treated as a diplomatic guest,” he said. “I wish to hold counsel with Konn Torin and the rest of the Earthen delegates and to be allowed access to roam the palace and city. We are not your prisoners.”
“Unfortunately, I am not taking demands today.” Levana’s long nails dug into the back of her false throne. “You are, however, going to help me with a little project. Are we ready?”
The man was holding up pieces of paper in varying tones of white. “One more moment, My Queen.”
Kai raised an eyebrow. “I’m not helping you with anything until you grant my requests and answer my questions.”
“My dear groom-to-be, you gave up your rights to diplomatic courtesy when you brought those criminals into my home. Sit down.”
Kai experienced a heartbeat’s worth of defiance before his legs moved of their own accord and he collapsed into one of the thrones. He glared at the queen.
“I’m told,” he pressed, “that you took an Earthen prisoner during a time of cease-fire. A citizen of the European Federation by the name of Scarlet Benoit. I demand to know if there is any truth to these rumors and where the girl is now.”
Levana started to laugh. “I assure you there is no Earthen prisoner by that name here.”
Her laughter set Kai’s teeth on edge and her statement did nothing to convince him. Was Levana implying that Scarlet was dead? Or no longer in the palace? Or no longer in Artemisia at all?
Levana grabbed a veil from a mannequin’s head and draped it over herself. Aimery stepped forward and settled the queen’s crown on her head. When Levana turned back, her glamour was no longer visible. Having grown accustomed to her beautiful face, Kai had forgotten how this blank veil had filled him with horror for so long.
“What are we doing here?” Kai asked.
“Filming a little video,” came Levana’s voice. “There has been some confusion in the outer sectors of late, and I thought it pertinent to remind the people of their true loyalties, and all the great things you and I are going to accomplish once we are husband and wife.”