“Your parents were born to two of the highest born noble families and were, therefore, targeted by the rebellion. It was they who sent you here. They paid a group of loyalists to smuggle you off the island with the hope you’d survive. You were born Veralie Palacia.”
She couldn’t stop the tears this time. They trickled out, leaving hot trails down her cheeks. Palacia. She’d hadn’t been abandoned or discarded. She had a name, a family. One that loved her enough to do anything to save her.
She’d told herself so many times over the years that it didn’t matter. That her past didn’t matter. But she’d just been lying to herself. It did matter, and a wound she’d never wanted to acknowledge, started to heal.
A hand curled around her own and she jumped, ripped out of her thoughts. Her eyes tracked the arm back to its owner to find Prince Eithan. He didn’t speak, he just smiled softly and laced their fingers.
In a moment of weakness, she decided not to worry about how improper it was or what his motives might be. She just curled her fingers around his and enjoyed the simple comfort from the gesture.
“So…” her voice cracked, and she had to swallow and try again. “So, I was smuggled off the island. But since you knew about it, I can only assume that we were caught.”
The emperor’s attention was on their joined hands. “I have always had scouts, but I doubled them during the rebellion. I didn’t know if their war would come to my shores. So yes, my men discovered the vessel carrying you. The Magyki on board were willing to forfeit their lives in exchange for a single meeting with me.” He smirked.
“They informed me of who you were and why they’d brought you. They begged me to give you sanctuary. In return for valuable information about Bhasura, I agreed. I had my personal healer alter your appearance and sent you off as a ward where no one would expect to find you.”
Realizing she was gripping the prince’s hand, Vera forcibly relaxed her fingers. Her head was starting to pound. The emperor had saved her?
“Why?” It was a stupid thing to ask, but she had to know. “I mean, I understand that you bartered for knowledge, but you could’ve tossed me anywhere after. Why place me with Elric? Why not an orphanage?”
Because that’s what he had done. He hadn’t just accepted her on his land, he’d made sure she was hidden from discovery and raised close to the palace.
“I am not altruistic, Veralie, I always have a motive for my actions. I wanted you somewhere no one would think to look, and I wanted you guarded. My Weapon’s Master was one of the few people I trusted enough.”
She tensed before releasing the prince’s fingers and tucking both her hands underneath her legs. She felt jittery, like a swarm of insects had taken over her body. This was it, the moment she found out why she was here.
“You’re a highborn Magyki, Veralie. Your family had strong ties to King Vesstan, and he still lives. Not long after you arrived, King Vesstan and his supporters extinguished the rebellion. From what I know, they’ve had peace ever since. Except with us.”
She nodded. Everyone knew Aleron and Bhasura had stopped trade decades ago and rarely communicated. They were self-made enemies. But she still didn’t understand what that had anything to do with her. Did he hope to send her back to speak on his behalf? She highly doubted it.
“I should probably add that your father was a cousin of King Vesstan, which makes you an incredibly valuable female to them.”
She choked. “I’m related to their king?”
The emperor abruptly stood and approached the hearth, his back to her. Completely switching topics, he said, “We gain much from our trade alliance with Sudron, but we lost much when trade with Bhasura ended. My predecessors believed the Magyki were growing too greedy, too demanding. They resented that they had stolen power from the gods and acted like they were so above our own people.” He crossed his arms behind his back, staring into the flames.
“But I do not share their sentiments. The current populace of Bhasura is not to blame for their ancestors’ choices. They did not ask for it.” Finally turning, he looked straight at her.
“I want peace, Veralie. I want fair trade and communication. And I believe King Vesstan wants it too. Their island is becoming overpopulated, and they need more land. Land I currently rule over. I believe with the right steps; we could form an alliance with them and both benefit.”
His eyes bore into her, and she shifted uneasily under the scrutiny, unsure what role he expected her naive ass to play.
It was Prince Eithan who said, “The strongest alliance we could make with Bhasura would be an alliance through marriage.”
She nodded. That made sense. It would bond the two lands together permanently, maybe even allowing them to someday live peacefully together. She was still bobbing her head when the prince reached over and pulled her hand out from where she’d hid it under her legs.
“King Vesstan has no living children and never remarried. That leaves you, Veralie. You are the only living relative he has left. With you, we can forge a bridge between our two peoples. A marriage between us could change everything.”
Chapter 14
VERA
She didn’t move. She wasn’t sure she remembered how to blink as she stared at Prince Eithan, his words running on repeat in her mind.
When he gently squeezed her hand, she started shaking her head, soft, broken chuckles leaving her mouth. She must have lost her mind. That was the only explanation. She was just crazy.
“Veralie, imagine what we could accomplish, what we could create.” He smiled at her, that beautiful smile that would usually have her blushing, but now just worsened the coiling of nausea building in her stomach.
“You knew about this? The entire time we traveled, you knew?” Her voice came out hoarse and accusing. Had everyone she’d ever met known about her and lied?
He pulled back, looking affronted. “I knew my father’s intention for me to take a Magyki bride, yes. I’ve known my entire life that would be my future, and I’m honored. But no, until today, I did not know that it would be you.”
She could feel panic clawing its way up. “I don’t understand. If that was your goal, why not just keep me here in the palace and tell me?”
“Because the nobles here are not trustworthy,” Prince Eithan said at the same time the emperor replied, “In case I changed my mind.”
He sent a glare at his father, and Vera felt his thumb brush the top of her wrist. This couldn’t be her real life. She’d only just learned who she was, and now they expected her to be okay with the knowledge that she’d been tucked away with the purpose of marrying her off to the Crown freaking Prince. She barely knew him!
She jumped up out of her chair, wrenching her hand free. “I’d like to leave.”
Prince Eithan stood next to her, trying to retake her hand, but she stepped back. She was showing enough disrespect to warrant punishment, but she couldn’t stop herself. She was going to be sick if she didn’t get out of the room immediately.