“Cleo,” she said. “Can you hear me?”
“Y-yes, yes. I can hear you.”
“Did you also hear what Ashur has suggested?”
“No,” she admitted.
“He believes that together, he and I can rule Kraeshia peacefully. What do you think? Is this a good plan?”
Cleo found herself momentarily speechless at the thought of it, but then something began to rise in her throat—a laugh. “Pardon me for saying so, Amara, but that’s a preposterous plan. Two people cannot rule equally. It’s impossible.”
Amara’s brows shot up. “I appreciate your candor.”
“I deeply disagree,” Ashur growled.
Cleo rose from her chair, drawing from her outrage and grief and need to survive to make her stronger. “Where is it, Ashur?”
He frowned. “What?”
“What you stole from me.”
“I stole nothing from you.” The prince’s jaw tightened. “I know you blame me for Nicolo’s death. I also blame myself. If I could go back and do things differently, I would.”
“Starting when? When you took the resurrection potion or when you forced Nic to kiss you that night in Auranos? Both were regretful mistakes, in my opinion.”
“Vicious, heartless words don’t become you, princess.” Ashur turned to his sister. “The decision is in your hands, Amara, and I know you’ll make the correct one. I’ve come here to show you another path than the one you’re on. A better path.”
“You have.” Amara nodded. “I could choose the path to being kind, sweet, nice, and more agreeable, like all good girls should be, right?”
“You speak with sarcasm, but a gentler outlook might achieve more than you believe it would. We can rule Kraeshia together or I shall rule alone as emperor.”
“If you think I’d agree to that, Brother, then you really don’t know me at all. Guards!”
Cleo’s wide-eyed gaze shot to the door as several guards entered the room, looking between Ashur and Amara, uncertain where to place their attention.
Amara pointed at Ashur. “My brother has confessed to conspiring with the rebel who murdered our family. He wishes to help the rebellion tear apart the Kraeshian Empire my father built.”
“I’ve done no such thing,” Ashur said, outraged.
“Wrong,” Cleo spoke up, disgusted by Ashur’s lies. He had hidden the Kindred somewhere, keeping it for his own gain. “He did confess. I heard it myself.”
Ashur turned a look of pure fury on her.
While she’d hoped Ashur might talk some sense into Amara, that seemed to be a wish in vain. Amara had the ruthlessness that Ashur lacked. She was the predator, and Ashur, be it today or a year from now, would succumb to being her prey again.
Even if it was only a temporary ruse, Cleo had to align herself with strength, now more than ever before.
She had to align with Amara.
“Not so peaceful now, are you, Ashur?” Cleo asked steadily. “Funny how that can change so quickly.”
“Put him with the other prisoners,” Amara told the guards.
“Amara!” Ashur snarled. “Do not do this!”
The empress’s expression remained calm. “You came here to proudly tell me that you’re the phoenix legend speaks of, but you’re wrong. I am the phoenix.” She nodded at the guards. “Take him away.”
The guards forced Ashur from the room as Amara sat down heavily in her chair.
“You lied about Ashur to the guards,” she said.
Cleo could barely believe it herself. “I did.”
“He could have taken everything from me: my title, my power. Everything. All because he’s my older brother.”
“Yes, he could have.” Cleo kept her gaze steady. “So now what do you plan to do with me?”
“To be honest, I haven’t decided yet.”
Cleo bit her bottom lip, trying to stay confident in the face of so much uncertainty. “Do you really believe that you’re the phoenix?”
Amara raised an eyebrow. “Does it really matter?”
A guard lingered at the doorway. When Amara’s gaze went to him, his shoulders straightened. “Empress, I have information for you.”
Amara flicked him an impatient look. “What is it?”
“The rebels have been captured. They await interrogation.”
Cleo felt faint. Was it Jonas and Felix? Taran? Who else?
“Cleo, I want you to come with me to question them,” Amara said. “I want you to prove to me that you may—just may—be able to earn a small portion of my trust once again. Will you do that?”
The fire god had made her a tantalizing promise. But would she turn her back on Jonas, Felix, and Taran if it meant that she could get her throne back?
And if not, was there a way she might convince Amara to release them before she had a chance to steal the Kindred back from her?
There wasn’t time to make such decisions now, not about something so important. All she could do was buy as much time as possible.
Cleo nodded. “Of course I’ll do that, empress.”
CHAPTER 29
MAGNUS
PAELSIA