Page 19 of Poisoned Empire
“What the prince meant to say was that we would like to propose a rather lucrative business opportunity to you both. Neither of you are dominae, am I correct?”
Iliana looked at Selene, who shrugged.
“Maybe half-dominae? We’re both illegitimate. It’s not like we’re playing at noblewomen because we wanted to, either,” Selene added.
“Of Magister Sapphire and Magister Amethyst?” Nicephorus continued.
“Where the hells else would I get purple eyes from?” She rolled her eyes.
“And you are both aware that your half-sisters have had harm done to them?” Nicephorus asked.
“I guess? They’re just wrong, somehow,” Selene replied.
“Yes, but what kind of harm?” Iliana asked.
“You need not know of the specifics, only that in harming them, both of the magistri are guilty of casting foul magics, for which the punishment is death. In order to lure them to Nadioch, we are proposing a series of false engagements, the negotiations for which your families would be required to attend. Once they have been captured, your roles will be over, and you will be handsomely compensated,” Nicephorus said.
“How handsomely? Because daddy dearest was very clear in impressing upon me that lightening can send bits of a person flying.” Selene leaned forward. Gold was good. Certainly better than her odds of poisoning all three of these men without getting killed. She drew the invisible poison coating her skin back into her body.
“How will you protect our sisters? The magister has ordered my sisters to kill themselves with my blades the second anything suspicious happens. If my half-brothers have misgivings, I also believe some harm will come to us.”
Sweet, kind Iliana. When would she learn? Selene stifled a sigh.
“You actually care? If they weren’t so damaged, they’d treat you like trash,” Selene pointed out.
“You didn’t see what I did. They need help very badly.”
Selene was about to unleash a tirade, but held herself in check. This was not the right place to tell her dear friend with her heart of gold what danger lay ahead in accepting this proposal. Not that they had much choice. As if a prince would allow mere castoff bastards to refuse a plan he’d already concocted to get what he wanted. Not when the alternative for them was a lifetime in the dungeons.
“We will remove all blades of your making from your sisters’ persons and rooms between now and the end of the ball. I’ll personally oversee the men in charge of keeping your sisters so busy they won’t have the energy left to contemplate trouble. As for the sons of Magister Sapphire, they are under my employ and can be kept adequately buried in work. Is this acceptable?” Nicephorus asked.
“Yes, that would set my mind at ease.” Iliana replied.
“Your friend seems willing enough, Selene. What will it take to get you to agree? I have very deep coffers.” The prince steepled his fingers and raised a dark brow.
His confidence irked her. Fine—he wanted to play this game? Let’s see if she could name a sum to beggar a prince.
“One million gold coins, a large, fully crewed, sea-faring vessel ready at a moment’s notice, and the written promise that, if the situation becomes dangerous, we will be allowed to bow out and retain the entirety of our handsome compensation.”
Instead of outrage, the prince simply stared at her, expression unchanged.
“And what, exactly, do you need all that for?”
“To get the hells out of this shitty empire, obviously,” Selene replied.
The prince considered her for a moment, turned to Nicephorus, who nodded solemnly, and returned his steely gaze back to her.
“Done. I’m enchanted to meet you, my dear bride Selene. Or shall I call you Milena?” His wintry tone was at odds with his sweet words.
Her insides squirmed strangely when their eyes met. She turned from him to the man approaching, and did her best to ignore her inner warnings as the beast mage beamed down at Iliana. When he knelt before her, he reached for her hand, even then forcing her statuesque friend to look up ever so slightly. Iliana seemed to be somewhere between queasy and flustered.
Marduk kissed her best friend’s hand and stared into eyes she knew to be as blue as the sky and a hundred times more captivating. Iliana’s sapphire eyes spoke volumes, if you knew what to look for, and she looked like she was charmed by his actions. The beast mage needed to have his perceptive eyes removed. Selene’s hackles were instantly raised.
“I hope you will not mind playing the part of my bride for a short time, Iliana.”
It wasn’t part of her better nature that rose to the fore when her friend blushed at Marduk’s sincere gaze. Selene interrupted Iliana before she could reply.
“She won’t, as long asyoudon’t pretend to have honest intentions towards her outside this farce,” Selene hissed, unable to stop herself.
