But this was bigger than her wants. So she nodded. “I can do that. Probably tomorrow night, at the earliest. I’ll let you know.”
“Good.” Lilia nodded. “You should be fostering closeness withhim however you can. If Apollius decides to do something about you being Lereal’s avatar, it could save your life.”
Alexis’s spine straightened, their eyes narrowing. “Lereal isyou?”
Well, this was just getting better and better. Alie glared at Lilia. “Yes.”
“And Apollius knows,” Lilia said. “Once He decides to take action, having Jax as a shield will be beneficial.”
“Maybe He won’t do anything about it,” Alie said, unable to banish a tiny filament of hope. “Maybe Bastian will kick Him out before He can.”
Lilia’s expression softened, almost pitying. She said nothing.
And that was the end of their meeting. Alie turned to go, leaving Alexis and Lilia in the shadows of Gabe’s old office. She didn’t say goodbye.
“Now, what exactly was this all for, Alie?”
Her shortened name coming from Apollius would always make her cringe. It sounded wrong, for all that His voice was Bastian’s.
Across the table set up in Alie’s sitting room, Apollius lounged with His elbow thrown over the back of His chair, the remains of a flaky pastry scattered on His plate. The last hour had been full of empty pleasantries, the kind of non-talk that Alie was used to as a Citadel courtier. But as dinner dwindled into dessert, and as the door to her suite remained closed with no interjection from Alexis, her conversational skills dried up.
Where in every hellwasthe acting Priest Exalted?
Though it wasn’t like Jax was being obtrusive. He’d barely said two full sentences all evening, instead methodically draining glasses of wine as if they were water. He’d been fielding audience requests for Apollius from courtiers and commoners alike all day, and the strain was clear on his face.
The courtiers had mostly kept to themselves for the first days after the show of godhood, but now they were coming out of their apartments, waiting outside the Sainted King’s chambers. He relented at least once a day, walking among them, soaking up their awe.
The requests for a royal audience had flooded beneath Alie’s door, too, since she was still technically an adviser. She’d shoved them by the fistful into the fireplace, making her sitting room almost unbearably hot.
Thankfully, the fire had died down by now. Alie smiled and folded her hands in her lap. She could dither, ask if she needed a reason to treat her King and her future husband to a private dinner, but it wasn’t in her nature. They’d expect to be here for a purpose, and she’d landed on one that would capture both of their attentions. “I wanted to talk to you about moving up the wedding.”
Jax’s pale eyes widened, his wineglass halting halfway to his mouth. Apollius’s lips spread in a slow, cold smile.
“Moving it up?” He reached over and clapped Jax on the shoulder. “I didn’t think you’d be so eager.”
She’d thought often of what Lilia said in Gabe’s office yesterday. How having Jax care for her could be helpful, how she should encourage it. And she’d come to the same conclusion. Even if it made her uncomfortable, like a fine film of dirt had settled over her skin and sunk so deep she couldn’t wash it off.
Alie cast a fleeting glance at Jax, not having to fake the nerves or the blush rising to her cheeks. “It seems silly to put it off, when it could help bring some stability to the transfer of power. Especially now that You’ve revealed what You are.”
Next to his god, Jax carefully set down his glass. “I don’t want you to feel any pressure,” he hedged. “We don’t have to move too soon—”
“I think it’s a splendid idea,” Apollius interrupted. He crossed His legs carelessly, sitting back in His chair with a self-satisfied grin. “We can have everything ready two weeks from now, Ithink. Will that work?” He turned a wolfish grin on Jax. “Or is that still too far away?”
Jax looked like he’d swallowed a handful of rocks. His eyes swung from Apollius to Alie, almost beseeching, begging her to tell him this wasn’t a joke. That she really wanted to marry him in two weeks.
Her heart knotted up in her chest.
“That should be fine,” Jax said, his voice slightly strained. “Two weeks is more than enough time.”
“Excellent.” Apollius smiled at Alie, showing all His teeth. “What an auspicious beginning to our Holy Empire.”
At that moment, a knock on the door. Finally.
“Come in,” Alie called, trying not to sound relieved.
Alexis opened the door, their eyes going first to Alie, a quick flash of apology for their tardiness, before looking at Jax. “Your Majesty, a word? Lord Bartolmy has requested that you meet him in the North Sanctuary. Apparently, it is a matter of some urgency.”
Jax turned to look at the acting Priest Exalted with his eyes narrowed. “Can it wait?”
