Page 1 of Lies That Bleed
Chapter
One
My governess knocked on the open door to my room and I peered up at her, picking at my nails as nerves ate a hole into my stomach.
As the emperor’s eldest daughter, I had trained for this day since I was four years old. I normally had guts of steel. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d cried or gotten upset, but today wasn’t just a regular day.
Today was the Lottery, a drawing in which I knew my name was already chosen—as was my right as the emperor’s daughter at the age of nineteen.
“I’m ready,” I told Elaine, but my voice cracked, revealing my weakness.
She stepped into the room, a frown pulling at her mulberry-colored lips. Her russet brown hair was the same color as Vespa, her fox creature that stood besideher, mirroring her movements as she crossed the carpet.
“Claiming a creature of great strength and power is what is expected of you so that you can rule the empire.” She appraised me, looking over my Fleet-issued fatigues, likely making sure everything was tucked in properly. Today I represented my entire family, and if one boot lace was untied it would be a stain on the Everhart name. Even Vespa cocked his head to the side, as if checking me over one last time, and I couldn’t help but stare at his bright pink ember marks. They ran the length of his back in three jagged lines, glowing like they contained fire. Normally a fox would be seen as a more timid creature but not Vespa. He was twice the normal size of your average fox and had sharpened claws and huge fanged teeth.
I nodded and stood. “Yes, ma’am.” I assumed a military position, back straight, hands held behind me, fingers overlapping. Elaine served eight years in my father’s Imperial Fleet before she left to become our governess. In those eight years, she achieved the rank of first lieutenant. My father wasn’t going to hire just anyone to raise his daughters. No. He needed someone who knew how to kill a man with their bare hands.
Elaine walked over to me with Vespa trailing right beside her, and I took in my governess for what might be the last time. Elaine always wore her hair in a tightbun at the nape of her neck. She told me when I was younger that it was because long hair left untied could be used against her. I didn’t understand what she meant until she grabbed my long black braid in a sparring session and slammed my face to the floor with it. I never sparred with my hair in a braid or ponytail again, always a bun.
Elaine had been with me all of my nineteen years. Once a spritely young twenty-eight-year-old, she was now pushing fifty, and yet was every bit a badass as the young warriors in the Imperial Fleet.
She saw to it that I bathed each night, that I went to all my lessons, that I showed respect to my master teachers. She disciplined me when needed, and showed little affection when appropriate. She was for all intents and purposes a mother figure. But she was never one to show much emotion. She was even-keeled and stiff-upper-lipped, much like her employer, my father.
So it shocked me when she swam into view suddenly with unshed tears lining her eyes. “Claiming a great creature is what is expected of you,” she repeated herself. “But coming back alive will do.” Her voice shook with emotion.
My mouth popped open in surprise, then she opened her arms and pulled me in for a stiff hug. My heart burst to life in my chest at her sudden show of sentiment. I wrapped my arms around her, breathing in her lavender and coconut shampoo. That smell washome, and I would miss it when I went to boot camp. Assuming I survived The Wilds.
“I promise to come back with something powerful or not at all,” I told her, knowing my father would kill me if I limped out of The Wilds with a ferret at my side. I’d be better off dead.
She pulled away from me, wiping her eyes to erase all evidence that she had showed too much emotion. “That’s what I’m afraid of,” she said, reaching out to take hold of my shoulders. “Have I been too hard on you? Too much pressure to claim a powerful creature could send you home in a body bag,” she warned.
I frowned. Where was this coming from? For my entire life, Elaine had drilled into me that I was Aisling Everhart, future empress, eldest of the ruler of Amersea himself, and the most badass woman in all the world.
I tried to hide the hurt that crossed my face. “You don’t think I can do it?”
Elaine sighed. “Of course you can. You’re cut from the same cloth as your father. I just… there will be many creatures to choose from. Not choosing too low, or too high, is a gift. And, Aisling, you can be…”
“Cocky.” I grinned, placing a hand on my hip.
She let out an exasperated sigh and shook me slightly. “Yes! And a puma, lion, or a bear will be good enough. What I am trying to tell you is… if you see one, don’t go for theTalanagi.”
She slipped into the old tongue and chills raced upmy arms. The Talanagi were so rare they were almost myths. Dragons, griffins, firebirds, creatures of such great power; they killed ninety-nine percent of those who tried to bond with them. Unless you were Luskin. Those bastards seemed to have no problem bonding the ancient creatures. The word was hard to translate from the old language; it was likemagical ancient, but that wasn’t quite right.
I chuckled. “Don’t worry. If I see a Talanagi, I’m running the other way. I’m not stupid.”
Elaine pursed her lips as if she disagreed with that. “Just remember, you look into the creature’s eyes first, and you will feel if the bonding is good. If the creature looks away too quickly?—”
“It’s too weak,” I told her.
She nodded. “If you feel the need to look away too quickly?” she quizzed.
“It’s too strong for me,” I answered.
She nodded as if she felt satisfied with that and released my shoulders.
“Well, I have to wake your sisters. So…” She lingered as if she didn’t want to let me go yet. I’d never told her I loved her, though I did. It wasn’t something that was verbalized in my family. We loved by taking care of each other, not flinging around useless phrases. But the three words burned on my tongue now.
“Wish me luck,” I said instead, holding out my arm for the age-old ritual.
