Page 2 of Stranger's Choice
Dasaki shook her head. “I can’t imagine anyone wanting to spend what little coin they have on foreign versions of the things they never lack here. The sprites don’t let us go hungry or cold. It’s the one thing they can do for us that the city can’t take away.”
“The city?” Not the Emperor or the tax collectors. Interesting.
“You are going to Kalitalo, yes?”
Sebin nodded.
“You’ll see when you get there,mehta. If you are looking for trade, your best chance will be in the city. They crave luxuries there. The city-folk aren’t like the rest of us.” Dasaki stood and wiped clean hands on the towel tucked into the waistband of her trousers. “I better prepare for the supper crowd. Are you sure you want nothing to eat,mehta?”
“Not yet. Thank you, Dasaki.”
Sebin watched her go back into the kitchen and took a sip of his ale. No one had ever told him so bluntly that things were different in the capital city, though he had seen hints when Tjalik mentioned their destination. It wasn’t the first time he had heard respect for the magical races, in contrast to imperial authorities, though. It made him wonder even more if Tjalik’s rebellion truly had support outside of the city. The man had met with people in nearly every village they had visited, but Sebin wondered if the general populace of Pynth would see any difference between the Emperor and the rest of the humans in Kalitalo if power changed hands.
Auraelie waited untilPeroen lowered his brush before clearing her throat.
He jumped, splattering a little paint on his cheek, but nothing landed on the canvas. He looked at her and put down his brush and palette. “Let me rinse off my hands.”
Auraelie nodded and followed Peroen to the corner. A chipped ewer and basin, permanently stained with splotches of every color imaginable, waited for him. She poured water over his hands as he scrubbed with a harsh smelling soap specially designed to remove paint.
His Imperial Highness Peroen Daitano Tjawer did not look much like the Emperor’s heir. He was constantly smudged with charcoal, ink, and paint, dressed carelessly in similarly stained clothes, and only mingled with the rest of the court when talented musicians were performing. His interest in the arts rather than politics was probably the only reason he had any freedom at all now that he had come of age.
The Emperor was suspicious of ambition, and with Auraelie’s power at his disposal, there was no way to hide such a thing from him.
Peroen dried off his hands. He folded the towel carefully, then smoothed it over the edge of the basin. But soon enough, his hands were unencumbered. He sighed and held one out to Auraelie.
She had nothing to put down or fiddle with, though she wished to delay the contact at least as much as the prince. “Thank you,dyela.”
She mentally braced herself, though no amount of preparation actually helped, and reached out to brush her fingers against the prince’s hand.
A flurry of images crashed into her. Her mind cataloged every scene as her power rushed out and latched onto the prince, seeking to pull forth more of his future at the expense of Auraelie’s. She lifted her fingers before too much power drained away and breathed a sigh of relief. Every time she touched someone, she risked letting too much power flow free, for she couldn’t stop the magic while in contact with another person. The Emperor rarely required her to touch anyone directly, for just that reason.
But he wanted to be sure she missed nothing of his son’s future.
Auraelie took a step back. Peroen knew better than to touch her beyond the required amount for her to scan his future, but it was habit for Auraelie to ensure she had plenty of space. She closed her eyes and let the images of the future tumble through her mind once more, focusing this time only on the future that would occur if no one interfered. “Your painting of midnight over the mountains is breathtaking,dyela.”
Peroen smiled for the first time since he had seen her waiting for him in his studio. “I’ve been dreaming of that scene for weeks. I shall start it today.”
Auraelie placed her hands on her thighs and bowed to the prince, then made her way out of his studio and back to a busier section of the palace. She wished she could do more for Peroen, but she was as trapped as he. Her oblique admission that she had seen nothing worrying in his future was the only reassurance she could give him. She must save the rest of the details of what she had seen for the Emperor’s ears alone. Not that there was anything of interest to tell. Peroen spent his next few months painting, playing thegohtadar, and reading in all the futures she had seen.
There had been one possible future involving a moonlit walk with a beautiful young musician, but it wouldn’t require Auraelie’s intervention to prevent that outcome. Not that she objected to the prince finding a little romance, though she wondered how the Emperor would react. But Auraelie was glad that Peroen would recognize the musician’s mercenary motives for what they were before his heart could be bruised.
She slipped into the great hall through a little-used door behind the Emperor’s throne. Qilar, the Emperor’s bodyguard, glanced over at her for a split second before turning his attention back to the courtiers in the room. Lhashiki, the First of the Emperor’s Will, spared Auraelie a longer look. Auraelie signaled that she had nothing urgent to report to the other woman and settled against the wall with the other members of the Emperor’s Will waiting attendance on him. Unless called for, only Qilar and Lhashiki ever approached the Emperor.
For the most part, the Emperor did not call for Auraelie. He sent her to scan the future of whoever worried him the most that day and otherwise left her alone. If there were more shadows to blend in with, she would spend most of her time hidden from view, only stepping out when summoned. But her black clothes did not blend into the white walls of the palace, and anyone who looked past the Emperor would see her and be reminded of their inability to hide anything from their sovereign. Just as the Emperor preferred.
A silent threat, more subtle than Qilar, Auraelie existed to reinforce the Emperor’s power.
She hated it.
