Page 75 of Burn Her They Said
“She hasn’t been the same since,” Lars adds.
“That vibrant energy she once exuded? Doused.” Fray sighs.
“When was this?” Varic asks, voice ticking up in volume.
“It had to have been…” Cirrin thinks out loud.
“Shortly after we arrived back from your encampment,” Malin confirms.
“After she returned from rehabilitating me?” Varic asks, voice distant.
“Yes,” Fray confirms.
“What commandment did she refuse?” Varic asks.
“Nothing memorable. Just another overreaction on the Emperor’s part,” Cirrin explains.
“You’re sure she wasn’t emboldened by anything I did?” Varic asks.
“No matter how much you wish to control this,” Malin begins, “it had nothing to do with you, and everything to do with his need to control her and the rest of us Anomalies by proxy.”
A lull in the conversation allows me to catch my breath until Varic says, “Or it is his need to regain control over her after being parted for so long, and to reestablish dominance. To remind her of her place after months of not having commanded her once.” His voice trails off with a distant quality, most likely recalling the actions of his father, as he often recounted how his own parents lived this same dynamic.
“That is a sound theory,” Malin says.
“He does love to be extreme when it comes to proving his power,” Fray adds.
“But why would she risk harm to innocent children by taking possession of the item I hid for her?” Varic asks.
“Hope,” Cirrin sighs.
“Sal claimed to have found a historical text, which seemed to be of great importance, based on how it was preserved and where it was hidden,” Fray explains. “He preyed on her curiosity, while vying for a way to get in her good graces, knowing she believes there must be records which might refute what we are told, with the hope it could convince the citizens to question everything and the broader potential to create an uprising.”
“She was willing to create such a high level of disturbance, even when her magic is waning?” Varic asks, to which I must assume there was an inaudible response as he pauses before adding, “What if he found out? What about the orphans?”
“We were promised the Emperor would never learn of her plan or the book,” Lars says.
“And you trust Sal to keep this secret?” Varic’s voice rises the moment he utters the General’s name.
“Should we not?” Cirrin asks.
“It’s too late now,” Varic says. “I still wonder if something occurred when we were together which led to His Majesty treating her worse.”
“She did worry the Emperor might find out how physical you two were.” Fray clears his throat, and I yearn to witness Varic’s expression. “Not like that. I just mean he never would have approved of her sleeping in the same bed, regardless of how innocent. Luckily, we were able to keep that bit of information from reaching him, though it’s difficult to believe no one witnessed her visiting your tent each night after Drusilla left.”
That’s enough.
I swipe the back of my hand over my mouth to cover a yawn while stretching, pretending to have only just awoken. “What happened?”
“You lost consciousness,” Malin says as my eyes fly open.
“What did His Majesty do in response?”
“Played it off,” Lars says.
“Acted as if it was all normal and fine to the audience, then dismissed us,” Fray adds.
“What did he do with the victims?”
