CalledtoPower (7 page)

“I thought that the soul stones only carried one.” He was wary.

“So did I. How in the seventeen hells did this happen?”

Arnos frowned, “Don’t curse, treasure. I sewed your mother’s soul stone under my skin so that when I died, we would move to my stone together. I had no idea that my mother would kill me for the energy I would give her.”

Sy wished she was shocked, but she wasn’t. “I am so glad to see you both, to talk to you both. You can go now, Agoth.”

He grinned and bowed. “Three hours, Empress.”

She sighed and waved him off.

Her parents were staring at her.

Her mother asked, “Empress?”

“I am the last of the blood. They had to call upon me.”

Her father frowned, “How long have you been empress?”

“Since two days ago. I lived my entire life at the Citadel. I was a student at first, and then, I became an instructor. It was a good life.”

Her mother smiled, “Will you pick a good partner to father your children?”

Sy cleared her throat. “I already have. That is what the three-hours comment was about. Three hours until my bonding ceremony in the throne room.”

Arnos put his hand under her chin and lifted it with the energy of his presence. “Is he a noble?”

She grinned up at him. “No. Not a Vexar noble. He is a guard from the Citadel, a telepath and a good fighter. He’s also green.”

Her mother frowned, “There was a young man who was on the ship that picked you up. He was green. Are they related?”

Syrella tried not to bring her parents down on her, but she nodded, “He is the same one. The moment I saw him, I knew he was the one, and as time went on and we met on assignments, the feeling grew. We kissed for the first time after he proposed yesterday.” She shrugged her shoulders up and hugged herself a little at the memory.

Her mother laughed and touched her face, her father sighed.

“So, will you be there?” She bit her lip while she waited.

Her mother caressed her lip. “Sweetie, don’t bite that lip. Your husband will want it in one piece.”

Her father snarled. “How old are you now anyway?”

“Twenty-six.”

“Oh.” He was unable to tell her she was too young.

She nodded. Her mother had been nineteen when Arnos had swept her off her feet and twenty-one when Syrella junior was born.

“He’s a good man who puts my needs before his own, and I am going to try with everything in me to not take advantage of that. He will take the position of Imperial Consort of Vexa, and once I put certain measures into place, we will have some time to pretend to be normal.”

Her father was interested. “What measures?”

She went into a description of the idea for bringing in Citadel members to act as mediators as well as an official Negotiator in full armour to act on behalf of Vexa when it came to treaties with the Alliance and the Nyal Imperium. Vexa was firmly wedged between titans, so it was in their best interest to have someone negotiating on their behalf.

“That is a very clever idea, treasure. I do have one thing to ask you off topic. When did my mother die?”

She blinked and looked up at him. “She didn’t.”

“Then how did you get my soul stone?”

“I demanded it, and when she wouldn’t give in, I froze her and stole it. I also returned your half-brothers and her husband to their other relatives. She has been arrested for disrupting the court, but I have yet to decide what I will do with her.”

“She is dangerous.”

“I know, Father. She killed you, she killed two of her other sons and most likely her husband after you were gone. I have proof of none of it, because your body is long gone, but she is evil.”

Her father opened his mouth to speak, but Mai came in and paused. “Pardon me, Ma’am, but it is time to start getting ready. Oh, there are three foreign contingents who are delighted to attend your bonding. They brought gifts and treaties to initially congratulate you on your ascension, but now, the gifts are for your bonding.” She giggled. “Some of the gifts are eating all the flowers in the garden.”

Curious, Syrella asked, “What are they?”

“I have never seen anything like them, but they are some kind of small ruminant.”

Grinning, Sy jumped out of bed.

Her father asked, “Why the excitement over animals?”

“When first Mom died and then you died, I had to find something as an affection surrogate. We had goats at the Citadel, and they became my special project. I can brush, wash, feed, milk and generally care for any goat that crosses my path.”

Her mother was laughing with genuine amusement and her father sat down, confused. “A goat-milking empress.”

“Arnos, there are worse things for our daughter to be.”

He shrugged and gathered his spectral wife to him.

Mai hustled her into the shower, rubbed lotion into her skin and brushed her hair until it shined. The gold gown waited, and Syrella the first was admiring it with touches of her glowing hand.

Mai set a light brushing of makeup on Sy’s skin that gave her a delicate glow. “And now, my grandfather reclaimed this from the imperial collection for you.”

Mai left the room, retrieved a huge box from Agoth and placed it in front of Sy. “Perinio has already tested all the contents for toxins.”

Curious, she opened the box and gasped. Over her shoulder, her mother admired, “I haven’t seen those since the vid of Ukan’s first wife carrying her son for testing at the throne.”

Sy frowned. “I thought that folk didn’t test randomly.”

“They don’t. It is only when there might be some doubt of paternity that the child is tested. In your case, the bloodline is assured.” Her mother patted her arm.

“Thank you, Mother.” She twisted her lips and chuckled.

Mai gestured to the jewels in the case. “May I?”

“Of course. Frankly, with so many emperors between now and then, I am shocked that the jewels are still intact.”

Mai chuckled, “Grandfather hid them. He brought them back when he knew you were on your way.”

The four-inch-tall tiara was lovely, with bright green and gold stones in it. There was something about the stones that was familiar, but Sy guessed that she had seen them in images as a child.

Her mother offered Mai hints on working with her hair, and her father paced. “Father, you can wait in the other room with Agoth if you wish. There is going to be a lot more fussing if I am any judge of Mai’s determination.”

Mai twisted, pinned and locked the tiara onto Syrella’s head.

In two and a half hours of teasing, poking and twisting, Mai pronounced Syrella fit to be empress and a bride in the same day.

She was wearing five pounds of gems and a dress so light, it felt like it wasn’t even there, but the train was a solid ten feet long. “This is going to be annoying.”

“You look lovely, treasure.” Her father poked his head through the door, and he smiled. “I believe it is time to go.”

She nodded, flexed her fingers and tucked the soul stone into her bodice over her heart once again. “Wherever I go today, I am taking you two with me. I have been without you too long.”

“We are going to leave for a night of our own when you and your new husband retreat for privacy. I love you, Syrella, but I am not going to start your union off with a peep show.” Her mom pressed a kiss on her cheek, and Sy could feel it.

She blushed at the thought of being alone with Dorium but that was for later and she was already linked to his mind. He was excited and impatient and that sensation spurred her out into her front room where a stunned Agoth bowed low.

“Since your bodyguard is your bondmate-to-be, we are being escorted by a dozen of the house guard. Shall we?” Agoth opened the door, and the men outside bowed.

Sy strode forward, and when her imperial guard surrounded her, she could feel their pride. Her parents walked behind her, and she didn’t know if anyone was staring at them, her eyes were fixed forward on the approaching throne room.

Dorium was waiting for her on the other side of that doorway. She was getting married and her dead family was with her.

It was her perfect day.

Chapter Eleven

Dorium looked lovely, Perinio gave a moving speech on the solemnity of bonding, and when she said her vows and her family agreed to the union, her heart soared. The moment that Dorium returned the vows and took her in his arms, it was the happiest moment in her life.

She was new to kissing, but the sudden pain caught her by surprise. She heard a roar of pain from Dorium and when she looked down, the arrow that was sticking out of her chest had dug into his skin as well.

Her parents were at her side in an instant while the guards tried to get her to safety while apprehending the attacker. “Mom, Dad, get Mai. Now.”

They disappeared in a flash.

The wild screaming of Algiatha was suddenly cut short, and Syrella relaxed while she tasted blood.

Dorium was holding her in his arms so that the arrow would not be under compression. “Stay still, a doctor is coming.”

“Mai is coming. She’s a healer. She can help.”

A strange figure spoke, “Put her on the throne.”

Dorium looked at the man who glowed, and he scowled, “What?”

“We will take care of her. Put her on the throne.”

Sy looked around and saw the flickering lights that were coming out of the ether. “Dorium. Help me.”

He lifted her and laid her across the seat of the throne so that the arrow was exposed on both sides.

The glowing figures moved him gently aside and stroked Sy with a thousand tender touches. The arrow simply dissolved out of her chest and then hands pressed the wound closed, not allowing one drop of blood to spill.

The rattle in her chest disappeared, and she looked at the assembled figures. “Hello, Emperor Ukan.”

He inclined his head. “Greetings, Empress Syrella. I knew you would be the one.”

“The jewels?”

“Carved soul stones.” He inclined his head. “I have never seen a ruler strong enough to pull us all out, but you did it. May the stars bless your union and the thorn bless your children.”

Dorium pushed through the transparent figure, and he cupped her cheek. “I thought you were dying.”

“I sort of was. These are the imperial jewels, and on the Day of the Dead, I can bring back my ancestors or those of my bloodline. Welcome to my extended family.”

Mai arrived out of breath. “You need healing?”

“The old emperors healed me, but Dorium has an arrow wound in his chest.”

Mai reached out and pressed her fingers to the wound.

Dorium winced, but he allowed the touch, and eventually, he smiled and pulled her hand away. “Thank you, Mai.”

She was shaking and there was blood on her hands but pride flowed in her eyes. She got to her feet and walked to stand behind Ikatti.

The secretary was controlling the crowds, and he finally came to ask Sy, “Can we proceed with the gifting?”

She sat up straight in the throne, her gown marred by the arrow hole in it. She took Dorium’s hand. “Stay next to me?”

He smiled and pressed his hand to her shoulder so she would know where he was.

I don’t want to let go of you today. I came too close to losing you.

I know. We are going to look into how Algiatha got loose, but that is a conversation for another day. That bitch was very persuasive. Now, I am going to make a speech.

She held up her hands, and Ikatti banged his staff a few times. Sy got to her feet and squared her shoulders. “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to my bonding day.”

A few members of the gathering giggle uncomfortably.

“Four days ago, I was living a quiet life as a teacher, and now, I am empress. I was not expecting the call to power, but when it came, I knew it was my duty. I did not know until I arrived here that I was the last chance for Vexa to remain an active empire.

“My predecessors were not prepared for the position they took over. I see the signs here in the palace, and I will eventually work my way to the outer regions. We can work together for a greater and more profitable way of life without twisting folks under our feet. The better conditions that there are for the workers, the more productive they are, whether at a farm, assembly centre or any kind of processing area.

“We stand between two great bodies and are tugged at by them both. The Alliance pulls one way, the Nyal Imperium pulls the other. I want to stop the pull and simply stand between them as Vexa. We are Vexar, and we will determine the shape of our next generation.”

She wasn’t expecting the roar. She was shocked by the chant and when she worked out that it was Sy-rell-ah, she looked at Dorium for help. He stepped forward and put his arm around her. “Enjoy it. You have come back with the help of the dead emperors, that has to be a good sign that you are the right person in the right job.”

She leaned against him, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw her glowing mother doing the same thing to her father.

They had had their day, watched their daughter wed, helped her when she was in peril and now saw her with her choice of male. For her parents, it must have been a pretty good day.

Six hours later, Mai was unlacing her gown while Dorium watched. His own formal uniform in Vexar style was loosened at the collar and as many buttons as Sy had been able to reach in the hall when he kissed her while Agoth opened and checked her chambers.

“Mai, I think you can leave now. Dorium can help with this.” The gown was loose enough to slide out of, but Sy’s nerves were jangling.

Mai nodded and locked the box of jewels, leaving them on the dressing table. “Good night. Ikatti says you have no appointments until noon. Take your time.”

She closed the door behind herself, and Sy let out a sigh. She removed the soul stone from her bodice, shuffled over to the jewel case and then scooted back to the bedside.

Nervous beyond belief, she cheated. She clapped her hands together and froze him in place, dropping her gown into a puddle on the floor. She reached over and unfastened his tunic, spreading it open to expose the panels of muscle she had been wondering about. Her hands touched him, stroked his skin and learned the feel of him while he remained frozen in place.