Garden of Embers: Beneath Devouring Eyes #2

Chapter 3, Part B

Peritia drew a steadying breath as the double doors to Domus Iaspidis's salutatio hall opened and the herald announced her arrival. Steeling herself to lie to her rulers' faces, she hefted her bucket by the handle and strode into the chamber.

The Rex scowled as she approached down the long crimson rug. "What is the meaning of this, Aedilis Peritia?" The elderly starholder fidgeted with a ruby bead in his long white beard, then flicked it aside and fixed Peritia with a stern glare. "I specifically recall summoning Princeps Daedalus, not his Trellis expert."

At the mention of the Trellis, the clustered Trueborns in the hall crowded closer. Peritia could not blame them for being eager for news. But she had no information to share with them today. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Peritia lowered the bucket to the rug and dipped her head, covering her laurel with her palm. "Forgive me, Augustus—" She changed the angle of her bow to offer respect to the three Principia also sitting enthroned upon the dais. "—and Basilici. And please forgive my young lord for not attending in person. I have placed the Princeps into solitude now that the immediate crisis has passed in the hope that it will help him stabilize."

"Stabilize?" the Princeps Lifeholder asked, her sable brow furrowing in concern. "Was the Princeps injured somehow, then?" The old woman cast a glance at the other royals, and the Princeps Forgeholder turned away with a sniff. Her eyes narrowed at the younger woman. "I thought he must have been wounded, to have caused such a disturbance."

"A disturbance?" the Princeps Forgeholder asked. She shook her head with a scoff. "Two skychariots crashed because of this little temper tantrum. One took out the aqueduct supplying Nova Roma. The tsunami prevention pillar in Amoena Flustra failed. It's a small town, but still, ten thousand people nearly drowned. If there had not been a worldholder there to hold back the quake long enough for all but a few Pullati to escape, everyone would be dead! And those are just the reports I've received these last few minutes since the Caeles became safe to re-enter!"

"Basilicus, please," the Rex said, looking weary. "I need to hear what the Aedilis has to tell us." He nodded to Peritia. "So the Trellis malfunctions were caused by an injury to the Princeps?"

"Yes, Augustus," Peritia said. That, at least, was not a lie, precisely. The new Princeps had certainly been hurt by the Trellis. Grievously hurt. She was honestly shocked—relieved, yes, but shocked—that the younger twin had survived the transfer. And the prometial backlash that his older brother had suffered when the new Princeps's prometus had tried to save the younger boy's life had not helped Daedalus's health, that was for certain. Her next words were half-true as well. "Princeps Daedalus was wounded by the Trellis itself."

She paused and cast a pointed look at the Trueborns standing around. One tall elderly forgeholder woman, who had been listening in rapt interest, frowned.

Lie or not, the next words were not for their ears.

The Rex took the hint. "Clear the hall," the elderly man said, and looking disappointed, the gathered Trueborns filed out.

When the hall was empty, Peritia nodded at the Rex's expectant look. "Augustus, I'm afraid that Princeps Daedalus was wounded by the Trellis as a result of the blightlands entering his awareness," she said, her heart pounding in her chest as the falsehood left her lips.

"What?" Princeps Buccina asked, green eyes narrowed. "By the Trellis? How?"

"I think the Aedilis is about to explain," the Princeps Forgeholder said, leaning forward and eying the bucket with interest. With so many scientists, engineers, researchers, and inventors among their lineage, few forgeholders could resist a good demonstration.