Garden of Embers: Beneath Devouring Eyes #2

Chapter 8, Part C

Solitude would begin at Brightening tomorrow, after Comitas had a chance to make arrangements. Domi had no clue whether to feel relieved or disappointed. Instead, the two warred inside him. He welcomed escaping a Princeps's outrageous heap of duties. Boy, did he ever. Solitude had been kind of nice before for that reason. But no friends? No Radix? No Sidus? Eyes devour, he wanted to try something, and now his chance was being snatched away.

Beneath the jumble of relief and disappointment was dread. He half expected Electi to come down on him any second. Would they drag him back to the luxurious dungeon where he'd let Cercitis kill him three weeks ago? He didn't think he could handle going in there ever again. But the alternative was scarier. Would the Rex just execute him outright? Eternal Radiance, would there even be a public trial and execution, or would he just be assassinated in the quiet darkness of the onyx palace? Or worse, would Daedalus be killed?

The only thing that gave him hope was that Princeps Buccina hadn't said a word to him about what he knew full well she must know. If she meant to reveal him, there would be no need to go on faking ignorance like this, right? As Princeps Mindholder, she could send her voice into the mind of anyone on the planet in a heartbeat. It would have been child's play for her to blab everything she knew to the Rex and bring the full force of the law hammering down on Domi's head.

Yet it was almost noon and Domi was not just free, but about to enjoy his last appointment before Solitude would begin tomorrow. Buccina had even approved it in a curt answer to Fons's inquiry. No Electi rushed in to arrest him, no hooded assassins slipped in clutching spellblades. It was just him, Sidus, and now--walking into the tricliniaria in a sweep of pale gold and diamond white--Sidus's future wife.

Domi squirmed, resisting the urge to rise and greet the lower-ranking royal or, better yet, grovel at her feet and beg her forgiveness for catching Sidis's eye.

Felicitas Astralis was a regal sixteen-year-old girl and very beautiful, with cocoa skin, sultry eyes, and full lips that curved into a smile as she held a graceful hand over her crimson laurel. She dipped her head.

Domi smiled back, trying not to show his nervousness. This was just a get-to-know-you affair, not a confrontation about his budding affair with her future husband. This sort of thing was totally normal among Promethidae.

Eternal Radiance.

Sidus cleared his throat with an eye roll and Domi flushed. Right.

"May the Eyes pass over you today, Augustulus," he said. As something like tenth in line for the Throne of Regret, Felicitas would never wear the Rex's ruby crown, but she was still a Regis Heres.

"And you also, Basilicus." Her voice was husky for a girl her age and warm. So warm. He felt his cheeks heating and avoided looking at her plump lips. Those lips would one day be kissing Sidus if they weren't already, and he could not imagine why Sidus would want him, of all people, when the starholder could have her.

"Please be seated," he said, nodding to the triclinum dining couch. It felt weird to recline in the thing, but he kind of liked it. He was reminded of eating breakfast in bed back home, only this time he didn't have to worry about leaving crumbs that might draw rats.

"Thank you, Basilicus," the girl said, lowering herself with smooth grace and then sprawling atop her dining couch with the artistry of someone reclining for some fancy portrait.

Domi pointed at the delicacies spread across the table, all foods Hedera and Peritia claimed supported the nutritional needs of a growing Trellis-bearer but were probably tasty for others to eat too. Dark-chocolate covered walnuts were piled on a tiered serving platter above a plate of blueberries covered in candied lemon-spiced ground pumpkin seeds. On the level beneath it was a selection of tumeric deviled eggs interspersed with slivers of tender seared beef on diamond-studded skewers. "Please have a bite to eat."