DREAMWIELDER Book 1 of The Dreamwielder Chronicles

Chapter 15: THRONE OF FIRE

In a private chamber in the upper reaches of Lightbringer's Keep, Caile bowed deeply and rose to face Emperor Guderian. At Caile's side, Lorentz stayed prostrate for a moment longer before rising. Behind them, Caile's liaison, Lindy, stood barring the exit from the chamber, and in the corridor outside, four more guards stood at the ready. The Emperor, himself, sat in a modest throne atop a raised dais, and to either side of him were racks full of weapons: swords with barbed blades, maces, flails, short handled battle-axes, and bladed weapons Caile had never seen the likes of before. The rest of the room was unadorned and black. There were no windows, only a half dozen wall torches, and the room reeked of iron or blood—Caile couldn't tell which.

Apart from the court sessions and public hearings in the throne room, it was the first time Caile had been summoned by the Emperor since arriving, and he knew whatever was going on wasn't good. This chamber is meant to intimidate people, he told himself. Just remain calm, think before speaking, and everything will be fine.

"Leave us and close the door," the Emperor told Lindy.

The giant man did as he was told, and the Emperor regarded Caile and Lorentz silently for a long moment before speaking again.

"Your father is a traitor, Prince," he finally said. "He sent you instead of your sister, not because she was ill, but because she is a sorceress. You knew and yet said nothing."

"I cannot speak for my father, Your Excellency," Caile responded, "but I can assure you I knew nothing of the sort. I barely know my sister. I've been gone these last five years in Valaróz, and before that I was but a child."

"But you do not deny that she is a sorceress?"

"Who am I to question you, Your Excellency? I've seen no signs to suggest she is, but you would know better than I, and as I said, I've been gone. All I know is I was summoned back to Pyrthinia two years early and immediately sent here without so much as a night's rest. I was informed that my brother had died and that my sister was too ill to travel, that is all."

"You can vouch for his words?" the Emperor asked Lorentz.

"Yes, Your Excellency. It is as the Prince says. We were summoned to Kal Pyrthin and stayed not even a day before being sent here. King Casstian himself told me that the Princess was unfit for travel and asked me to watch over young Caile."

Caile bristled inwardly at being called young but let it go. "The Royal Physician himself penned the letter I brought you, Your Excellency."

"Yes, that is why he has been stripped of his office and put in chains along with your father," the Emperor stated flatly.

Caile heard the menace in Guderian's voice and picked his words carefully. "If I may ask, Your Excellency, how is that you are so certain my sister is a sorceress and my father a traitor?"

"The houndkeeper in Kal Pyrthin identified sorcery in your father's keep, so I sent Wulfram to investigate."

A sense of dread filled Caile at hearing Wulfram's name.

"But your father knew he was caught," the Emperor continued. "Before Wulfram arrived, he sent your sister away on a ship and began marshaling forces to wage war against the Empire."

Caile found some small triumph in the fact that Taera had escaped, but he showed no outward sign of his emotions. "I must say, I'm stunned," he said. "I did not think my father was capable of revolt. He has been a loyal servant to you ever since he took his throne."