𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐀 𝐒𝐔𝐂𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘. 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐒 𝐀 𝐑𝐔𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍.
It's the beginning of a new age when Jaylah Imperatrix seemingly returns from the dead to reclaim her throne. And in perfect timing.
In her absence, evil has be...
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Act 3 Chapter 119 JAYLAH
"Correspondence from the spies in Fas Kaling has finally arrived," Antinoch announced after being allowed into Jaylah's office.
Jaylah looked up from the ambassador reports she had been trying to focus on. "Read it aloud."
Antinoch cleared her throat. "Your Majesty—I cannot be certain when this message will reach you, or that it will reach you at all; every day we live in fear of being exposed and killed by our new superiors. Just know that at the time of writing this, the Kalingi are preparing for a full-scale war."
The reports fell from Jaylah's slack fingers.
"They hold military rallies in the center of the city. I can hear the people cheering from my flat. Late at night, the others have seen dark shapes moving across the horizon—a new form of artillery weapon, I fear. They are recruiting any boy over the age of twelve to join their forces. They tell their people we eat unwanted unborn children. They tell their people we are savages hoarding land that rightfully belongs to them. Predictably, their assault of our people hinges upon their belief that we were the reason the Gods ascended from the earth—perhaps that we even killed them. Many of the commoners believe their propaganda and have taken their bait. Too many to count. Soon, their numbers will be staggering.
"I cannot yet say when they will begin their attack, or how they will carry it out. But one thing is clear: when they do, they will be on the offensive. When they do, they will not stop until every last one of us is slaughtered, ending with you."
Antinoch's steady voice fell silent at the letter's end. She set it on Jaylah's desk. Jaylah glanced at the hurried slant of the handwriting and marveled at the bounds this letter had to leap through just to make it into her hands.
At last, Antinoch asked, "What are we to do?" She did not sound as assured as usual. And for good reason. This was their ancestors' worst nightmare come back to life.
"We already knew they would be angry enough to fight," Jaylah said. Though she did not know a full-scale war could be delivered to their shores at any time. "If they believe they will find a nation of the enslaved "savages" they remember from a hundred years ago, they are appallingly wrong."
She stood, forgetting her previous work. "If you will excuse me, I have preparations to make."
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When Fotelis did not immediately answer his door, Jaylah pounded on it. Though she had painted on a composed face for Antinoch, she was becoming more rattled the longer she dwelt on the letter. It was all she could think about on the ride over. Her horse, Yani—a less spectacular steed than Thyros—blew air through his nose.
"Ah, back so soon," Fotelis said as he shut the door behind her. "If you have come to check on the progress of the firearms, I had the plans sent to my most trusted colleague, one who happens to own a metalworking factory. We shall soon have tangible results for you."
