No Solace (The Flames of Retribution - Book 1)

Chapter Forty - New Opportunities

Over the next few months, things settled into something of a routine. While I tried to learn more about the inner workings of the court, I discovered that Prince Altair's history lessons were not just a boring rehashing of things I already knew. He would often regale me with tales of ancient kingdoms, legendary battles, and forgotten heroes, painting a vivid picture of the past. The information painted a broader picture of Sanfelton, and the steps to take to bring my former nation to justice. For one, there was an old law that stated a nation could depose an emperor deemed by the church as unworthy. Armed with information he'd unintentionally given me, I fueled the unrest within the Lows, using Jatron to help.

The commoners took to the streets with pickets, demanding the church give Faluel justice, and screaming about the loss of a Phoenix. It kept the imperial family quite busy, so their interest in me waned somewhat, save for Altair.

Altair opened up to me more. He spoke of his mother, the first empress, Adeline. He barely remembered her now, but he remembered the loss of her. He was sure that Empress Erzebet had killed her somehow. He spoke of the lonely childhood he grew up in, and his refuge in science. 

I told him of Aluraparine and their technological society that used little magic. He was fascinated, and I fought against a growing sense of pity I was feeling for the man, despite the monstrous secrets of his family and his tower.

Chevral proved to be a surprising asset in my quest for knowledge as he was desperate to please me. I always knew he was crafty and sly, but I had no idea that real ideas formed behind his pompous eyes. He provided me with intricate details about the influential students in the academy from their family backgrounds to their political affiliations. I kept all the information neatly filed away in the banks of my memory.

It was through Chevral that I learned a bit about Prince Kohl's special family, including where most of the meetings were held, though I was sure that Kohl had found a new place with Chevral no longer being in his control. Annoyingly, Chevral could not tell me who belonged to it. He told me that Kohl would always make sure that each member was masked, and they each had a code name after a bird.

Certain that I could get more information from Janicen, I made plans for a trip with Ursula to Aluraparine soon.

One of the influential figures I had gained the trust of was, of all people, Merx Lastender. It was while I was in the imperial library, seeing what state it had come to under Darla's care, that I found him studying there. Although my heart was breaking just to breathe the same air as him, I knew that he was a good man. Or at least, he was when I'd last seen him a year ago. That he'd so easily turned to his family's wishes when I "died" filled me with hurt and resentment. 

And that he did not know it was Solace sitting with him, but thought it was the male exchange student, Kaashif, was bittersweet.

I found that Darla had made Peony actually do the work in the library and was nowhere to be seen. Peony looked happy to be of help, seeming to be a brighter person in the sunlit rooms of the library than she was at the ball. Under her care, the library continued to thrive as though Gladys herself still walked the halls.

On the day I met Merx there, I found occasion to speak to Peony. She had been shy when I approached her, but my questions, meant to stimulate her Seeker side to provide information, soon had her relaxing enough to share small bits of her life with me.

I looked down at her hand, spotting an antique looking ring on her left ring finger. "Are you to be wed, My Lady?"

She glanced at the ring, then blanched, nodding. "Yes. His name is Lord Wilkes."

"Lord Wilkes? That old fossil?"

I turned to the familiar smooth tenor who'd spoken and found Mercury Lastender standing there with books in his hands. He looked tired, with paler complexion and deep purple marks under his eyes. Despite all that, he still looked devastating to behold. His rumpled locks made him look more dangerous than he was at his coiffed best, and the shadows beneath his eyes made the blue-green stand out more brilliantly.