Shatter Like Glass-Cinderella Retold

Part Fourteen

Almost all possible heirs, he thought. Of course, there was him, but the backlash would be worse than Valin's. The people liked Peder well enough, as long as he remained satisfied with a lower position. Fairies had not been seen in decades. Yet people were still tried and burned. Rumors of Human-Fairy affairs tainted many reputations, not only in the royal house. No one really believed he was Fairy-spawn; there was always that doubt though. So he and the people kept each other at arm's length.

"Not all of them," Nevae replied.

Peder knew her well enough to guess who she meant.

"You are a woman," he said, "in case you have forgotten."

"It is impossible to forget with everyone sticking it in your face," she said disdainfully.

Crossing his arms, Peder said, "Then you know how our people will react to a female Emperor."

"I believe the term is Empress."

"Regardless of the correct terminology, no one is going to allow you to ascend to the throne. Faban will strike dead if he learns you even broached the subject."

"One less critic to please," she replied. She traced her finger along the bedpost, her eyes scanning the intricate designs.

"If the people do not listen to and acknowledge their monarch, the empire will descend into chaos."

Letting her head fall against the bedpost, she told him, "This is not the first time a woman has managed the empire. Twice in our history the emperor has been deemed unfit to lead and his wife became the sole leader."

"The emperor was still the figurehead," Peder replied. "The royal house did everything in their power to ensure no one knew the empress was in control. Besides, even if they did tolerate a woman becoming the sole empress, they would not respect her."

"I can make them."

"You cannot silence every naysayer."

"If enough of them drop dead, I won't have to, now will I?"

"Killing your opponents is not the way to gain the people's affection."

"And how do you think Emlen became so popular?" she inquired, looking at him intently. "You really ought to try it sometimes."

Peder said nothing, simply staring at his cousin, certain she must be insane. Of course, she had always been a little crazy, and cruel. This was more, though. This was open death threats and implied murders. Should he ignore it? Emlen always told him he should.

But Emlen was dead now.

"Speaking of Emlen," Nevae said carefully, "what have you learned of Cynder of Azure?"

More than he could tell her. Any information his cousin had she would sharpen into a weapon she could use against others.

"Cynder is a pirate," he told her. "I suspect she is collaborating with Captain Jaymes Hook."

"The Captain Jaymes Hook?" she asked. Nevae raised an eyebrow slightly and cocked her head. "How ever did you learn that?"

"His ship, the Jolly Roger left the docks the same night Cynder fled, and had only arrived that morning."

It was a lie. Peder hated telling them, but he did not have a choice. He could not tell the wickedest person he knew that he was a Fairy. A half-Fairy, but when she blackmailed him, she would leave the distinction out.

"Captain Jaymes Hook . . . is he not the man you fought in Jade several years ago? In Emerald as well."

I fought him in Celadon, Malidia, and Sage, too, he thought. If only I had been able to kill him when I had the chance.

"Was he not also the man who killed the healer of yours? What was her name? Tia? Tessa?"

"Trin," Peder snapped. He clenched his fists, then unclenched them. "What is your point?"

"My point is that you have a history. You can find Captain Jaymes, which means you can find Cynder."

"As a pirate, I expect she will head for Ebony. I intend to head there after Valin's coronation."

"My coronation," she corrected. "That brings me to the favor I need of you."

Of course, he thought. Aloud, he said, "What is it?"

"Well, two, actually."

She detached herself from the bedpost and leaned against the stiff bed.

She explained, "The people adore Faban, and my stepmother. I can persuade Empress Reyna to publically support me as Empress, but I need you to convince our pig of an uncle. Once he gives his support to me, everyone will believe I am just his figurehead while in reality I am ruling the empire."

"What is the other favor?" Peder asked.

"Let me accompany you to Ebony."

He raised his eyebrows. "You want to come to Ebony?"

"I believe I just said that," she replied. "Keep up, cousin."

"Nevae, what business have you in Ebony?"

"I have an acquaintance there," she said vaguely. "Emlen let me come."

"When was Emlen in Ebony?"

She smiled. "Do you remember his trip to South Sienna earlier this year?"

"Of course."

"He went to Ebony on his way. We needed something."

She was lying. Ebony lay far north of South Sienna. They would have had to go out of their way by several days to reach the hellhole.

Peder chose to ignore her lie, as he did most of the time. He doubted she could go an entire conversation without lying.

"What could you provide for the crew? Having a woman aboard will unnerve them."

"You always bring along that maid of yours."

"My attendant accompanies me everywhere. The crew tolerates her because she is a healer. Do you have healing powers?"

She cast her eyes away from him, then sighed, "I have other assets. For example, a contact in Ebony who will most certainly know where your Cynder friend is."

With a sigh, he relented, "Very well. You may come, but if you cause any trouble, you spend the rest of the trip in a cell."

"I understand the terms, Peder," she said. "When do we leave?"

"We cannot leave with the emperor in his present state," he told her.

"Will immediately after his funeral work for you?"

"One problem: the emperor is still alive."

"Is he?" she asked. Smiling, she returned to her father's side. She held a hand over his mouth, checking for breath.

"He is hardly breathing," she whispered, her tone softer than Peder had ever heard it. "Go fetch the palace healer."

Peder did not dare disobey. He rushed from the room and down the hall. It took him several minutes to find the healer and several more for the two of them to get back. When he burst back into the room, Peder saw the emperor lying motionless on the bed. His eyes were wider than they had been before. They were unblinking.

"Dead," the healer stated. He sent a quick prayer to the gods, then moved to his emperor's side. Peder's eyes moved to Nevae. She stood where she had when he left. Her gaze flickered from her father, to Peder, then back again.

Examining the late Emperor Ignus, the healer said, "I thought for certain he was recovering. I cannot understand how death took him so quickly."

Nevae moved towards the door. Passing Peder, she paused and hissed into his ear.

"It may have had something to do with my hand over his mouth."

Peder's head whipped towards her. At least she had the grace not to smirk as she said, "We leave the day after tomorrow."

Wordlessly, Peder stared as she walked from the room. He glanced back at his now deceased uncle.

You raised her, he thought. Then he too left the chamber.