Read Online The Emperor's Edge by Lindsay Buroker - Free Book Online Page B

pretty she was. What a wonderful mother she’d make. I couldn’t risk Sespian courting someone so—” Hollowcrest’s sneer took in the dagger, “—inappropriate. It was easier to get rid you than to turn his interests elsewhere.”
    “You sent me off to my death so that I wouldn’t inconvenience your marriage plans for the emperor?”
    “Precisely. A shame you weren’t considerate enough to die.”
    “I spoke to him twice.” Amaranthe spread her arms. “I assure you I have no designs on the emperor.”
    “You lie. I saw the ambition on your face when I spoke of a promotion. But why settle for being a lieutenant when you could be an empress? A seat next to the most powerful man in the empire, whispering in his ear, influencing him, having everything you ever dreamed of.”
    “I can see why that would concern you, since you currently occupy that position.” Her audacity surprised her, but it hardly mattered if she offended Hollowcrest now. If he was telling her all this, he had already decided to have her killed. She frowned. Actually, there was no reason for him to explain anything, even if he
did
plan to kill her. It was almost as if he was stalling.
    “I deserve the position,” Hollowcrest said. “I have the experience. I’m the one who worked with his father for more than thirty years.”
    “What would the emperor say about that?” she asked. “I assume he doesn’t know you’re drugging him.”
    “And he’s not going to know.” Hollowcrest opened a drawer.
    Before Amaranthe could reply, the door swung open. She turned, and she abruptly knew why Hollowcrest had been stalling.
    The emperor and his six bodyguards crowded the hallway. At first he appeared delighted to see her, but a startled question flashed across his eyes when he spotted the dagger in her hand. Then he looked harder at it. Those eyes widened and his jaw sagged open.
    Amaranthe winced.
Sicarius, you didn’t tell me the emperor would recognize your dagger too.
    “Sire,” she started, “I can—”
    Papers rustled behind her. She whirled. Hollowcrest lunged at her with a knife. Instinctively, she sidestepped and lifted Sicarius’s dagger. Going over the desk made Hollowcrest’s attack awkward, and she blocked it with her own stab. Her blade raked across his forearm. Hollowcrest cursed and dropped the knife.
    “She’s a traitor,” he yelled. “Kill her!”
    Steel rasped from scabbards, and the guards charged.
    “No!” Sespian grabbed at the closest, but none of the men paused. They were following Hollowcrest’s orders, not his.
    Amaranthe jumped onto the desk, flung her arms over her face, and leaped through the window.
    • • • • •
    Sespian grabbed the doorjamb, stunned. The sound of shattering glass echoed through the room. Swords in hand, the guards started to run for the door.
    “Nobody leaves!” Sespian blocked the exit with his body, trapping them inside.
    The guards looked at Hollowcrest. Sespian noticed they were more concerned about his
advisor’s
orders than his, but he could only stare at the window.
    Had Amaranthe survived? Broken an arm? A leg? Sespian swallowed. Her neck?
    Torn between needing to know and being afraid to find out, he hesitated before going to the window. Finally he started across the room. He had to know.
    Hollowcrest intercepted him. Sespian tried to push past, but the older man gripped his arm with surprising strength.
    “Let go,” Sespian said.
    Hollowcrest did not. Blood ran down his arm and dripped onto Sespian’s wrist.
    “She’s a traitor,” Hollowcrest said. “She attacked me.”
    “You attacked her first. Do you think I don’t have eyes? She was defending herself.”
    “She came to kill me, and you as well. I
know
you recognized that knife!”
    Hollowcrest so rarely raised his voice, so rarely showed any emotion at all. His tone made Sespian pause. But, no. It could not be true.
    “There’s an explanation,” Sespian said. “There must be. You’re the one who