“We only have grape juice.”
“That’s fine.”
“Anything else? Something to eat, perhaps?”
Lucia felt a twinge in her belly at the suggestion. “Yes, that would be wonderful.”
Sera glanced over at a full table of loud men, who Lucia now realized were all dressed in identical green uniforms. “Apologies if I’m a bit slow to serve you tonight,” she said. “I’m the only one here, and I need to make sure our other guests are well taken care of. It’s probably a good idea that we keep them drunk and happy, don’t you think?”
“I suppose.” Lucia eyed the men with curiosity. “Who are they?”
Sera turned to her, surprised. “It’s only been a few days since you were last here. Surely you must know about the Kraeshians.”
Lucia snapped her gaze to Sera’s. “Kraeshians?”
Sera nodded. “We’re now under a Kraeshian occupation, with thousands sent here to enforce their laws upon all of Mytica, including this little forgettable village. These men arrived here yesterday.”
“Sent by Emperor Cortas?” Lucia’s chest grew more constricted every moment, until she was having trouble breathing.
Sera raised her brows. “These soldiers told me that the emperor and two of his sons were killed by a rebel who’s been captured and punished for the crime. Only his daughter, Amara, survived. She’s the empress now of Kraeshia . . . and Mytica. At least, until her brother Ashur returns from his travels, they say.”
Lucia’s heart nearly stopped. She gripped the side of the table so tightly that she was sure she would break it in two.
She fought to control the emotions storming within her. The worst thing she could do now would be to blow her cover by losing control of her magic and causing damage she’d have to pay for later.
“And where is the king?” Lucia managed.
“I don’t know.”
Lucia remembered boldly revealing her magic in front of the Kraeshian princess, but Amara had acted so very calm about it. Encouraging, even. Lucia had determined she’d deal with any ramifications of confirming the rumors about her magic the next time she saw the girl, but she hadn’t seen her again.
And now Amara was empress.
Something was terribly wrong, and she needed to know what had happened to her family.
“Sera,” Lucia said, pushing past the fog of shock in her quest for answers, “have you heard anything about the prince? Prince Magnus?”
“I’m afraid news is scarce here, but with all this fresh blood in town”—Sera smiled over at the table of Kraeshian soldiers—“we’re getting some information. Apparently, the prince tried to steal the throne from his father while the king was away in Kraeshia. I heard he was put to death for treason, along with his new wife.”
For several long moments, all Lucia could do was stare. “No,” she finally uttered, her voice cracking as she did.
Sera frowned. “What?”
“He can’t be,” she gasped. “He can’t be dead.” Lucia lurched to her feet, her chair screeching against the floor as she did. “I need to find him—my father. Find my brother. This isn’t right, none of it. And nobody knows the real danger that’s waiting. No one knows how much trouble everyone’s in.”
As she muttered frantically, the table of soldiers began to look up, one by one. Soon she’d gained their full attention, and a few of them got up from their table to come to her side.
“Is everything all right over here, miss?” one of the soldiers asked. He was the largest man in the group, with gray-blue eyes and dark brown hair.
“Everything’s fine,” Sera answered quickly, nodding and smiling tightly as she did. “Don’t mind her, she’s just very weary after a long journey.”
The soldier ignored her, focusing only on Lucia. “You didn’t come here with plans to give the empress any difficulties, did you?”
The empress. The thought of Amara having both Kraeshia and Mytica under her little thumb made Lucia sick to her stomach.
“Difficulties?” she said through clenched teeth. “I hope not. But that depends on how quickly you and your empress decide to leave Mytica and never look back.”
The guard laughed and glanced at his compatriots. “I’m sure you alone are going to make us leave, yes?”
Gently, as if wary of startling a beast, Sera touched Lucia’s arm. “Please sit down,” she whispered in her ear. “I’ll get your meal. These soldiers have been very kind to us so far, and they’ve promised that Empress Amara will make sure that the future will be bright for Paelsians. The empress appreciates our wine, and she has a plan to start exporting it overseas. Soon we will all become as wealthy as Auranians!”
“Promises,” Lucia said tightly. “Silly promises, nothing but words. You know what else is made up of words? Lies.”
“Little girl,” the soldier told her, “do what your friend suggests and sit back down. We’re under orders to detain anyone with rebel tendencies. I don’t think you want that, do you?”
A dark chuckle came from the back of Lucia’s throat. “Little girl,” she repeated, sneering. “You have no idea who you’re dealing with.”
The soldier laughed too, leaning down to get right in her face. “I know exactly who I’m dealing with. A mere child who’s clearly had too much wine. I’m going to give you one more warning. Sit down, and we won’t have a problem.”