Rebel's Honor(22)

Tao had been quick to challenge the injustice of the punishment. He'd  pointed out that he'd done nothing wrong and wasn't part of any treaty  with Norin-cursed or not. In response, his father had flung a portrait  of Kestrel at Tao. That had been the end of the discussion. It was  typical of his father to punish one child for the infractions of  another.

Tao sighed. "Come on, Lukan, you're pretty enough. Let's go get this done."

Lukan clenched his fists, and before he could stop himself, he lashed  out at the thick ebony framing his mirror. A crack shot through the  glass, making him curse.

"Right, break the mirror," Tao scoffed. "That's your answer to everything these days, isn't it?"

"Shut up, Tao," Lukan said, instantly regretting his flash of temper.

Tao was right; in the last few weeks the internal rage he'd kept in check his whole life had flared more and more.

"You would be angry, too, if you had to marry a woman who could bring a  cursing down on your head. And there isn't a damn thing I can do about  it. As you well know."

Tao's mouth dropped. "Do you think Lynx is the one prophesied about?"

Lukan shrugged. "How the hell must I know? That swine Dmitri never said  the Norin princess would be wearing a sign. Just that one of them would  produce a son who destroys us all."

"Our mother was a Norin," Tao argued. "Couldn't one of us be-"

"Of course not." Lukan had never once considered that he might be that  son-the idea was preposterous. His shrug turned into a sigh. "And to  think that all I ever wanted was to tumble Lynx."

"You still do," Tao said. "Admit it. Curse or not. Now, can we please go?"

Lukan chose not to reply to that truth. He glanced at his wristwatch. He  had only kept his father-and Lynx-waiting ten minutes. Another couple  of minutes would be needed to make his point. "For someone who's whining  so much about his marriage, you're disgustingly keen to meet Kestrel."  He yanked his ivory-handled brush through his shoulder-length dark hair  with more force than was comfortable.

"I just want to get this over with." Tao began to pace. "Do you think  she'll be . . . nice? I mean, she's beautiful, but that's not  everything-oh, Dragon's arse, I hope she's easy to get along with. I'd  hate to be shackled to someone who-"

Guilt nibbled at Lukan's conscience. "I'm sure she's fine-for a savage."

Bound as he was to marry a Norin princess who came bearing a possible  cursing as a wedding gift, the Dmitri Curse had effectively soured Lukan  on all Norin.

In truth, Lukan didn't know any Norin other than Lord Emissary Bear. His  mother had vanished when he was a toddler, leaving him estranged from  that side of his family. To him, Norin were wild, ferocious people with  few social graces. Lynx had proved that when he'd seen her at the  palace. Hell, all he'd done was smile at her-okay, with intent. But  she'd looked at him with such hatred that, for at least a moment, her  beautiful face had contorted into something truly ugly.

He hoped she'd gotten over her pique.

Being late probably wouldn't help, but just this once, he could not let his father walk all over him.

A light knock sounded on the door. A thousand snakes flailed in Lukan's stomach.

Tao's head shot around to look at him. "That's it. The summons."

Lukan nodded. Hands shaking, he flung his hairbrush on the dresser. With  no further excuses to delay him, he said, "Shoulders back and head up,  Tao."

His brother rolled his eyes.                       
       
           



       

It infuriated Lukan that Tao wouldn't ever take his advice. Carriage  mattered-critically-if one wanted to make best use of the first three  seconds of an introduction. Being regal took practice. Something Tao  would never understand. He strode across his apartment and flung open  the door.

A guardsman bowed low. "Highness, the emperor requests the pleasure of your company."

Lukan suppressed a bitter laugh. He'd grow wings and fly before his  father requested anything. He swooped past the man into the wide  passage, which linked the private wing where he, Tao, and Axel lived  with the rest of the palace. Tao trailed behind him. Lukan glanced up at  an ornate oil lamp above him, one of many lining the wood-paneled wall.

The sconce held a tiny camera and listening device that recorded every conversation.

Now, beyond the safety of his private apartment, everything he said  would eventually reach the ears of his Uncle Felix, in charge of  security.

Only the Avanov family and their most trusted officers knew of the  devices. The high-born, the priestesses, the guardsmen, and the servants  went about their days in blissful ignorance. The unfortunate  disappearance of those who complained about Emperor Mott or the Dragon  would be blamed on the Dreaded-another technological creation his  ordinary subjects, illiterate and taught nothing about the world before  the Burning, could not have dreamed possible.

It was a system Lukan supported as long as his conversations weren't monitored.

All activity in the palace thoroughfares stopped as everyone bowed low to Lukan and his brother.

He scoffed at Tao, who acknowledged them with smiles and nods. Further  evidence of Tao's lack of imperial qualities. Just as well his brother  was second in line for throne.

The Bronze Hall was reserved for meeting lowly vassals, but his father  had decreed it a fitting place to welcome Lukan and Tao's future wives.

Lukan's boot barely made contact with the marble floor leading to the  hall when his father bellowed, "Are you two incapable of reading a  clock? You're a disgrace to the Avanov name. A waste of skin. Both of  you." An open hand lashed out, but Lukan ducked, and it flew wide.

Face burning with humiliation, Lukan glanced at the two guardsmen  standing outside the double doors leading to the hall. Their impassive  faces showed no reaction. That didn't mean they weren't judging him-and  finding him wanting. He could imagine them thinking their next emperor  was a spineless dolt for tolerating his father's abuse. As much as he  feared his father, Lukan feared their contempt more.

He bowed low to Mott, ending with a mocking flourish of his arm. "Just  another attempt at giving you a heart attack, sire. Wouldn't that just  make my day?"

The emperor's jaw clenched. "Don't try me, Lukan. The only thing  stopping me from having you whipped is that girl." A thumb jerked at the  door. "Now get in there and conquer the Norin bitch. I need grandsons."  Red cloak swirling around his ankles, the emperor turned to the  guardsmen. "Open the door."





Chapter 16





Axel positioned himself in a corner against the beaten bronze paneling  that gave the Bronze Hall its name. From here, he had a perfect view of  the room and everyone in it. Not that he had much to watch-Lukan and Tao  were late again. That wasn't going to improve the emperor's mood, and  that wasn't good news, considering Lynx's dress.

She paced back and forth across the brown-and-cream checked floor. The  strain in her eyes, and the abrupt swaying of her lithe body in that  short black dress reminded him of a caged animal.

A sudden urge to comfort her hit him.

Shocked, he quickly quelled it. As much as he liked Lynx, she was a tool in his hand, nothing more.

Kestrel sighed. "How much longer must we wait?" She perched on the edge  of a blue satin settee facing the doors at the head of the room. Sweaty  hand prints stained her bunched skirt.

Axel wasn't going to reply, but Lynx's head jerked to face him,  demanding an answer. "Lukan isn't known for his punctuality. Tao's  different. Like me, he spent his childhood and youth in the military, so  he should know better, but-"

"And Lukan?" Lynx demanded. "How much time did he spend in the military?"

Axel clicked his tongue. "Not a single day." That had been the cause of  most of Lukan's beatings from Mott-the one's Axel and Tao had taken for  him.

Lynx rolled her eyes, and he could almost see her wondering what she and  Lukan would have in common. Axel could have told her: absolutely  nothing.

The door handles clicked.

Lynx froze. Her eyes, laced with panic, flickered to Kestrel. The impression was gone in an instant.                       
       
           



       

Lynx, for your own sake, turn that fear into submissiveness.

The doors swung open to reveal Emperor Mott, with Lukan and Tao trailing behind him.

Axel shot Lynx what he hoped was a please-cooperate-with-me look and  stepped in front of her to hide her dress from the emperor's immediate  scrutiny.

She didn't shift out of his shadow.

Axel sighed with relief and bowed to his uncle. "His Magnificence,  Emperor Mott, Supreme Ruler of All Chenaya and the Conquered  Territories." He gestured to Lukan. "His Imperial Highness, the crown  prince, Lukan." And he smiled at Tao. "And His Highness, Prince Tao."