"Good idea," Dmitri interrupted. "The logical place to start is with the high-born. You can begin by revealing to them that their precious emeralds and sapphires are monitoring devices. Their anger will be distraction enough for you to breach Felix's lair. Once you deactivate the guardsmen's gemstones, the empire will begin to crumble."
All Lukan could see was chaos and death-his. "The only distraction will be the high-born impaling me on a stake for being an Avanov. I might as well hand the keys to the armory over to Lynx and the rest of the Norin."
Dmitri frowned with disapproval. "Dismantling this empire was never going to be easy, but you do not have to do it alone. Commit yourself to the course, and I will help you. Legions of the dead will rally to your side. Not even your father, with all his armies, will stay our hands."
Lukan clicked his tongue, not ready to believe in ghostly armies. As it was, he was struggling to come to terms with a ghostly Dmitri who expected him to throw away his empire. "And what about Felix?"
"You will find out soon enough, if you have the courage to act."
Lukan couldn't resist a wry smile. "I guess it doesn't take much imagination to figure it out."
His lackluster tone prompted Dmitri to say, "As I've already said, I knew you long before you came into mortality. Then, you had the courage to do the right thing for your people. It was why you were chosen for the task." Dmitri's voice took on a quiet urgency. "Even now, Nicholas waits in the wings. Unless you follow the course I offer you, his birth is unavoidable. The day you consummate your marriage, he will be conceived, and there is nothing you can do to stop it." Dmitri pointed to the constellation on Lukan's map. "It was always intended the empire would end when he appeared."
Lukan shook his head. Crazy, all of it. If anyone knew he was having this discussion, they would have him committed. He looked at Dmitri with a mix of contempt and disbelief. "Now that I know this, do you really think I would be stupid enough to consummate my marriage?"
"Aye. Lust will do that for you."
Lukan didn't want to acknowledge his raging need for Lynx. "You keep saying we knew each other before I was born. Apart from that being crazy, why don't I remember it?"
Dmitri held up the book. "If you want to know more about your past and your destiny, destroy your empire." He leaned in close. "I know you can do this, Lukan. Don't fail us all."
Lukan wished he shared Dmitri's confidence, but even if he believed, there was more required here than raw courage. For years, his archives had been his refuge when living with his father and Axel became unbearable. It was his prize-for all he had endured. He knew every book, had caressed every cover, had memorized swaths of text that spoke to his heart. How could he give it up? It would be easier to let Axel have Lynx than to lose possession of that treasure.
He stood, towering over Dmitri. "I haven't lived with my father's brutality and in Axel's shadow for all these years only to throw away my inheritance now."
"I understand the lures that come with mortality." Another rueful smile flitted across Dmitri's face. "I was mortal once, too, and had to make hard choices. My brother offered me the world if I would follow him in conquest. But at what cost? Keeping mankind in ignorance? Destroying my soul? It was too high a price. Thurban flayed me for my betrayal." Dmitri reached out a gleaming hand and clasped Lukan's arm with a firm grip.
Lukan could feel warmth radiating from the dead seer's skin as if he were alive.
"But what of it? It was a moment in eternity. And, as you see, I live on." Dmitri flipped the book open to a gruesome image of a man with half the skin ripped from his body.
Even though the face was disfigured beyond recognition, Lukan guessed it was Dmitri. So graphic was the illustration, he could almost see Dmitri's exposed muscles quivering with agony. Lukan grimaced in horror.
Seemingly undeterred, Dmitri said, "I went willingly to my execution. Days before it happened, I saw a vision of my death. I knew the pain would be unbearable, but still, I allowed my brother to capture me so others could escape to write this record. By dying a martyr, I kept the memory of my curse alive." He tapped the book, and his smile reminded Lukan of a salesman selling snake oil. "You can read about it here."
Lukan locked his eyes on Dmitri in challenge. "Only if you hand it over."
"Aye. But now it's your turn to make the tough choice. Will you give up your archives, your privileges, your dreams of ruling the world, for the sake of your people? Or will you be like your forebears, tightening the screws on the empire as more wondrous scientific discoveries come to light?"
Lukan shook his head. It was late, and he was hungry and far too tired to be making this decision. "Right now, all I want is to sleep."
Dmitri snapped the book closed. "Then I congratulate you on your decision to marry Lynx. I wish I could pronounce a blessing of happiness on your head, but that is not possible. Lynx will not only torment you all the days of your life with her disdain, her eroticism, and her unquenchable love for your cousin, but she will give you a son who will destroy you."
"What?" Lukan rasped, hating to hear that Lynx loved Axel. "How can my need of a good night's sleep lead to my marriage with Lynx?"
"Doing nothing is not a choice, Lukan. It's a prevarication that will lead you to the altar." Dmitri rose. His body shimmered, making Lukan think he was about to vanish.
"Wait!" Lukan clawed across the space dividing them, rapacious eyes glued to the book. "We haven't finished speaking. I-I have other questions before I can make up my mind."
The light radiating from Dmitri's body softened.
"What will happen to that book?" Lukan asked.
"Two choices face you," Dmitri said in clipped tones. "Announce to the high-born that their gemstones are a fraud, or marry Lynx. Choose the first option, and the book, together with my support, will be yours. The second option will result in me giving my support, and the book, to your opponents. It will tell them all they need to know to destroy you and your empire."
Lukan blew out a slow breath, ran his hands over his face, and rubbed his burning eyes. Regardless of what Dmitri said, he was in no state to make these decisions now. Or perhaps ever.
Could he give up his empire for millions of nameless people he cared nothing about? And then what would he do? Hand over rule to the people, the uneducated masses who, apart from the high-born, lived in nothing more than hovels, caves, and tents?
And Lynx? What about her? Despite all logic, he longed for her with a lust that burned in every cell in his body. And was he really accepting that all this was true?
He was. It all seemed irrefutable.
"You manipulative bastard," Lukan murmured under his breath.
Dmitri showed no sign of offense.
Lukan sighed and looked at his watch. It was long past three in the morning. "My marriage takes place tomorrow. Please, give me until then to decide what to do about you."
"If you like making things harder for yourself, then yes, I suppose you can wait. But it is not the wisest course, Crown Prince. It is no accident Lynx is beautiful. She is your personal temptress. Like your precious archives, she, too, has been designed to drive you crazy with lust. Being with her, knowing you could bed her, will only cloud your judgment."
"From the moment I saw her, I've wanted her," Lukan admitted, more to himself than to Dmitri. "Even if she is a Norin rebel."
"Choose badly, and your Norin rebel will become a symbol of hope to all the conquered," Dmitri warned. "People everywhere will look to her as an example of what can be achieved if one never gives up the fight."
Lukan shook his head in bemusement. "And she's here to marry me. When my father dies, she'll be empress. It's crazy."
"Aye." Dmitri drilled Lukan with a stern look. "But it's in your power to undo that craziness. Make your announcement to the high-born, and Lynx will turn from an enemy into an ally. She will help you dismantle the empire. In time, you will accept that she can never be yours, and you will become friends."
"Friends?" Lukan asked bitterly. "She's supposed to belong to me."
Dmitri exhaled a long-suffering sigh. "I've already told you, her heart belongs to Axel. It always has, long before any of you were even born. She will never be yours."
"Then why am I supposed to marry her?" Lukan shouted. It wasn't his fault Thurban had invaded Norin and murdered Dmitri. Why was he being made to pay for it?