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and he had entered into the relationship with the caveat that marriage was not possible. She was from a noble house, and he would not unbalance the empire by giving favour to her family’s house.”
    Her attraction to him came down with a thud. “That is why the emperors always marry aliens. No political ties.”
    “Precisely. His father and grandfather made excellent matches. Their wives were useful and assets to the community.”
    Nexica turned her hand under Ari’s. “His family chooses good women. It is something that no one can doubt.”
    “Is everyone here used to the ruling family being elementals?”
    “It is the way it has always been. They keep our environment stable and we keep them in power.” Nexica smiled.
    “It seems fair. Does the emperor ever leave Hredu?”
    “No. He remains here to keep us strong, protected and breathing our own air. Air only moves on Hredu by the will of the emperor.”
    Nexica pulled back, but they were still connected by their moment.
    “Where did the Guardians come from?”
    Nexica shrugged. “Not all the emperors waited until they were married to begin having children. Their sons and daughters could not inherit, but they did carry the genes for the next generation to develop skills that bolstered the empire. They would not work for their father, but they did work with his brother, and he gave them appropriate positions of authority and respect.”
    Ari chuckled. “That is the sort of thing they don’t show on the history reels.”
    Ari put her tools away and clipped her kit closed with the table covered with drying parchments.
    Nexica giggled and went to turn down Ari’s bed.
    Ari followed her, working at her hands. “Can you manage to get me up half an hour early? I want to set those seals before I leave.”
    Nexica winked. “Yes, lady.”
    Ari shrugged off her robe and slid into the sheets. A good night’s sleep was all she needed.
     

Chapter Six
     
     
    The shout brought her upright in bed. She didn’t wake up easily, so it was not the first shout; that she was sure of.
    Ari slipped out of bed and crept to her kit, bringing out the knife she kept there for emergencies.
    The thuds and shouts continued outside her door, so she moved to the far corner of the room behind the vid screen, next to the door, and she formed up as still as possible. Her back was to the wall and her knife was at the ready.
    When the door broke open, she froze and held her breath. A fight was tumbling into her quarters and she stood back and watched as her guards were overpowered. The mercy seemed to be that they seemed to want to immobilize her guards rather than kill them. The men were still twitching on the ground when the six attackers eased into the bedroom with knives raised.
    Ari moved around the edge of the space and headed for the door. She ran into the hall and sprinted through the silent palace with her feet pattering on the marble.
    One place she would be safe, one place she thought she had a chance was the gardens.
     
    * * * *
     
    A knock on his door brought Usorn out of his dreams. “Emperor?”
    “Yes, Kloss?”
    “There has been a disturbance in the scribe’s quarters. Her door has been shattered.”
    Usorn roared in fury, blasting his windows wide and flying around the palace to the wall where Ariadne’s quarters were. He flexed his hand and ripped open her bedroom wall, from a distance. The men in her room froze when they saw him and were soon crushed against the walls.
    Usorn walked into the empty room and saw no blood on her bedding. He walked toward her guards and helped them sit up. “Where is she?”
    Jumic whispered one word and Usorn nodded. “Medical attention is on the way.”
    “What about the others?”
    “They do not need it.”
    Arol nodded and sighed with relief as he clutched his ribs.
    Usorn walked through the blood-spattered bedroom and flew out toward the gardens.
     
    * * * *
     
    With her knife at the ready, she got as far into the spiral as