Under darkened skies, p.5
Under Darkened Skies, page 5
“Isn’t that near your streetcar stop?”
She skimmed the rest of the article. It wasn’t ‘near’ her streetcar stop, but it wasn’t as far away as Astrea would’ve imagined either. Nobleman’s Hill was heavily patrolled by the emperor’s guards and police, so to have someone murdered near the district border—and no suspect in custody—was surprising. Terrifying. The city police and palace guards were supposed to be the best of the best. Kalama was, after all, the seat of imperial power. Not only was most of the royal family here, but so were many other families with power, including those serving in the Senate and on the Imperial Council. And they all lived in or near Nobleman’s Hill.
Could it really have been the rebels? Astrea peered down at the newspaper again.
“Just promise me you’ll be careful, alright?” Raela asked.
“Yes, of course I’ll be careful,” Astrea said as she set the paper down.
“Good.” Raela nodded, but the orange anxiety sparking around her didn’t dissipate. “I want both of you leaving before sundown tonight, workload be damned. Give yourselves plenty of time to get home.”
“I have to leave soon anyway, remember?” Serra said. “I have classes.”
“Right! Is it Friday already?” Raela sighed. “Leave when you need to, Serra. Astrea and I can handle things here this afternoon.”
As Serra abandoned the cart of books and made her way to the back offices, Raela straightened a handful of pens and notepads on the circulation desk.
“So, my note,” Astrea said. “The one I left you last night. I have news.”
“News?” Raela asked.
“It’s actually related to my work here.”
“You’re not quitting on me, are you?” Raela paused, then groaned. “Oh, please don’t tell me they’ve cut the budget again. I can’t run this place without you. We’re barely surviving as it is.”
Astrea shook her head. “No, nothing like that. The emperor invited me to a meeting.”
“Emperor Aelius?” Raela’s narrow eyebrows shot up.
Who else? Astrea thought. “Yes,” she said. “He’ll be sending you more information, but he wants me to start researching Novarian history for some diplomatic gala and exhibition he’s hosting in the autumn.”
Raela was quiet for a moment, but she finally said, “A gala and exhibition in the autumn?”
“He said it was about a Novarian delegation that’s coming—”
“Emperor Aelius has rarely been interested in our work, let alone exhibitions and such,” Raela said. “I wonder why he’s so interested in this.”
Astrea had been contemplating the same question since she left the palace. Emperor Aelius was not known for attending cultural events in the city, typically sending his children in his place. Eliana loved a good party, and Prince Kaius could never be outshone by his younger sister. Prince Apelo, the eldest of the four imperial siblings, was rarely in Kalama long enough to actually attend now that he was married with children. And there was, of course, Prince Varojin, but he didn’t live in Kalama anymore.
The emperor hosted monthly dinners and the occasional party at the palace, but this was different. This exhibition was publicly political, somehow related to Helosian-Novarian diplomatic relations. It was nothing like the groveling and politicking that went on behind closed doors. Astrea heard about most of it from Eliana, but she’d attended a few such events with both Eliana and Cressida in the past.
“Well, I suppose it doesn’t matter why he’s interested now,” Raela continued. “It’s not our job to ask why, simply what and how and when. Did he give you any other constraints or have any particular requests?”
Astrea shook her head. “No, just that he wants me to begin researching and that he’ll want another meeting down the road.”
“Then research you shall,” Raela said. “Get started whenever you’re ready, and let me know if you need any help. I can have Lena or Felix pull some books for you this weekend.”
“I will, thank you.”
“And Astrea?” Raela called as Astrea started toward the staircase to put her bag in her office.
She turned. “Yes?”
“I’m serious about you going home early tonight. You shouldn’t be out after dark.”
As it turned out, working in a library could be incredibly boring sometimes.
Astrea had managed to find several books on Novarian history, but the Great Library’s collection didn’t include that much on the small country. That probably shouldn’t have surprised Astrea, considering that the diplomatic relations between the Helosian Empire and the Grand Duchy of Novaria had been fraught for the last several centuries. Things had improved somewhat with ongoing trade agreements in the last few decades, but Novaria and Helosia’s mutual history was . . . bloody. War didn’t seem like an ideal topic for what was supposed to be a friendly event.
Instead, Astrea had spent most of the day reshelving books. Patrons were always leaving tomes scattered around the library, and then there were the carts of books being returned from their loan out. Important to keep the library organized? Definitely. Often repetitive and boring? Absolutely. She hadn’t even gotten to see what was in that crate Raela had ordered.
So when Astrea finally stepped out onto the library’s massive front steps and into the early evening breeze, she closed her eyes and sighed. Blush pink and dusty lavender painted the sky. She still had a good hour before darkness settled over the city, and she could make it back to Cressida’s house in less time than that.
The plaza outside the library was quiet, as it usually was at this time. A few university students sat on the benches surrounding the ornate fountain in the middle of the plaza, and Astrea spotted a handful of people exiting the stores on the other side of the street. Somehow, the Scholar’s District was always peaceful, especially compared to the rest of the city. Despite her work in the library being boring sometimes, Astrea loved how quiet this part of Kalama was. It was a chance for her magic to take a break and her mind to stop trying to sort through what everyone else was feeling.
As Astrea reached the sidewalk, a sleek emerald car pulled up to the curb, the gold-tinted hubcaps flashing despite the sinking sun. Astrea took two steps back. Who would be coming to the library this late in the day? Raela was inside locking up for the night.
The car’s rear passenger window rolled down, revealing a pair of bright golden eyes. “Az!”
Princess Eliana Auris flung the car’s door open and stepped out, the dark waves of her hair fluttering in the evening breeze. She was several inches shorter than Astrea, and though they both had curvy figures, Eliana was nearly a perfect hourglass shape. Besides, what Eliana lacked in height she made up for in sheer presence alone. Whether she was walking into a crowded ballroom or quiet café, Eliana could command anyone’s attention. Her driver had just hopped out of the front seat to get the door for her, but she waved him off.
Cressida grinned as she slid out from behind Eliana. “I figured Our Highness here could help us get to our destination in style.”
Astrea’s eyes narrowed. “And what, exactly, is our destination?”
“The Whiskey Dream.”
“And before you say anything,” Eliana added, cutting off Astrea’s groan, “Cressida already told me everything. My father’s an ass, but let’s forget about all of that and get you drunk.”
“Cress, when you said we’d go out tonight, I thought you meant for dinner,” Astrea said. She had no plans to get drunk, though it was a favorite pastime for many Kalamians. So were gambling, dancing, and revelry in general. “Don’t you think I’m a little underdressed for this?”
“Oh, nonsense. You’re dressed perfectly for the occasion,” Eliana said, slipping her arm through Astrea’s.
Eliana’s dress was similar to Astrea’s from its transparent sleeves to the skirt falling halfway down her shins. Where Astrea’s was lavender with embroidered flowers, though, Eliana’s was a bold crimson dusted with sparkles. And though Astrea was in flat brogues, Eliana wore delicate gold heels that glinted in the setting sun. As always, she looked amazing. Cressida was wearing her own signature style for a night out: half a dozen glittering stone bracelets at her wrists and a sleek sleeveless dress in a deep blue that popped against her copper complexion.
“I didn’t even wear jewelry,” Astrea said, a halfhearted attempt at changing her friends’ minds. Once Cressida and Eliana came up with a plan, it was hard to convince them to change course. “And my hair is probably a mess.”
“Here,” Cressida said, sliding two bracelets from her left wrist. One was silver studded with a row of polished amethyst stones, and the other was a delicate gold chain dotted with opals. “Take these.”
Astrea fastened the bracelets on her wrist, then pinned Eliana with a look. “You’re fixing my hair on the way.”
Eliana squealed. “Deal!”
Cressida was already climbing into the back of the car, Eliana following. Astrea glanced over her shoulder at the library. Raela’s warning about going home before dark whispered through Astrea’s mind, but she tried to push the worry away as she climbed into the car. If she was going to be safe with anyone, it was with one of the heirs to the throne.
Chapter 6
In the heart of the imperial capital, the Whiskey Dream club was the place to be on a Friday night. The dimly-lit space was a sea of bodies dripping in silks and glittering jewels. Chandeliers sparkled above, but the heavy red drapes and black-painted walls absorbed the little light they gave off. The smell of blue lotus—the expensive, potent drug popular among the upper echelons of Kalamian society—choked the air, a guarantee that, one way or another, the patrons’ heads would be swimming before the night ended.
“You alright?” Cressida asked as she followed Astrea through the crowd.
“Yes,” Astrea replied over her shoulder. “Fine.”
A woman at a nearby card table shouted, though whether it was an excited or angry sound, Astrea couldn’t be sure. She flinched and focused on Eliana ahead of them. Nicos had joined them outside the Whiskey Dream as soon as their car pulled up, and he was now clearing their way toward the bar.
Crowds were a challenge for Astrea’s magic. Emotions coming at her from every direction weren’t easy to manage, sift through, and understand. She wanted to shut it down, to rein her magic in until she felt nothing at all, but the few times she’d tried had given her a headache. There was no stopping it.
“You sure?” Cressida asked.
“I’ll be fine.” The little control Astrea did have over her magic let her block out a portion of the room. She’d always imagined it to be a sort of bubble, one she could expand and contract if she tried. Though Astrea couldn’t shut out everything, she could pull that bubble in toward herself until she only experienced the emotions of those within a ten-foot radius.
“Come on,” Eliana said, turning around to grab Astrea’s hand. “Let’s get you a drink.”
The crowd parted as club goers realized who was in their midst. The Whiskey Dream, with its shared border of Nobleman’s Hill and the Market District, attracted a certain crowd; it was a high-end club for big spenders. Most of the other people here were either noble by birth or marriage, or their families simply had money. Astrea had only been here a handful of times, but the other patrons respected Eliana’s space and presence. They were her peers, after all. Getting on her bad side could mean their downfall at court.
Astrea followed Eliana to the oval-shaped bar set near the back half of the club. A wall splitting the middle of the bar was lined with shelves of liquor bottles in every color and size imaginable. Several bartenders dressed in crisp black and white uniforms circled the bar, taking orders and making drinks. Eliana waved at one, a heavyset man with sand-hued skin and curly blond hair. He smiled, nodded, and pulled out three cocktail glasses.
“Did you just order for us?” Astrea asked, half-amused as a few patrons bowed to Eliana and vacated their seats. Nicos ignored the empty seat on Eliana’s right, instead standing just behind her. Astrea and Cressida sat on her left. “How often are you here, Ellie?”
Eliana batted her eyelashes, then gathered her skirts and lifted herself onto her barstool. “You know my father encourages us to go into the city.”
“And besides,” Cressida said, leaning on the bar and twisting one of her bracelets, “it’s the perfect place to meet with her contemporaries. The young, upcoming, and upstanding citizens of the Helosian Empire.”
Cressida’s voice was half-teasing, half-serious, but she wasn’t wrong. The crowd was mostly made up of people around their own age, though a few seemed to be closer to Saros’s generation, and some older still. Most people here were amused or eager, especially those sitting around the card tables to one side of the club. Next to that was a small stage where a tan woman in a glittering, short-hemmed dress was singing with a band, her voice deep and sweet. On the other side of the club were sofas, settees, armchairs, and cocktail tables, and beyond that were several doors and a set of stairs leading up to a mezzanine. The lights of an elevator lit up next to the stairs, then opened as a person in a wheelchair exited the lift.
As Astrea settled into her seat at the bar, she pulled her magic in closer toward her body and started to relax. Asking Eliana where Emperor Aelius had gotten the idea to hire Astrea and Cressida had crossed Astrea’s mind, but now didn’t seem like the time or place for that conversation.
“So, are you going with me to Solstice Night this year?” Eliana asked as she leaned over the bar.
“You think I wouldn’t?” Cressida asked.
“I know you will.” Eliana fixated on Astrea. “But what about you?”
Solstice Night. It was a night of celebration, with giant bonfires lit across the city and empire to welcome the official start of summer. As the imperial princess, Eliana always attended, as did Kaius and Apelo. The emperor even made an appearance most years, though he never stayed long. Astrea and Cressida usually attended as Eliana’s guests.
“You must come so you can see my gown,” Eliana continued. “I think it’s the best one I’ve picked yet.”
“Oh?” Cressida smiled. “Let me guess what color it is.”
Eliana stuck her tongue out. “It’s tradition for the imperial family to wear red,” she said. “But I got something extra special this year.”
“Are you going to give us a hint?” Astrea asked.
“No, because then you won’t come to see it.”
Astrea twisted the bracelets on her wrist and rolled her eyes. “You know I’m going to go, Ellie.” She didn’t love the festival—it was crowded, loud, and difficult to control her magic in—but if Eliana wanted her there, she could at least make an appearance.
“Well I’m still not telling you. Just know that it’s going to be a showstopper.”
“Right,” Cressida said, “because it wouldn’t be a truly magical event unless the papers write a story about you.”
“It’s good for the economy,” Eliana replied with a demure shrug. “I buy from Kalamian dressmakers, the newspapers report it, and then those same dressmakers get more business. Besides,” she continued, a wicked smile spreading across her painted lips, “I can’t very well let Kaius get the attention.”
“Skies forbid Prince Kaius gets some press.” Nicos had finally spoken up, and though his tone was teasing, Astrea knew what they were all thinking. Prince Kaius Auris didn’t need any press attention; his ego was already bigger than was good for him.
“Your Imperial Highness.”
Two men had seemingly materialized at Eliana’s side. The one who spoke was handsome, and his dark brown eyes seemed familiar and warm. His companion, a man with copper eyes, looked on with cool indifference.
“Oh, Lord Diallo,” Eliana said. Her shoulders pushed back slightly as she smiled. “Bernard. How are you? How’s your father?”
That’s where I know him from. Bernard Diallo, the younger son of the Duke Diallo. Bernard had held the door open for Astrea earlier that morning at the palace, and she was sure she’d met him here before. She still didn’t know who the other man was, though she’d seen him that morning too. A well-dressed guard, perhaps? Or a rich friend?
Bernard smiled, one dimple appearing in his left cheek. “He’s well, thank you, Your Imperial Highness. I wonder,” he said, eyes darting to Astrea and Cressida, “might I pull you away from your friends for a moment? We have business to discuss.”
To Eliana’s credit, her smile never faltered despite the rusty annoyance spiking around her. That was Eliana, though, always playing the role of princess when she needed to. She was kind to everyone she encountered, and Eliana somehow both attracted attention and commanded privacy at the same time. Still, that kind of presence wouldn’t stop an eager young nobleman if he saw an opening.
“Of course,” Eliana said. She turned back to her friends. “I’ll be back shortly, alright?” When Astrea nodded, Eliana looked up at Nicos, then back to Bernard. “Shall we?”
As Eliana, Nicos, Bernard, and the unknown man all disappeared into the crowd, Astrea finally turned back to Cressida. “Well, now what?” she asked, and Cressida grinned.
“First, we take our drinks.”
The bartender had returned with three drinks in short-stemmed glasses. The liquid was a vibrant pink, and when Astrea lifted her glass toward the dim lights behind the bar, she saw gold floating in the cocktail.
“Just try it, miss,” the bartender said, his thin lips pulling into a smile. “Her Imperial Highness orders it for a reason.”
A bartender’s word wouldn’t normally inspire confidence in Astrea; she didn’t drink much alcohol aside from wine at dinner. But Eliana had good taste, and Cressida was already bringing her glass to her lips. Astrea lifted hers, breathing in the lush scent of raspberries and clear liquor. She took a sip. It was surprisingly light and smooth despite the slight burn of alcohol.
“So,” Cressida said as Astrea swallowed another mouthful of the cocktail, “how are you doing, really?” She leaned against the bar.
