Healer's Touch (2 page)

“The emperor will be along shortly,” said the guard from Lev’s.

Marius laughed. This was all a joke, surely. The emperor would not have come personally for his mother; if she were truly in trouble, he’d have sent his guards for her. “The
Kjallan
emperor?”

The guard gave him a look. “What other emperor is there?”

The Kjallan emperor—ridiculous.

His mother stared straight ahead, stony-faced, wringing her hands in her lap. His father, as always, was an open book, his face etched with worry lines, but he did not seem surprised. That was the oddest thing about this affair. Marius’s parents seemed to have expected this to happen. Even
planned
for it.

Marius tried something else. “May I have some water?”

After a moment’s hesitation, one of the guards looked around the kitchen, spied the water pitcher, and poured him a glass. He set it in front of Marius. “Here, sir.”

Sir.
Marius almost laughed. He lifted the glass and drained half of it.

All at once, the guards shifted, turning toward the front entryway and dipping their heads as another man entered the room. This, Marius supposed, was the emperor, or at least someone pretending to be the emperor. He was average in height. In fact, Marius probably had an inch on him. The emperor, if indeed that was who he was, was black-haired and fine-featured. He didn’t look much like his profile on the Kjallan tetral.

The emperor was known to be crippled, but this man wasn’t limping. Marius looked down at the man’s feet and saw a normal boot on the right, leather and mud-spattered. On the left was a sort of wooden shoe. He’d heard that One-Legged Lucien walked with the aid of a prosthetic. Was he looking at that famous prosthetic now?

The supposed emperor turned to his mother. “Sabina,” he said, holding out his hand.

Marius let out his breath in relief. This was a mistake. Sabina was not his mother’s name. These people, whether imperials or charlatans, had come to the wrong house.

His mother stiffened and planted her hands in her lap, refusing to clasp wrists. “You’re too late. He’s grown up, and you can’t have him. He’s no use to you, anyway. He’s got no education and no magic.”

Marius blinked, stunned by this response.

The supposed emperor turned to his father and again offered his arm. “Anton.”

Marius’s father lowered his eyes, but he extended his hand and clasped wrists.

Now the man turned to Marius himself. “Your name, sir?”

Marius reached out and clasped his wrist. “Marius. But I think you’ve come to the wrong house. Those aren’t their names.”

“It’s the right house,” said the emperor. “And those
are
their names. It’s wonderful to meet you, Marius. I’m Lucien Florian Nigellus, emperor of Kjall. You and I are cousins.”

Marius gaped.

“You can’t have him,” said his mother.

Lucien’s gaze slid in her direction. “I think he’s old enough to make his own decisions.”

Marius reeled in his seat, catching himself just in time to avoid falling out of it. He and the emperor were
cousins
? How was that possible?

Lucien turned to him. “Your mother never told you, but she’s a full sister to my predecessor, Florian Nigellus Gavros.”

Marius shook his head. “I think you’ve made a mistake. Her name is Camilla Brosus...” He hesitated. Maybe he shouldn’t be sharing these details.

“She changed it before you were born,” said Lucien. “She’s been in hiding for decades. Haven’t you, Sabina?”

His mother—Sabina?—stared balefully at the emperor.

“I’ve found your sister,” said Lucien. “A couple of guards are watching her house. They’ll go in once we’re done here.” He gestured to his guards and nodded at Marius. “I’d like to speak with you alone.”

“No!” cried his mother.

The emperor ignored her. A pair of guards directed Marius out of his chair. He rose and followed them.

“Marius, he’s not a friend!” called his mother as he walked from the kitchen to the entryway in the company of the emperor and a pair of Legaciatti.

They led him out of the house, where the grand carriage awaited. A footman opened the carriage door. Marius was closer to the vehicle than he had been earlier, and he looked for signs of fakery. Perhaps the lamps were cheap glass instead of crystal. Might a thin layer of gold plating be flaking off the trim? But he saw nothing of the sort. Everything looked genuine, and when he laid his hand on the carriage door, he felt its weight and its smoothness as it swung on its hinges. And those stunning dapple grays—equine quality could not be faked.

He was convinced. Everything was real, and that meant the emperor had to be real, too.

Emperor Lucien stepped into the carriage. Marius hesitated, and the guard gave him a gentle nudge. Marius had never ridden in a carriage before. He climbed awkwardly through the door.

The carriage was enormous on the inside and could easily have seated eight. Since he and Lucien were the only ones within, Marius took the seat across from the emperor. He sank deeply into the cushions and struggled for a moment to right himself. He was used to firmer seats. Was this what luxury was like, always throwing one off balance? The footman closed the door behind them, granting them privacy. Marius was alone with the emperor of Kjall. He shoved his hands into his pockets so that their trembling wouldn’t show.

“I’m going to tell you a story,” said Lucien. “Once upon a time, long before I was born, my grandfather Nigellus was emperor. He had two children, a boy named Florian and a girl named Sabina.”

Marius made a strangled noise.

Lucien continued. “Nigellus arranged marriages for both of his children. Florian married as Nigellus directed him and had four children, of which I am the third. But Sabina did not like the man Nigellus had chosen for her. She had fallen in love with another man, a humble upholsterer named Anton who had done some work in the palace.”

“My father is a carpenter, not an upholsterer,” said Marius.

“Let me finish my story,” said Lucien. “Sabina eloped with Anton and fled into the countryside. Nigellus tried to find her, but his health was failing, and he died before he could locate her. My father, Florian, ascended the throne, and once established, he resumed the search. He found Sabina and Anton in the city of Rodgany, and they had a child with them—a three-year-old daughter.”

Marius let his breath out. This was all wrong. His parents had never lived in Rodgany, and he was the eldest child. Laelia was two years younger than he.

“Florian left Sabina and Anton where they were, but he took the daughter. You have
two
sisters, Marius. Not one.”

He shook his head. “I’ve always been the eldest.”

“You have never met Rhianne,” said Lucien gently. “She was raised in the imperial palace and is now the Queen of Mosar.”

Marius stared at him, dumbstruck. He had an older sister, and she was a queen? No, that could not be true. “You’ve got the wrong family—”

“I don’t,” said Lucien. “I’ve been searching for years, and I’m certain I’ve found the people I’m looking for. You are my cousin. You are also Florian’s nephew and Rhianne’s full brother. Rhianne has wondered for years whether her parents had more children after Florian stole her, but they moved away from Rodgany and changed their names, even their professions. They did not want to be found again.”

“Why?” Marius blurted.

Lucien leaned back in his seat. “Because they didn’t want their children taken away a second time.”

“You’re saying they moved and changed their identities because of me and Laelia?”

“They didn’t want to lose you. I promised Rhianne that I would find you, if you existed. All her life, she has missed her parents and wondered about possible siblings. Florian raised Rhianne with every advantage of education and position and wealth, but in other ways he was not good to her. She’s in Mosar now, and far happier than she was here. She will be happier still if she can be reunited with her long-lost family. And Marius, you and your sister belong at the palace. Your mother says you’re not educated. Is that true?”

“I’m a journeyman apothecary. I work for Appius—”

“Do you know your letters?”

“No, but...” He’d never needed them, and never thought he would. Appius couldn’t read either. His cheeks heated as realized how provincial he must seem to this man. When Lucien said
educated
, he didn’t mean someone who had learned a trade. He meant someone with a formal education, a scholar like they had at the universities. Marius couldn’t even read a street sign.

“I can fix all that,” said Lucien.

“You’re asking me to go with you to the Imperial Palace—”

“I’m not asking,” said Lucien.

Marius looked into those hard black eyes. His mother’s fears had been justified. The emperor
did
mean to take him away, and apparently Marius wasn’t going to have a say in the matter. He glanced out the carriage windows. Could he escape? Probably not with all those guards watching. Did he
want
to escape? He wasn’t sure.

“I never knew your mother,” said Lucien. “She fled from Nigellus before I was born, and we met for the very first time today. I don’t know why she made the choices she did, but Marius, those choices have greatly limited your opportunities in life. When she separated you from the rest of your family, she denied you the education and the magic that should have been your birthright—”

“I don’t want them,” said Marius.

“Are you certain? You’re an apothecary. What led you to choose that calling?”

He shrugged. “I like to help people.”

“How effective are your herbs and poultices?”

Marius bit his lip. For most conditions, not very.

“What if you augmented the skill you already possess with the magic of a Healer?” continued Lucien. “Think how much more you could do.”

Marius was silent. He knew Healers could help the people that apothecaries couldn’t. All his life, he’d envied those rare few with healing magic. The emperor had known just where to poke him to make him hurt. And to yearn for more.

“I’m taking you back with me to Riat,” said Lucien. “But I won’t break up your family. All of you will come: you, your sister, and your parents.”

He swallowed. “My sister’s...friend...may give you some trouble.”

“If a situation develops, my guards will handle it,” said Lucien. “Let’s get started, shall we? It’s time this family was reunited. Did you know your sister Rhianne has children? You’re an uncle, and you didn’t even know it.”

Marius couldn’t respond. He felt as if a dust devil had descended upon Osler, picked up the pieces of his life, and whirled them into the air, scattering them hopelessly.

Chapter 2

After Lucien left to fetch Laelia, Marius was permitted to gather his things from his apartment atop the apothecary—under guard. While his parents rummaged through their home, making a more thorough packing job than the rucksacks, Marius returned to the apothecary in the company of two Legaciatti. He would be sorry to leave this place behind. Appius, the old master, wasn’t getting any younger, and Marius was certain the man had meant to retire and leave the business to Marius within the next few years. Now Appius would have to start over with a new apprentice.

He sorted through his clothes, picking out the nicer items. When was he going to wake up and realize this was all a dream, or perhaps some kind of nightmare? Lucien had asked him to pack lightly; most of his things would be replaced in Riat. The emperor meant to dress him in imperial silks, apparently, but Marius doubted he would ever feel comfortable in fancy clothes. Put a mule in a fancy harness, and it was still a mule. How could a village hayseed like himself ever pass for an imperial? It wasn’t just the clothes he lacked. He didn’t have the right mannerisms, the right education, or even the right accent. The courtiers at the palace would laugh at him.

In coming here to take them from Osler, was Lucien rescuing his family or destroying them? His mother saw Lucien as a villain, but Marius wasn’t sure anymore. She’d lied to Marius all his life. She’d claimed to be illiterate, but if she’d been raised in the Imperial Palace as the daughter of an emperor, she’d have been educated as such. That meant she could have taught him to read and write if she’d chosen to. How much did she know, how much talent did she possess, that she’d never offered to share with him? Why had she never told him the truth about his family?

He had, for the most part, been happy in Osler. He liked his job and his family. He would confess he was a bit lonely and anxious about his prospects for marriage. The selection of young women in Osler was limited. He’d courted two young ladies in succession, but hadn’t fallen in love with either of them. After witnessing all his life the deep love his parents felt for each other, he knew he would settle for nothing less in his own marriage, and at twenty-two, he was starting to feel old for a bachelor.

He’d packed everything he wanted, and the travel chest was only half full. Pathetic. He closed it, and one of the guards stepped forward. “I’ll get that, sir.”

“Thanks,” said Marius, bemused.
Sir.

He followed the guard out of his apartment, down the steps, and along the dirt road to where the carriage waited.

His mother’s forbidden love was the cause of all this mess. She had fallen in love with the wrong man—at least, one her father didn’t approve of. But there was no sense being angry with her for leaving the imperial palace. If she had not eloped with his father, Marius himself would never have been born. Neither would Laelia, or apparently Rhianne.
Wait a minute, I’m half noble and half commoner.
Would he be scorned for that? Perhaps not. Lucien didn’t seem to care, and his sister Rhianne had done well enough, marrying the king of Mosar.

Maybe the villain of this saga was neither Lucien nor his mother, but long-dead Nigellus, who’d tried to force an unwanted marriage on his daughter. Perhaps a single ill act spilled over from generation to generation, unstoppable, like a waterfall over rocks.

At the carriage, Marius clasped wrists with the emperor. “Your Imperial Majesty, are you going to break up their marriage?”