The Flames of Deception - A Horizon of Storms: Book 1 (90 page)

“
But how do we go about
doing
that when we can’t get past those guards?”
Thadius asked.

“
I haven’t been
quite
as restricted in my movements,” Josephine
advised. “Though, I have not tried to go outside. I have spent a
great deal of my time in my chambers, or else with the emperor.”
She pondered a moment. “I have another meeting with Chalize
tomorrow,” she said. “I will talk with him about this.
Subtly
.”

“
And you think if you ask him he will tell you
the
truth?
” Thadius asked sceptically.

“
Perhaps not. But I might be able to find
something
out.” She shrugged.
“As long as that
Silar
isn’t peering over his shoulder at me, scrutinising
my
every
move.” She shivered. “There is something about that man
that
disturbs
me.”

“
He does have an
aura
about him,” Thadius agreed. “I don’t think he
likes you. At the meal the first night we were here, he was
practically challenging your every word.”

Josephine nodded. “I had noticed. But I tried to
ignore it to make headway with the emperor. For all the
good
it
did.”

“
Oh I don’t know. He seemed more relaxed around you
than when we first arrived,” Thadius said. “Perhaps
too
relaxed,” he
added.

“
Meaning?” she questioned.

Thadius scoffed. “Princess, I
know
you know what I’m talking of. When he
saw you at the meal he was
entranced
by you!”

Josephine’s cheeked flushed a little. “I was aware that he
kept staring,” she said.

“
And well he
should
have,” Thadius smiled and nodded. “You looked
radiant, princess.”

She
smiled and nodded. “Thank you. I must have looked a completely
different woman than when we first arrived here, after wandering
across Olindia caked in mud and wearing the same clothes day in and
out for weeks!”

Thadius grinned. “Well here you are, back to looking
yourself. Has he been as accommodating when you’ve seen him
again?”

Josephine nodded. “Quite so, though in truth, he
has always tried to steer the conversation to his own tastes.” She
shook her head. “And he is a little
too
familiar for my liking.”

Thadius bristled. “How do you mean? He hasn’t-”

“
No, no!” She raised a hand. “
Nothing
like
that
. But he
has
been laying on the charm as if he were luring
a
snake
from its
basket
.”

Thadius’s eyes narrowed. “Just as long as he doesn’t take
advantage of you princess.”

“
I don’t think he would
dare
,” Josephine responded. “He would risk too
much.” She smiled. “I can
handle
his advances, Thadius. Don’t you
worry.”

Thadius sat back again. “I always worry about you
princess.” He exhaled audibly. “As long as you can handle him.
Maybe another meeting like that and he
will
grow to trust you and then you will find
something more out.”

Josephine nodded hesitantly. “I would rather not
resort to flirting and fluttering my eyelashes at the man to
extract information,” she said. “Having said that, if it
works
, which, I am sad to say it seems to…” She shook her head
and raised a hand to the air. “We
have
to remember
why
we are here Thadius. This is
not
a royal visit! I can’t spend my
time
enjoying
myself when people are
dying
out there! We need his help to stop
Sikaris.” She swallowed. “What would Matthias do in my
shoes?”

“
He would lie and
scheme
to get what he wanted,” Thadius
smirked.

Josephine nodded, returning his smile. “Perhaps.
Then surely
I
must be willing to do the same, if we are to succeed. If I
have to I will
kiss
the man, if he will give me what I want
afterwards!”

“
I fear from what you’ve said that a
kiss
is not
all
he has in mind,”
Thadius replied. “Right now, the emperor holds
all
the cards princess. I fear he knows
it too. As much as we need to be quick, we have to be
careful
,” Thadius warned.

“
I
will
be. But I think we need to take more risks if we are to
move forward.” She placed a hand on his arm. “I am
so
glad you are here
Thadius. I couldn’t keep going without your
counsel.”

“
I’m just doing my duty, princess. You
know
that I am always
here for you.”

She sat back down opposite him. “Oh my. How far we
have come, you and I. But we have
much
farther to go yet. We will find a way out of this
situation I have placed us in. Whatever the emperor is up to,
it
can’t
be as bad as the threat of the dragon.”

Josephine raised her glass of wine and toasted it against
Chalize’s own glass. The dining room in which they sat alone was
illuminated with at least a hundred candles, reflecting off the
heavily gilded ornaments and canvas frames that smothered the room
in their gaudy glow. The table was bedecked with food: thick
noodles with vegetables and meats in rich, unusual tasting sauces;
rice spiced with what smelt like cinnamon, and a whole fish,
grilled and covered in slices of orange and lemon.

“
I am pleased we have had this chance to
speak
again,” the emperor
said to her and supped at his wine.

“
I am glad too,” Josephine smiled. She was wearing
a deep red dress than exposed her bosom and a purple sash tied
around her waist. Her hair was fastened back with a jewelled clasp,
given to her by the emperor two nights previously. “I have been
growing a little
lonely
the last day or so without your company.”

Chalize bowed. “My apologies. I have been
quite
busy. I had matters
of state to attend to that could not wait. What a
terrible
host I have
been.”

Josephine shook her head “Not at all. I
understand
completely
.”

“
No, it is not acceptable at
all
. Besides, it is not often I have
guests as
intriguing
as you.”

Josephine looked confusedly at him.
“
Intriguing?
Oh emperor, there is very
little
about me that would interest you!” she
chuckled.

“
On the
contrary
,” he advised. “You are an
entrancing
woman, Josephine.” He smiled at
her.

Josephine looked from him to her plate and
carefully arranged some of the vegetables on her fork. “That is
kind of you to say, emperor, but should you get to know me better I
am afraid I would disappoint you with how
ordinary
I
really
am.”

“
I do not think there is
anything
ordinary about you princess.” He
smiled, his eyes large and glistening as he stared at
her.

“
What makes you say that?” she asked.

“
There is something about you… it is your eyes,”
Chalize said slowly, studying her. She swallowed. “They have a
depth to them I have not seen in many people. And an
innocence
.” He shook his head. “I must confess when you first
arrived, I thought only of protecting my empire against what I
could only see was some kind of deception on your part. But over
the last few days I have come to see that you
were
telling the truth. That you
were
simply in the wrong
place at the wrong time.”

Josephine nodded. “I am glad that you see that
now,” she said. “I mean you no harm, emperor.
All
I want is peace, for
all
our nations.” She
sighed. “Which I am sad to say now looks distinctly unlikely,
whilst the dragon remains a threat.”

Chalize smiled as he twirled his fork around the
noodles on his plate. “Do not think I am
blind
to your attempts to move our discussions
in the direction of Sikaris,” he said with
amusement.

Josephine blinked in surprise. “I am sorry?” she feigned
ignorance.

Chalize laughed and swigged his wine, swirling it
around in his cheeks before swallowing. “You have talked
practically of nothing else since you arrived! You appear to be
a
great
many things, but
subtle
is not one of them.”

Josephine remained calm as she took a sip of her
own drink. “I suppose it is down to my experience with the
creature,” she responded. “Had you seen what it did, the
destruction the creature brought to people…” She shook her head.
“It
must
be stopped.”

“
Is
that why you came here?” he asked her. “To ask for my help to
defeat him?”

Josephine took a breath and then laid down her
cutlery. “As you desire the truth of the matter, then yes,
that
was
the case,” she said. “I was left stranded in Olindia, with
nowhere else to turn. My own people would fare little better than
Olindia against the dragon. But
you
have those mages.”

Chalize nodded. “And you hoped I would send them
out against the creature?” Josephine nodded. “What makes you think
they would stand any
chance
against him?”

“
I don’t. But they are the
only
other hope we have.” She leaned forward.
“Emperor,
you
could be the
saviour
of this world!
You
could rescue
so
many people from death!”

Chalize took another sip of his wine. “By risking
my
own
people?” he questioned.

“
You
cannot think that you will remain out of the line of fire forever?”
she asked.

“
Perhaps not,” he responded and then placed another spoonful
of rice into his mouth. “This is very good,” he commented. “I must
remember to praise the cook tonight.”

“
Emperor,” Josephine said, and placed a hand on his. “Will you
help?”

“
And what would I
get
in return for my generosity?” he
asked.

“
The gratitude of
every
country in Triska!” Josephine
advised.

“
Oh yes, but that would only last for
so
long, my dear. For
those countries that are further from current events, who
know
nothing
of the destruction I would have saved them from, my
influence would remain
just
as it
always
has.” He shook his head. “I would need something
more …
tangible
.”

“
Such as?” Josephine asked.

Chalize smiled, the crow’s feet at the corners of his eyes
growing as he did so. “Tell me, has your father promised you to
anyone yet? A prince, or lord, perhaps?”

Josephine raised her brow. “Am I
betrothed?
No.” She shook her
head. “My father no longer subscribes to that form of diplomacy
with other countries or nobles. My decision to marry is my own. Why
do you ask?”

Chalize toyed with his food. “Because you are
a
very
beautiful woman, princess. You are the ‘Jewel of the West’,
and that is
one
gemstone I would
gratefully
have in my collection.”