I Married the Emperor to Kill Him novel · Chapter 17 of 24

Chapter 17: No Lies Left

"Yes, Highness," the captain said, louder, as if he had only just heard himself. "He was outside it."

Every face in the yard went up to the gallery.

Severen did not step back from the rail.

Cassien had to give him that.

"My lords," Severen said, warm and sorry. "The captain breathed smoke for an hour that night. I would forgive him anything."

"Then he can say so to my father," said the Princess of Ostrel.

She did not raise her voice, and she did not need to.

She turned to Corvain.

"Chancellor. If one of those ropes moves, I ride for my father's army within the hour."

"And I will tell him the Chancellor of Valdrecht hanged the one man who climbed that tower behind my betrothed."

Corvain's mouth opened and shut.

The white-bearded duke from the banquet had stepped away from him.

So had the one with the scarred chin.

"In the interests of peace," Corvain said at last, very softly, "the Chancellor withdraws article nine."

"The forty go into my aunt's keeping," Isandor said. "Now."

Ilvessa was already coming through the gate with forty men in imperial black.

When Cassien looked up again, the gallery rail was empty.

Severen had gone.

Isandor crossed the sand to Cassien.

He said nothing.

He lifted the rope off Cassien's neck with his good hand, slowly.

His fingers were shaking.

He dropped the rope in the sand and put his palm flat on Cassien's chest, over his heart, the way he had in the forest.

"Still going," Cassien said.

"Shut up," Isandor said. "Just for a moment. Shut up."

So Cassien did.

The captain caught him at the barracks gate while Ilvessa's men cut the forty loose.

He went down on one knee, and Cassien could not get him up.

"I should have said it in the spring, Highness. I thought he'd gone back in. I thought he burned for us."

"So did I."

"I lit candles."

"So did I," Cassien said. "Get up. You're too old to kneel in mud."

The captain laughed, and it came out wrong, and Cassien held on to him until it came out right.

It was night before Cassien had his husband alone.

Isandor had spent the day with the dukes in the council room.

Cassien had spent it with forty men eating soup in Ilvessa's dining hall, while she and Maelis judged their manners.

When Cassien came into the Emperor's chamber, Isandor was standing at the garden door in his shirt, checking the bar.

His arm was out of its sling, though it should not have been.

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