The Imperators Spy, Part 30
A Perilous Journey
By the time we reached the front gate, the evacuation had already started, so our exit was delayed, not by the guards, as I feared it might be, but by the large number of people swarming through the courtyard.
Audaxius could have asserted his authority to clear a path for himself, but he didn’t. I’d always thought his willingness to ignore protocol that placed him on a high level was a mark of his leadership skill and compassion. But now that I suspected him of being corrupted by the same forces that had claimed his brother, sister-in-law, and nephew, I was more tempted to see it as some kind of manipulation. Was he trying to win popular favor so that he could more easily become imperator and perpetuate the same rotten system?
“You will come with us,” said Audaxius as we finally got out of the gate. “My home will be a better place to plan without distraction than the palace could possibly be now.”
“But if you are now acting imperator, should you not use the palace as your headquarters?” I asked, watching him carefully for any sign of the evil I suspected lay within him. I saw none, but he had a tremendous amount of self-discipline, as he had demonstrated over and over. Even now, his heartbeat and breathing betrayed no reaction to the turmoil all around us.
Audaxius nodded. “That would have been my preference. But there is no way to tell when that demon will run out of the energy it gained from Sanctimonia’s sacrifice. When it does, my brother will be free to pursue us. And none of us will do the imperium any good from a dungeon cell.”
I couldn’t argue with that logic, but I’d always thought of Audaxius is the kind of person who would have stayed and fought rather than making a strategic retreat. In what other ways might I have been wrong about him?
“I fear your brother will not be deterred by putting a few blocks between him and us,” said Harena, glancing back toward the palace.
“True enough, but our men are loyal, and rumors detrimental to my brother’s continuation in power are already spreading. Many guards witnessed his attempt to arrest me illegally and to declare himself free of any legal restraints. No doubt, at least a few of them talked. Is that not true, Sharp-Eye?”
His question caught me by surprise. I might be a master of intelligence gathering, but how could I possibly know the answer to that question? I quickly realized the truth. He knew that I didn’t have that information yet. He wanted me to listen and discern what the disorderly masses around us were talking about.
Even for someone with hearing as keen as mine, focusing on individual conversations was difficult when there was so much extraneous noise. Fortunately, I had been trained to do exactly that.
“Rumors do indeed abound,” I replied. “But not all of them are accurate.”
I couldn’t help noticing that a number of people nearby, in spite of their obvious panic, were becoming more aware of the presence of Audaxius and his family. Some even changed course to follow him, presumably because they assumed he was going to someplace safe.
As far as I could tell, no place in the capital was safe. But I couldn’t very well say that to any of them while Audaxius was so near. I might not say it, anyway. As yet, I had no proof against the princeps.
In any case, I had a more pressing issue, one that started to make my heart beat faster despite my best efforts to keep its beat even.
“Highness, we must attempt to rescue Moon-Ray before it is too late. I was on my way to do just that when the imperator intercepted me.”
“I remember what you said to me earlier,” replied Audaxius. “I would not see Moon-Ray come to harm. In fact, I have much need of her here. But if Tyrannus has her at the villa in Urbs Victoriae, you will not be able to rescue her easily. My nephew can turn all the protective magic of the place against you if he so chooses. You may not even be able to enter the grounds. And circumstances being as they are, I cannot leave the capital to help you get past that magic.”
“I can go with him,” said Amicus. “I also have access to the security precautions and should be able to open the way for him.”
“We have no idea how powerful Tyrannus may have become,” said Harena, her tone hard as rock. “And if he is as compromised as you suggest, I will not let my son become his next victim.”
Both Harena and I looked toward Audaxius, but he didn’t immediately respond. Instead, he quickened his pace as if he might run away from the question. But it would hound him wherever he went, no matter how fast he went.
Just as Harena’s frustration became noticeable from her accelerate heart rate, Audaxius slowed his steps and turned to us.
“If Tyrannus is indeed compromised, then I am effectively imperator, and Amicus is my heir. That should be enough reason to keep him here. But unfortunately, Tyrannus is likely to oppose us. We cannot afford to allow him time to recruit followers from among the guard and the army.”
“If he must go, then I shall join him,” said Harena.
“Risking a son is bad enough,” replied Audaxius with surprising gentleness. “Must I now risk a wife as well?”
“By going, I lessen Amicus’s risk,” she said firmly. “And in any case, I help you here more by my absence than my presence. You know as well as I that some of the senatorial families have never accepted me. They don’t need to be reminded of me as you try to persuade them to support you.”
“Your argument has merit,” admitted Audaxius, shifting back to a more official tone. “However, if both of you are going, I am sending a large guard detachment with you.”
“Will you not need every warrior you can get?” asked Harena.
“Not as much as you will need them. Sharp-Eye, we have a portal that can be used to access any of the imperial residences, just as the palace did. You will use that as soon as we assemble the guards.
I didn’t waste a moment being surprised by yet another hidden fixed portal of which I had no knowledge, even though someone should have briefed me on the portal system.
I was eager to get to Moon-Ray before it was too late. Audaxius was determined to protect his family. I couldn’t blame him, but once we reached his modestly decorated home, he took an inordinately long time adjusting the arrangements. Never in my entire life had I felt so impatient. But I knew it would do me no good.
By the time we finally got down to the portal, fifty guards trailed after us—an unusually large number by an standard. But who knew what we find in Urbs Victoriae? I might have preferred an operation that rested more on stealth than on numbers, but I didn’t try to argue that point.
As the portal’s silver glow flared, Audaxius looked at me intently. “Bring them back safely.”
I felt as if an enormous weight had settled on my shoulders, and I was confused about how to react. Should I feel honored by the trust he placed on me or irked that he didn’t place the responsibility on the senior guard, who by protocol should have been the one responsibility for the safety of the party?
“I will do everything I can,” I replied. I was normally good at modulating my voice, but this time it sounded hollow, even to me.
Audaxius nodded, but his face had no real expression, so it was hard to tell what he was thinking. I didn’t really have time to worry about that. What I should be focusing on was staying alert to the inevitable danger we were about to walk into.
After passing through the portal, we found ourselves in what was no doubt a hidden chamber somewhere in the villa. Amicus and Harena knew the layout of the place, so I wasn’t worried about finding my way to Tyrannus.
What I was worried about was the intense magic pulsing through the door. It was clearly demonic, and it was designed to hold the door shut as securely as any lock.
I felt confident that I could break the spell with my Animaan magic. My real concern was what its presence signified.
Tyrannus knew we were coming.