Tarth City, Palace District
Imperial Palace, Office of Her Majesty Rheyn Destoiya
When Empress Destoiya strode into the outer office where Alitus had once sat, a droning buzz of voices silenced. As one, the dozen Members of the Commons and Lords waiting there bowed. She inclined her head, and continued to her office.
Her personal android guardian, Prentice, preceded her, and he shut the door firmly behind her.
She stripped off gloves as she sat. "What's keeping Alitus? I sent for him twenty minutes ago. He should have been here by now."
Prentice tilted his head like a dog hearing a high-pitched whistle.
She tapped her fingers on the desk while he connected himself with the network of android servants within the palace security system. Damned disconcerting when he did that. It put her in mind of some overreaching machine-like god being prayed to. In truth, Prentice, Uurah, McDoth, and other androids serving the Sempervians were as far above Tarthian androids as she was above amoeba. Pietas, their maker, had claimed they had souls.
"Maybe he is praying."
"Your pardon, Majesty?"
"Er, nothing, Prentice. Well? Did you find him?"
"Yes." He widened his stance. "I've sent someone to collect him. He was being detained."
"Detained by whom? Everyone in the palace knows him."
"Not in a veil, they don't. The Parliament security forces have him. They recognized Alitus as a Better, not as an imperial minister."
She pushed back her chair as she stood. "Parliament security has no authority here."
"They have full authority to protect the men and women waiting in your assistant's office." Prentice indicated the door.
"I want the name of the person responsible for this action. Someone should have ensured a list of all Betters working in the palace was routed to the--" She broke off as Prentice picked up a reader on her desk and handed it to her. She hesitated, reached out, and took it. She thumbed it on and perused the ID of the Betters on her staff. She narrowed her eyes at him. "Why is this on my desk?"
"Your signature is required before palace personnel information can be released." He held out a stylus. "Apparently, you're the one responsible."
With a growled murmur, she initialed it and handed it back to him. "How much longer till Alitus gets here?"
Prentice took three steps to the door and opened it.
Alitus almost fell inside, his hand outstretched for the knob. He drew himself up and tugged his jacket into place. "I hate when you do that."
Prentice rubbed a thumb across his wide lower lip. "I'll be outside if you need me." He bowed from the room, closing the door behind him.
Destoiya turned her attention to Alitus. "Where have you been?"
He gestured toward the door. "I was--"
"Never mind." She waved a hand in dismissal. "There's a crisis at Parliament."
"Yes, I know. The dead police."
How does he always know these things? "I want you to hold a press conference and issue a personal appeal. You're the best known Better in the empire. You're constantly seen at my side. I want you to ask Betters to veil, and obey the law."
He dragged a hand back through his pale hair. "I was hoping no one would ask me anything about this."
"No one has." Destoiya handed him a chip. "I'm telling you what to say."
Alitus slipped the chip into his note reader and skimmed the information. While he did, she folded her arms and waited, tapping her fingers against her woolen sleeve. She smoothed the sash and straightened one of her medals.
Alitus lowered the reader, and closed his eyes.
"Well?" she prompted. "How soon can you present this?"
He didn't respond right away, keeping his eyes closed as he wet his lips.
"For your own safety, Alitus, you must obey me. If this backlash against Betters continues, every unveiled Better will be a target. Or anyone who's beautiful enough to be mistaken for one."
"Majesty, you're asking me to say things I don't believe in." He opened his eyes, and gestured with the reader. "This says I accepted wearing the veil of my own accord."
Destoiya took his arm and led him to a wing-backed chair in her office. "Sit down." When he complied, she braced her hands on his chair and leaned over him.
Alitus drew back.
This close, his scent enveloped her, sending a rush of heat over her face and down the front of throat. Her breasts tingled. "Mr. Vivaldi, do I have your attention?"
He blinked once. "Yes, Your Majesty."
"Do not mistake my respect--or my love for you--for weakness. When I tell you to do something, it is not a request. It is a demand from your empress."
No anger in his wide, blue eyes--but no simple resignation, either. Well, his intelligence has always challenged mine. It's one of the things I love about him. And as my Chosen, one of the things he'll need most.
Destoiya stood. "From now on, my decree that Betters within the palace are not forced to veil will not extend to you. Despite your personal objections, you will comply with this and do as you're told, for your own safety. Is that clear?"
A muscle in his jaw twitched. "If you're so concerned about me being a target, why are you making me one? A veiled Better will be hard to miss in a room full of normals."
"If I thought for one moment that was your real reason for arguing with me, Alitus, I'd give it serious consideration. But I know you well enough to understand your motives. There will be no discussion. You either obey me as directed or declare right now that you're leaving my service." She folded her arms and waited.
He opened his mouth to object, but stayed silent and cast his gaze downward. "Are you removing me from office?"
"Will it come to that?"
His lips went white. Alitus shook his head once.
Destoiya had no illusions about his acceptance of either the veil or her will on the matter. "I need a verbal answer, Mr. Vivaldi."
He raised his head. The earlier defiance in his eyes muted to apathy. "When I accepted my position, I swore to comply with Her Majesty's wishes in all matters. That has not changed."
"Good." She held her head aloft. "Then you will put on the veil, and attend the conference. When you're introduced, lift your veil to let people know it's you. After you deliver this speech"-- She touched the reader in his hand--"drop your veil. From that moment on, you're not to be seen in public without it again."