By Sheri Yutzy
Hanging upside down a thousand feet above the jagged base of Crimwell Mountain was clearing Lux’s head admirably. As was the invisible tendril of the empress’s power wrapped around his ankles.
The empress stepped closer, her iron-edged gown grating against the cobbled floor of the overlook.
At least he faced the scarlet and tangerine sunrise. His last view could have been the forbidding ironstone side of the mountain.
“Not going to beg, Lux?”
“Have I ever?” Begging would only get him dropped faster.
His back hit the stone as she leaned over the edge, her eyes glittering like the last of the morning stars. “You’ve been trying to deceive me.”
“Obviously.” His head was beginning to feel heavy. Would anyone be watching him fall from the lower overlooks? He straightened his gilded jacket, but it fell back apart immediately.
“Perhaps I’ll give you one more chance.” Her voice had softened, sending a rush of hope through him.
“But I’ve failed you, Mother.” His insides twisted, half of him wanting to wrench out of her magic grip and plummet, and the other longing to promise her everything.
“I have another girl for you to kill.”
“Another?” He kept his voice light, as if she’d asked him to dislodge a hornets’ nest. Of course, the tasks wouldn’t have changed.
“The Moon Duchess is coming to visit.” She gestured and her magic swept him up onto the overlook. The pressure on his ankles vanished, and he bent his knees until his balance steadied.
He took his time arranging his golden curls and retying his cravat. Inside, his heart had begun to beat again. “From that country with the brainwashers?”
“Emotional manipulators.” Her eyes bored into him, but he didn’t flinch. “She’s supposed to be the best of them. But it only works on women.”
He raised a brow. “So you want me to woo her. Won’t they be angry if we kill their duchess?”
The empress snarled. “By then it’ll be too late. I know why they’re sending her. We must make a show of force.”
He sighed. “You really think she’ll want to be alone with me, with my reputation?”
Her lips curved. “I’m counting on it. Supposedly her gift works a little on men. She’ll want to try it out.”
Fabulous. He snapped his spine straight. “I won’t fail you again, Mother.”
“And I won’t hesitate next time, Lux. I can’t have you eroding my control with your rebellion.” She spun and strode back into the palace, her gown shrieking over the short flight of stairs.
Lux counted to ten before he followed. His hands shook just slightly, but he kept them in his pockets and swaggered with all his might. The maid watching in the hall had pity in her eyes, and it almost undid him. He gave her his most seductive smile, and she blushed and scurried to dust a gleaming wall sconce.
Not until he reached his velvet sheathed apartment on the other side of the palace did he take his hands from his pockets and cover his face. He’d escaped a falling death. Gained one more chance.
The Moon Duchess was coming. If she could resist the empress’s magic… perhaps she would help him escape this hell. The empress’s arm was long, but her magic failed without the constant touch of iron. Perhaps the Moon Court would welcome him.
A muffled sobbing came steadily from behind the far wall. Sighing, Lux crossed his bedroom and yanked open the enormous closet. A plump-lipped blonde girl huddled against the far wall, gagged and bound to his shoe organizer. At least she hadn’t thrown his shoes against the door like the last one had.
“Sorry about that.” He untied her briskly. “I had a meeting with the empress, and I couldn’t let you wander around. Supposed to be dead and all.”
She scrambled past him without a glance at his winning smile. “I want out of here.”
He pulled open the window beside the closet and lowered a short rope ladder. “There you are.”
Her eyes darted toward the door, and he sighed again. Just once he’d like to be assigned a girl who swooned at the thought of being tied up in the closet for a few hours. It would save him so much trouble. “Look. I’m not going to hurt you. The empress wanted you dead, but I don’t. We pretty people have to stick up for each other. The servants in the room downstairs are friends of mine, and they’ll help you in from the balcony.” He gestured at the window again, stepping back to give her lots of room.
Finally, she rushed to the window, her gaze on him the whole time. Regretfully, he watched her sculpted cheekbones lower out of sight. One day he’d find a pretty girl he wasn’t supposed to murder. They came to him full of daring, refusing to believe he really meant them harm, hoping for a chance at winning the dashing Duc’s regard. But he’d lost heart for it long ago, and once he seduced them to his apartment, he kissed them into the closet almost immediately.
After the girl had been hustled in through the small window below, Lux leaned against the windowsill, taking in the sun bronzing the valley below.
The Moon Duchess was coming, and with her would come his escape.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ooh!
Tickled my fancy. I’d love to be seeing more from this world…
Thank you! Lux and the Moon Duchess may feature in a novel someday…☺️
strong characters. interesting interplay of gallows humor and sympathy from Lux.
Great imagery here! I love the detail of the empress’ iron gown.
What a fascinating story! So much going on, and so many interesting characters…
Quite enjoyable!
I always enjoy stories about a villainous sorceress-queen.
Yours is so perfectly depicted!
I loved the detail about her affinity to iron, and the many questions it raises.
Thank you for a great read!
I had to laugh at how he hid the girls. “At least she hadn’t thrown his shoes against the door like the last one had.” Cracked me up!
The character voice is an instant selling point for this one!! Loved this from start to finish! Fabulous work!