Chapter Forty Shan

Chapter Forty

Shan

S han paced back and forth, her hands clasped behind her back as she tried to process the discoveries of the morning. She had watched the unveiling from above, one eye on the crowd and the other on Isaac, all the better to keep an eye out for threats. Foolish, in the end. Isaac was never in any danger at all.

After his revelation, after the shock wave hit, Lady Belrose had gathered the remaining members of the Council and all the Lords and Ladies she could summon, calling them to an emergency session at the Parliament House. The riots that had started in the square were only growing, and the government needed to step up and do something.

Belrose had brought Shan along in her own carriage, muttering something about needing her for the next step, but Shan barely paid attention to it.

Her mind—her heart—was elsewhere.

She had been placed, ironically enough, in Lord Dunn's office to wait for the session to begin. Sequestered away to wait as the other Lords and Ladies trickled in, a slow process as they evaded the riots and demonstrations that were breaking out across the city, a fire that had started and was growing out of control.

The door suddenly opened, and she turned, about to ask if they were ready to begin, but it was only Samuel, weary and strangely covered in rotten food. He was ushered in by a distressed footman, who simply bowed and then slammed the door on them.

"Oh, Samuel," she said, stepping forward and holding out her hands. "What happened to you?" She knew that he had been in the crowds below, but she hadn't once feared for his safety. She trusted him enough for that.

But this mess? This she didn't understand.

He took her hands gratefully, claws and all, his shoulders hunching in on themselves as he whispered, "We've made a terrible mistake. Looked in the wrong place." He closed his eyes, as if by avoiding saying it they could avoid the truth. But they had both been avoiding the truth for too long. "It was Isaac."

"I know," she said, squeezing his hand, though pain lanced through her like ice, leaving her numb. Suddenly, everything fit together. The way the murderer had known who to target, the advanced Blood Working that had been used in the murders. The fact that Kevan Dunn, noted for his anti-democratic stances and his commitment to keep the Unblooded in their place, was the final nail in the coffin.

It could only have been Isaac, and he had just as much reason to hate Aeravin as she did.

"You never found what you were looking for," she murmured, her heart shattering like glass, never to be fully repaired. "But this?"

"Was he caught?" Samuel asked, and Shan shook her head.

"The moment the riots started it was chaos. I saw him running with the help of one of the Guard, but, no, he got away." She didn't mention the relief she felt when she saw him flee. "And then we were all fleeing."

"It was terrible," Samuel said, pressing the heels of his hands into his eyes. "I tried to stop them, Shan, I tried to make them listen, but I couldn't—"

"Ah." She grabbed his hands again, pulling them away from his face, as she suddenly understood. "It was good of you to try. But this has been building for far too long—longer than these past four months. Longer than you've been a part of it." She swallowed hard, finally accepting what she had refused to see. "It was bound to happen sooner or later."

Samuel clenched his fists at his side. "What do we do?"

"We keep moving," Shan said, simply. "And we try to make sure there is as little blood shed as possible."

"But… the King." Samuel trembled, looking pale and frightened. "We've failed him."

"No." Shan brushed the hair back from his face. "Things have changed, yes, but the final battle is yet to come. We can still swing this."

He took her hand, and she clasped it tight. Oh, how she wanted to break. She couldn't. Samuel was on the verge of falling apart, and she needed to be strong for him. For both of them. This was a disaster, still, she could save it.

They had to act fast.

"I know you're afraid, but we don't have time for that now," she said, cupping his cheek. "I know you feel guilty and foolish for not seeing this. You cannot carry that weight. I missed it, too, and the burden lies on my shoulders as well. For now, we must be strong and we'll deal with the aftermath later."

Samuel nodded. "Okay."

"All right then, you can't go into the House of Lords like that." She stood, pulling him to his feet. "Get out of those dirty clothes and I'll find you something clean to wear."

"How—"

"I'll handle the particulars," she said, stepping towards the door.

"I—all right." He turned to her, his green eyes shining with unshed tears. "Thank you, Shan."

"For what?"

"For doing what you always do," Samuel replied. "Keeping it together."

She almost laughed at that—it was absurd. She wasn't holding it together; she was just falling apart slower. "I'll be right back, Samuel."

By the time she had gotten him a fresh set of clothes—not as good a fit as his tailored suits, but close enough—and changed, Belrose had reappeared at Dunn's office. She didn't say anything about the sudden appearance of Samuel, just looked at Shan and said, "It's time."

Shan only nodded, following the Councillor out of the office, Samuel questioningly on her heels. They made their way to the Council Chamber in silence, but Belrose stopped at the threshold. "Take your usual seat, LeClaire, but pay close attention. Today's session will be special in many ways, and we have both of you to thank for that."

With that, she swept off, her skirts swishing softly as she made her way down the stairs. Samuel caught her gaze with an arched eyebrow, but she had no answers for him. Whatever the Councillor was planning was beyond her, but she appreciated the warning.

Most of the sitting members of the House had made it, Shan noticed with relief. Not all, of course: it was rare to have a full turnout even at the best of times. But there was enough to pass any motions that were brought forth, and she knew that was precisely what the Royal Council had been counting on.

The nobles who had come were muttering amongst themselves—whispers and accusations and snippets of discussions that Shan knew she should be paying attention to. Isaac's revelation would shake up the entire Court of Aeravin, and she should use this opportunity to get ahead of it. To find out who—like her—was appalled. And who found it to be a necessary evil.

But her heart was heavy, and Shan couldn't bear it. Not now. So she focused on the Royal Council, pushing aside the whispers.

Lady Belrose stood on the central dais, slowly turning to take in all the members as quiet settled over the chamber. Shan couldn't help but be taken in by her strength, her presence, as she commanded the room with the grace of a queen.

"Thank you," she began, soft and solemn, "for coming on such short notice. I know that not all of you were present for the debacle this morning, but I'm sure you know the details." She stopped to take a deep breath. "One of our own was murdered this morning by the Royal Blood Worker, and one of Aeravin's most important state secrets was revealed."

Mutters broke out, only to be immediately hushed as she raised her hand. "That issue, though important, is not the most pressing matter. Riots have broken out across Dameral as the Unblooded learn the truth about how we fill our coffers. Civil unease has become civil unrest, and if we do not move to fix it, there might not be a country left for us to save.

"For this, I turn to a proposal that was submitted to us by one of our newest members—"

The door to the Council Chamber flung open, startling Belrose out of her speech. She flung her hand over her chest as the entire assembly turned to see who dared to interrupt the session, only to find the Eternal King staring down at them all.

Shan sucked in a harsh breath. He wasn't supposed to be here . He was their king, yes, but the House of Lords was theirs—theirs to run, theirs to use. A way to propose bills and laws and temper the power of the King. It was sacred, and he was not supposed to interfere.

And in all the history of Aeravin, Shan had never heard of him doing so.

But he was here now, his expression as unmovable as if it were carved from stone. Though the weight of every member's gaze was on him, he walked down the stairs as if he belonged, his steps echoing on the marble as he approached Lady Belrose.

With nothing else to do, Lady Belrose dropped into a formal curtsy, her head bowed low in supplication. "Your Majesty."

He only sneered at her. "Rise."

When she did, he thrust a thin package of papers at her, and she took it wordlessly.

"I have declared a state of emergency," the King said, his voice soft but still echoing in the chamber. "And with that come several new laws."

Gasps rose across the chamber—the King did not propose new laws. That was the entire purpose of the House of Lords. Certainly he had a hand in things, working with his Royal Councillors to prepare motions. But something as brazen as this?

It was unprecedented.

"These are quite… thorough," Belrose said, flipping through the packet.

The King didn't even look at her. "But they are necessary. Lady Belrose, if you would be so kind?"

Her mouth drew into a hard line, but she nodded. "First amongst these, a curfew is to be enacted for all Unblooded Citizens of Aeravin," she began, and Shan leaned forward in her seat, her claws digging into her skin as the list grew worse and worse.

As the Unblooded were banned from gathering in groups of four or more.

As the writing and distribution of literature deemed seditious was made a crime.

As the Guard were given the right to search the properties of the Unblooded under the mere suspicion of a crime.

As the quarterly Blood Taxes rose from a single pint of blood to two.

As the few rights and protections of the Unblooded were stripped away to nothing at all.

At last, Belrose came to a stop, lowering the pages. Her voice was harsh and rasping. "I suppose we should begin the vote."

"You misunderstand," the King said, turning on her. "This is not for a vote. This is a courtesy. These are the new laws of Aeravin, and I trust that you all will help enforce them."

"But that's not—" Belrose's protest died on her lips as the King turned to her. "I see. Anything else?"

"Yes." He turned his back on Belrose, as if she meant nothing. "Aeravin is in chaos, but this state of emergency is temporary. Until it has been lifted, though, I am suspending the House of Lords."

The questioning murmurs turned to shouts, but the Eternal King just stood there, turning his claws against himself as he trailed it down his own arm, cutting through the fabric of his sleeve to reveal the scarred skin beneath. He didn't need to say a word, the sheer force of his magic rising, building, the same power she had felt before slowly spreading through the chamber.

Silence fell as his aura grew stronger, to the point where Shan feared that she would choke on it.

"As I said, this is only temporary," the Eternal King said, tapping the blunt tip of his claw against the vein in his wrist. "There is important work to be done containing the problem, and after it has been contained you can revisit these laws. Am I understood?"

No one responded, not until Lady Belrose stepped forward. "As you will, Your Majesty."

"Good." He lowered his arms. "Now, there is work to be done. For those of you with estates and vassals, see to it that the new laws are spread and enforced, even outside of Dameral. For those of you idle nobles—"

Shan swore his eyes found hers.

"—I am sure you can find other ways to be useful." The King tilted his chin up. "The Unblooded think they can force change upon us? They are wrong."

He swept past Belrose, ascending the stairs and disappearing through the doors.

The assembly sat there, motionless, until Belrose snapped, "You heard him!" Turning away, she sank into her seat, staring down at the list of laws the King had forced upon her.

Shan stood, slow and wobbly, and it didn't take long for Samuel to reach her side.

"Can he do that?" he whispered.

"He's the Eternal King," Shan replied. "There isn't much we can do to stop him." He had all the power, and in the end she had no choice but to play into his hands.

Even if it shattered her heart.

"We need to find Isaac."