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“Under Bamarian law, clear association and participation with a terrorist organization is enough to have you expelled,” Arianna snapped. “Not to mention the fact that you attacked an Heir to the Arkasva, an offense of equal severity.”
“Lady Arianna is correct, Soturion Tani,” Aemon said, “And so I must bring justice to the situation. As Arkturion of Bamaria and the head of the Soturion Academy, I—”
The Imperator coughed, cutting Aemon off. “It seems you’re rather quick to judge this case, Arkturion.”
“By Empiric Laws, I am the lawful judge here, your highness. Are you critiquing my methods?”
“Of course, not.” He offered a feral grin, rolling his shoulders back. “The questions you asked were fair. I believe every member of the Senate would support your performance. And, of course, the soturion’s answers were especially damning to her case.”
“Then perhaps you’ll allow me to finish the sentencing,” Aemon said. Only this wasn’t Aemon anymore, this was the Ready, and the room darkened with the force of his aura, crackling with its dark, shadowy power.
Tani finally broke character, looking worried. Even the Bastardmaker frowned, his grimy hand moving to grip the hilt of his sword.
“I’m concerned. As Imperator, I oversee the welfare of every Lumerian in the Southern Empire—including Elyria. Not to mention the deep sacrifice my soturi have made to protect the Academy—an academy that has been under siege twice within the past six weeks, first with the appearance of an akadim on the Bamarian border, and now with a terrorist attack right over the very arena where our students learn, where my future soturi—where my son—is studying and expected to not only become a great soldier, but remain safe!” The wolf inside of the Imperator snarled, biting through Aemon’s aura until the tension of the two energies pushed forward in a battle of wills against the other. “I have a vested interest in the Academy, I must admit, on a professional and personal level. I am a father. And I have charitably given my men, a full legion, to the Academy’s protection. I beg forgiveness and ask for your patience. I want to be absolutely thorough in our approach.”
My heart pounded in my chest. No one, not even my father, the High Lord of Bamaria, would have dared interrupt or doubt Aemon’s word.
“Then we are united in our goals, your highness, as I also care deeply for the welfare of each student in the Academy. In the interest of student safety, would you not agree that expulsion of a member of a terrorist organization, one that attacked the university you wish to protect, a terrorist organization whose actions could have harmed your son and Heir, is appropriate?”
“Wholeheartedly,” said the Imperator, placing a hand to his heart. “Any Lumerian who risks our students, our future, must be expelled at once. But I am unconvinced that this is what we are dealing with today. I wonder if this is truly what Soturion Tani is guilty of.” The Imperator stepped forward, his black cloak threaded with gold sweeping ominously behind his back.
Himself to Moriel.He was going to twist this, to do whatever he could to make sure Tani, his little soldier, was freed.
The Imperator spoke solemnly. “I believe we are taking a very black-and-white approach to this nonsense. We speak of extremely serious, dangerous organizations. But that is not what I see before me now. Soturion Tani is not some high-ranking member of the Emartis. She appears to be no more than a little girl, one from another country who would have absolutely no interest in the Emartis’s tactics. And considering she is not Bamarian, and her interests and loyalties likely lie elsewhere, isn’t it too soon to believe she is a member of this group? Why would an Elyrian girl join a group desiring to unseat the Arkasva of a foreign country—one that has no bearing on her life at home? Perhaps she is merely of the opinion that the Emartis are right. Is that a crime?”
Aemon’s eyes narrowed. “The Emartis have been named a terrorist organization. They are not just some group nor are they simply desiring an outcome—they are taking treasonous action to achieve it.”
“I asked,” the Imperator said slowly, “is it a crime for her to have an opinion?”
Arianna’s eyes narrowed on the Imperator. Her nostrils flared as she neatly folded her arms across her chest, highlighting the golden cuff she wore across her bicep.
“Is it a crime? Do we punish all who have differing opinions?” the Imperator asked. “Have we returned to the tyranny of the kings and queens of Lumeria Matavia whose corruption lead to the Drowning?”
“No,” Aemon said. “Soturion Tani will be held responsible and have the law applied to her the same as any other Lumerian. But this isn’t about opinions. Freedom of opinion is not up for debate today, your highness. Bamaria remains the epicenter of thought, philosophy, and education in Lumeria. We are, after all, the home of the Great Library and the Museion, not just starfire mines and war camps.”
The wolves standing at attention shifted, some of their lips snarling at Aemon’s simple description of their home.
Aemon continued, “Why don’t we remain focused on what is actually in question—not freedom of opinion, but whether or not she belongs to the Emartis, whose previous actions include attempting to assassinate our Arkasva and harm an heir, who is also an academy student?”
“Right, Aemon. Of course. But where I’m stumbling is how we know beyond a shadow of a doubt whether Soturion Tani is connected to them. Soturion Tani, are you a member of this so-called—”
“Terrorist organization!” Aemon said.
“Yes, that,” the Imperator said dismissively with a wave of his hand. “Are you a member?”
“No,” Tani said.
“That’s a lie!” I yelled, pushing my chair back. I’d been sitting frozen, tight-lipped, and nauseated throughout the exchange, furious with the Imperator’s twisted logic and application of the law. He’d used the same logic to claim I was a criminal worthy of not just expulsion from school but exile from the Empire when I’d failed to reveal magic.
Rhyan’s eyes widened, and Arianna pursed her lips together, shaking her head sharply.
“Patience, Soturion Lyriana,” said the Imperator. “A soturion follows the chain of command and does not speak out of turn. I have some questions for you. Perhaps I am rusty on Bamarian court proceedings, but then why else did we call her grace to be a witness if not to put her through an examination? Should not a witness act as such?”
“Tani admitted guilt,” Aemon said. “And you seem more interested in squabbling over the basic Lumerian right to have an opinion. That is not and never has been up for debate in Bamaria. What we are debating is whether or not we see evidence of Soturion Tani being part of a terrorist organization. Even if we were to have reason to doubt her membership in the organization, we still have the matter at hand of a student who fought another student out of bounds, and in so doing, she changed her actions from a soturion fighting another soturion to a common Lumerian attacking an Heir to the Arkasva.”
“Squabble?” asked the Imperator. “This is not some squabble but an important discussion about the freedoms being allowed in Bamaria, and whether or not they align with Lumerian freedoms as given by the Emperor and Senate. Opinions and freedom of thought should not be dismissed so easily, especially in the Empire’s epicenter of thought and education, the home of the Great Library in your ancient pyramids and your little Museion.” He shook his head. “If Bamaria isn’t going to fight for such freedoms of thought, I will take up the cause. Because it is crucial to the matter at hand. We have the future of a young girl at stake.”
I narrowed my gaze. The day the Imperator cared about the future of a young girl or freedom of thought was the day seraphim sprouted black wings. He only cared if Tani could further his view. She was useful to him, a pawn in his grab for power and nothing more. Why couldn’t anyone else see or acknowledge that?
