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“It’s the emperor!” they said. “It’s him! It’s the emperor!”
They dropped their weapons and prostrated themselves. An entire sea of Titans fell to their knees and pressed their foreheads to the floor.
Nus and M’rar Thres immediately dropped to their knees too. Qi and A’nshon remained standing. They were most powerful chieftains and less likely to want to give up their power.
They shared an uncertain look.
“How… How do we know you’re the real Emperor?” A’nshon said, voice shaking with reverence.
“Do you doubt your own eyes?” Fiath said. Then he spoke with a strong and steely voice. “Do you question me?”
A’nshon dropped to his knees.
Only Qi remained. The most powerful and aggressive.
“I… I saw the explosion,” he gibbered. “Every… Everyone said you were dead.”
His voice was full of pain and anger.
“We mourned you,” he said. “The entire empire mourned you. And you’re still alive?”
He wasn’t being angry or combative, I realized. Tears shimmered in his eyes and his voice shook. His knees smacked the floor hard and he bellowed: “The emperor has returned! Long may he reign!”
“Long may he reign! Long may he reign! Long may he reign!”
The entire hall erupted with the mantra.
Fiath and I were the only people still on their feet. Me, just barely. My knees felt weak and could have collapsed at any moment.
He looked at me, with the Titans—his Titans!—prostrated around him as far as the eye could see. He looked unsure. He didn’t know how I would react.
Neither did I.
With tears in my eyes—but for entirely different reasons than the Titans—I turned and ran.
Somehow, my feet found their way back to our room. I never could have done it consciously. I was too busy reliving the past twenty minutes of my life.
I couldn’t stop pacing. I ran my hands through my hair and shook my head. I even screamed.
How was this possible?
How did I not know who he was?
Because you aren’t a Titan.
He was so burnt and battered and bruised, even his people hadn’t recognized him.
Then why hadn’t he told me earlier?
I kicked the bed and immediately regretted it. I hissed through my teeth and rubbed my toe.
Why did he let me discover the truth like that?
Why did he let me fall in love with him?
I dumped myself on the bed and cried openly into my hands.
It was the shock more than anything. It was an absolute and total surprise.
