Читать книгу The Empire - Grayson Reyes-Cole - Страница 7

Chapter 2

On a day that knew no daystar, on a day when only the blackest of dark clouds blanketed the sky and hung so low they were pierced by the mountains in the West, a storm brought the child. Raindrops fell, fat and fast, accompanied by the crack and roar of thunder. The windows rattled and at some moments it felt as if the palace itself shook.

Raeche knew only pain. Her body had become a prison walled with suffering and strife. The primal instinct to push pulsed through her, dragging screams from her throat. She fell to the Spirit of Agony, sobbing as her flesh rent. While she struggled to deliver her, the child, angry and frightened, lashed out with her first blast of Spirit, swamping them with her emotions.

The Emperor himself stayed near through the labor, soothing them both with his own Spirit of the Empath as much as he dared. The Imperial couple had been warned that the interference of too much Spirit during the birth could drive both mother and child mad, or worse. Despite the warning–and though Raeche knew herself to be an unfair woman–her Spirit told her she would be forever grateful for his help and restraint.

After the labor the nurses cleaned the girl child. Taritana, performing her duty as the Empress’s Personal and Woman of the Spirit, blessed her. As Raeche listened carefully–waiting for the Rage to overtake the Emperor–Valor, performing his duty as The Emperor’s Personal and Man of the Spirit, witnessed the Emperor’s acceptance of his heir. Then the child was returned to Raeche, laid in her arms against her breast.

When the new heir to the Empire, calm and on her way to slumber, blinked up at Raeche, the Empress noticed the pale, almost icy-green irises of her eyes, which were already open, aware. They looked like the Clear Pool beneath the trees of the Forest to the East. With timid, trembling fingers, Raeche brushed back the portion of the blanket covering the baby’s head. Skin fair as the nightstar, Rucha’s wisps of hair shone with the color of the daystar at its highest.

Raeche gasped before remembering that Taritana watched with narrowed eyes. Valor stood at her side and neither would fail in their duty. Raeche steadied herself and accepted Rucha with her own rite, proud she did not stumble and inspire further suspicion.

Raeche looked up at her husband–the tall, blond, all-powerful, fair-skinned, green-eyed devil.

She had known nothing of fear before this day.