I couldn't help myself. 'What do you mean?'
He nodded. 'You and I are more alike than you think. We are both looking for power and we both have to know.'
I raised my chin. He was wrong; I was not like him at all.
'I've been deciphering the black folio,' he continued. 'It is in a very old script and it's taken a long time to understand even the little I have decoded. It describes a way to combine all the power of the Dragoneyes into one weapon.'
'The String of Pearls?' I whispered.
He laughed, a deep sound of delight. 'Oh yes, we are alike. No doubt Brannon told you about it. You're quite right: it is describing the String of Pearls. I didn't really understand what I was reading until today. Until I discovered your little masquerade.'
He reached over and slid his hand along the silk of my sleeve. 'It says that the String of Pearls requires the joining of Sun and Moon. I was sure it meant you, but in your capacity as a Moon Shadow. You can imagine my unease — I am no lover of eunuchs. But now I know you are a girl, it makes far more sense. Today was only a taste of our union. Think of what will happen when we are joined not only in power but in body too.'
I shook my head, sickened.
He curled his hand around my cheek, forcing my head towards him. 'Of course, there are other things to put in place before the String of Pearls can be created, but it doesn't stop us getting to know one another now'
What other things had to be in place? Did he believe the stories that all the other Dragoneyes had to be dead? I pulled away from him.
He jabbed his fingers up under my jaw, forcing my head around again. 'Really, you are not unattractive at all.'
'I'll bite you,' I hissed.
'Please do,' he said. And I will bite back.'
'I'll scream. Everyone will come.'
He shrugged. 'Go ahead if you want to be disembowelled by an outraged Emperor and Dragon Council.'
I gritted my teeth.
'A horrible way to die,' he murmured. 'Especially as the discmbowelment takes a full bell.
You could, of course, choose death over me.' He paused, as though considering the idea. 'But I don't think you are the suicidal type. You are too much like me. Where there is life, there is always a chance to win.'
He knew he had me cornered. He traced my mouth with his forefinger, a soft caress that moved across my cheekbone until his hand found the looped plaits of my Dragoneye queue. I felt his fingers wind into it, pulling my head back. I turned away from his mouth and the slick press of his oiled beard.
'Eona,' he breathed against my skin. 'Such a pretty name and hidden so deep.'
I struggled against him, against his use of my true name, ripped from the centre of my being.
My fingernails found flesh. I dug and clawed. But it made no difference. I pressed my lips together, but his mouth was on mine, forcing me open. And then I tasted him — sweet vanilla and orange like his dragon. I gasped, the shock softening my mouth under his kiss.
He pulled back, his face mirroring my own surprise. 'Perhaps your inclinations are more like mine than you admit,' he said. He cupped my chin. 'You could join me willingly. We could take the land together.'
I jerked my head away, shocked. 'You want to be Emperor?'
'There would be no use invoking the Siring of Pearls just to hand over its power.'
'Does High Lord Sethon know your plans?'
He laughed, releasing my hair, 'You are quick. But don't think you can deal with Sethon against inc. Your female corruption of the hallowed Dragon I kills would stop anyone from listening to you. Especially if I told them you are not even united with the Mirror Dragon. I would be surprised if they even waited for the disembowelment.' He dragged his forefinger across my throat. At least it would be fast.'
He was right. As soon as he unmasked me as a girl and a fraud, they would kill me.
He laid his forefinger across my mouth. 'Stay quiet now, Eona. Do as I say and you will stay alive.' He pressed his finger into the bruised swell of my lips until the pressure made me gasp.
And if you are good, then maybe I will not hurt you too much. Do you understand?'
I gave a tiny nod.
'Good girl.'
He patted my cheek.
I turned my head, unable to shield the fear in my eyes as his hand followed the line of my jaw.
I saw his amber eyes flare with intent as his fingertips dropped to the soft hollow at the base of my throat then traced the edge of my robe to the shoulder fastening.
The sound of running feet in the courtyard made him pause.
'Lord Eon,' a voice called outside the door. Ido pressed his hand against my mouth, his eyes warning me into silence. 'Messengers have arrived. From the Emperor. They are asking for you, my lord. Please, you must come. All the Dragoneye lords are assembling.'
Ido clicked his tongue in irritation. With a smile of regret, he brushed his thumb across my lips and released me. Then he stood and quickly searched my baggage, pulling out a large drying cloth. With a flick, he unfolded it and deftly bundled the folio and squirming pearls into it.
' You may be tempted to get help or even to run,' he said softly 'Don't. 1 will hunt you down, and I will take that pretty maid of yours and her freak son and throw them to my men. I'm sure they would last at least an hour before they died.'
He opened the screen and looked down at the villager crouched on the ground.
'Next time, do not interrupt your betters.' Although his voice was mild, the man stiffened with fear. Ido turned back to me, his eyes lingering over my body. 'Congratulations on your success today, Lord Eon,' he said. 'You have exceeded all expectation.' Then he smiled and left the room.
CHAPTER 18
The village man at the doorway dropped into a bow again. I stared at him, unable to break out of the horror that held me like a vice against the wall.
He slowly lifted his head. 'My lord?' he ventured. 'Please forgive me, but the messenger said it was most urgent.'
I took a deep shaking breath. Ido was gone. At least for now.
'Tell them…' My voice wavered. I stopped and took another breath, forcing strength into my words. 'Tell them I will be there soon. Now go.'
He backed away, leaving me with a view of the small courtyard garden and the grim understanding that Ido's control was complete. I shuddered. Not only did he have my mind and body in his grip — he had cornered me into betraying my friends and allies. Whatever I decided to do, I would be the agent of their defeat. If I found the courage to confess to the Council, I would be killed and the Emperor and the Prince left without their Ascendant ally and the Council's support. Sethon would take the throne. If I obeyed Ido, I would be forced to do his bidding in the Council and Sethon would have control of the Dragoneyes. In either case Ryko and his Resistance would have no Dragoneye to rally around, and Lady Dela would be at the mercy of a court who thought her a demon. I could not even run without placing Rilla and Chart in Ido's path. I had failed everybody. And behind it all was Ido's ultimate ambition: to create the String of Pearls with me and become Emperor.
Who knew if it was possible? But just the thought of it made me lock with terror.
There was one other course I could take, but Ido had seen my true nature: it was not in me to choose that final way Perhaps it was cowardice, but I was not ready to die. Not for my Emperor, not for the Prince, not even for my friends. And for this shameful lack of courage, I was now slave to Ido's desires.
Perhaps it was this unworthiness that had driven away the Mirror Dragon. I had not even seen a faint outline of the beast on the dais. It was as if the dragon had never existed. And now I had lost the last link to him: the red folio. I touched my bare forearm, missing the reassuring hold of the pearls. Ido had truly stripped me of
