Tangled Web by Crista McHugh Page B

about their people before his grandfather conquered them. They had managed to build a thriving society that had resisted the Deizians and the Barbarians for centuries without the use of any magical barriers. Any clues to their success, though, became lost in the bonds of slavery.
    By the time he reached the villa, his mind was muddled, and his stomach felt as though it were tied in knots. Azurha held more secrets than he first realized, but his body still craved hers. The more he discovered about her, the more his desire grew. His gut warned him to regard her with caution, though. Falling in love with the wrong woman could spell turmoil for the empire.
    He stopped dead in his tracks. Falling in love? It couldn’t be possible. He’d only met Azurha a few days ago. Yes, she seemed to complement him in every way—intellectually, physically, emotionally, sexually. But then, she was a trained courtesan. They were schooled to pleasure their masters.
    “Is something troubling you, Titus?”
    His mother’s voice jerked him back to the present. She emerged from a side room, dressed in dark blue to mark her mourning. Her pale brown hair, a sign of her distant Elymanian ancestry, was wound into a simple knot, and seemed plain without her Imperial crown.
    He forced a smile on his face, placing a kiss on her cheek. “I’m adjusting to life as emperor, Mother, that’s all.”
    The glint in her blue eyes told him she didn’t believe him, and knowing her, she’d pull a confession from him by the end of his visit. “Your father experienced the same thing, but he managed just fine.”
    She led him to the veranda where the table was set for breakfast. The entire city stretched out below them, appearing so calm and serene from this vantage point compared to the chaotic streets he’d just navigated. Up here, he forgot about his duties. His muscles began to unknot themselves with every breath of the fresh air he inhaled.
    He sat and reached for a piece of fruit. “How are you doing?”
    She looked away and played with the beads on her palla, the fine lines around her mouth and eyes deeper than before. “As well as can be expected. I haven’t been a widow long. I’m sure you understand the pain of losing a spouse.”
    Bitterness filled his mouth. He hadn’t grieved for Lucia like his mother grieved for his father. Did that make him heartless? “You were married much longer than I was.”
    “You should find someone who makes you happy.”
    The cunning in her voice made him fidget in his chair. “Duty comes before happiness.”
    “Nonsense.” She smacked the table as she said that, rattling the plates. “You’re the emperor. Your Will is above all.”
    He rubbed his temples and closed his eyes. The image of Azurha with her dark hair spilling over the cushions flashed in front of him, and sweat prickled his skin. He was acting like an opium addict, constantly craving the dreamlike bliss he experienced under her spell.
    “You’ve never kept things from me before, Titus.” Concern creased lines into her face when he opened his eyes. “What’s changed?”
    He winced. She was right, and he hated keeping his thoughts from her. But how would she react if he told her that he’d been overindulging himself with a courtesan?
    As if she was reading his mind, she asked, “How did you like the tribute gift my cousin gave you?”
    He didn’t miss the sarcasm behind her words. “She is very beautiful.”
    His mother froze with a goblet halfway to her mouth. “So that’s it. You’re having trouble with her.”
    “Not so much trouble.” He rubbed the back of his neck. This conversation was becoming far more awkward than he intended. Usually, he found his visits with his mother relaxing, but her line of questioning had him ready to bolt for his chariot and race back to the palace.
    “There’s nothing to be embarrassed about.” She took a sip of wine, concealing the twitching corners of her mouth. “Your father had quite an