Chapter 814: The Empire

Selene named a small group of uninjured residents who had asked to return to relatives outside the damaged district. Her attendants had checked that the road they intended to take was open. They were waiting for a driver.

"They think Imperial registration will protect them," she said.

Dorian’s expression darkened.

"They will tell the Empire where we put everyone."

"They lived here before we arrived," Mingyue said. "They already know the city."

"They know more now."

"We can route their transport away from our military positions. We cannot make everyone who saw a ward our prisoner."

One of the local vampire leaders spoke from the other side of the table.

"My people won’t register."

The city officer paused his call and looked at him.

"Some of the human families want to. They think remaining beside you makes them a target."

The vampire bared his teeth.

"We pulled them out from under their own buildings."

"And your enemies are coming after you," the officer answered.

Mingyue waited a moment, then spoke before they could turn on each other again.

"They may choose to leave. Tell them which roads we have checked, and tell them what we cannot promise beyond them."

"Will you guard their transport?" Selene asked.

"Until it reaches the point your people can safely cover."

Dorian looked at her. "You’re spending vampire fighters to escort humans back to the Empire. Let its officers come and collect them."

"I’m keeping an unarmed transport out of our positions. Unless you want frightened families trying every side road while your men guess what they are doing."

He stared at the map. The side roads cut behind two positions he had just reinforced. A stream of frightened humans there would keep his fighters looking inward while Imperial ships approached.

He moved a marker to the approach road.

"One escort. It comes back when they reach the outer checkpoint."

The officer watched him place the marker.

"My sister is taking that transport."

Dorian’s eyes narrowed.

"And you’re staying here?"

"People here still need someone who knows which officers ran away and which ones are buried under their posts."

He looked at Mingyue.

"I can’t promise she is making the right choice."

"Neither can I," she said. "Let her know where the escort turns back."

The officer finished his call. The station operator would carry the reply, but wanted his own objection recorded beside it.

"Let him," Mingyue said.

The officer relayed her answer and told the operator to send the warning to the shelters at once.

Vesa arrived with messages from two of the distant groups that had answered the awakening.

One asked whether the heirs had accepted Imperial rule on their behalf. The other wanted to know whether the order applied to a settlement the Empire had never entered.

Mingyue read both.

"We haven’t accepted anything for them. Send the exact wording and let them tell us their position."

"They are asking if the awakening made us their rulers," Vesa said.

"It restored their strength. That doesn’t give us the right to surrender their homes."

Dorian folded his arms.

"If everyone chooses separately, the Empire will take them separately."

"Then give them a reason to defend together," Mingyue said. "Ordering them to trust us won’t provide one."

Dorian’s jaw tightened as he looked from one distant settlement to the next on the map. Mingyue turned back to Vesa.

"Ask who can share warnings," she told Vesa. "That costs less than sending away the people guarding their homes. We need to know what the Empire is telling them."

Vesa sent the request.

Beatrice came to the doorway with a folded message. She waited until Mingyue saw her, then held it out.

"The bank manager asked whether the returns should stop. He thinks an Imperial inspector may reverse them."

"Has the company withdrawn its release?"

"No."

"Then why would he stop?"

"He wants someone else to take responsibility if he continues."

Mingyue’s patience thinned.

"Tell him to finish the agreements he has authority to finish. People need that money whether we reach an agreement with the Empire or not."

Beatrice nodded. Before she left, she looked toward the surrender order on the table.

"Are you going to meet them?"

"Yes."

"My father asked if they would let the wounded leave first."

"I will ask. I don’t have their agreement yet."

Beatrice’s hand tightened around the message.

"Then I won’t tell him you do."

She went back to the office.

Mingyue watched her leave, then looked at Selene.

"Prepare the questions from the shelters. If the envoys say they are protecting civilians, they can answer them."

***

By the time Mingyue returned to Edonia, an hour and a half of the twelve had passed. Alex heard the account of the receiving-room discussion while Luna slept beside him.

He kept his voice low. Mingyue sat on the other side of their daughter, with the proposed reception site open above her bracelet.

The envoys would come by a small armed transport to the freight ground outside the ruined district. Their vessel would remain separate from the ships they said would enforce the order. They had agreed to bring an officer able to explain its application.

They had not agreed to suspend it.

"Explain," Alex said. "That’s an expensive word when a fleet is backing it."

"I want to hear where his authority ends."

"You think they can change anything?"

"I think we need to know before deciding whether we can keep their weapons away from these people without another fight."

Alex looked at Luna. She had finally settled after asking twice whether they were both staying until she fell asleep.

He did not want another battle. He was also not willing to put her safety in the hands of people who considered disarming him part of helping her.

"Thepes will hear the demand," he said.

"He should."

"He may enjoy telling us we inherited the wrong kind of attention."

"He can enjoy it while I ask whether they mean to release anyone if he goes with them."

Alex studied her face.

She was angry, yet still willing to hear an answer she expected to dislike.

"I’ll stay here while you meet them," he said. "Vesa can keep us connected. Dorian handles the perimeter, Selene keeps the receiving route open."

Mingyue nodded.

"If they refuse the civilian pause, we start moving the people who cannot move themselves."

Luna shifted in her sleep. Alex placed his hand where she could find it without waking and turned down the light from the display.

Outside the room, Vesa sent the meeting arrangements to the people responsible for the freight ground.

The Empire’s appointed delegates had accepted the site.

Mingyue left for the freight ground. Ten and a half hours remained on the order; the delegates had promised to arrive within one.