Empire of Silence (The Sun Eater #1)

by Christopher Ruocchio

“My lord?” “Lieutenant?” I started, stepping away from the rail. Kyra stood primly just outside the door to the penthouse proper, hands clasped before her, eyes downcast. “Is something the matter?” I smiled at her and found that hers was a face I could keep looking at without glancing away as I must with Father. Her hair was the color of beaten bronze, curling like some Petrarchan vision about her heart-shaped face, the curves of her body gone to slimness. “I only came to tell you the suite’s locked down. No one’s coming in or out without triggering house security.” “What?” It took the words a moment to penetrate the clouds in my brain thrown up by her beauty and my shame. “Oh, yes . . . Very good, Kyra.” I smiled again, more weakly this time. “Tell the two hoplites they may retire, then. Or take up shifts, if they wish.” “Sir?” “The shifts thing,” I said, wagging a finger. “Have them do that.” The lieutenant pressed a fist to her breast in salute. “Of course, sire.” She turned to go. “Kyra.” She stopped, shoulders tense, though the meaning was lost on me. “My lord?” Her voice was soft. Then a moment of bravery: “Why do you do that?” “Do what?” I blinked, genuinely lost. Her back still to me, she said, “Call me by my first name. It isn’t proper.” My father’s voice echoed within me, cold. It isn’t proper, my lord. I silenced it, unsure how to answer that. But caution outweighed desire, and I said, lamely, “I wanted . . . to feel close to someone, is all.” She turned back, a...