The Blood Empress Read Free Page B

toys. Still, the power on display was impressive.
    She sat up a bit straighter to catch sight of the contestants. The nine chosen men who would fight to win her hand in marriage. Each warrior hailed from one of the nine Kastra of the Empire. They were all between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one and each was a sterling example of Votainion honor and bravery. Coming from the ruling caste and each having served in combat either on the newly created human front or from any one of several military skirmishes the Empire was currently involved in. They were battle tested and worthy of the attentions of their Empress.
    From her vantage point on the royal platform she couldn't make out their faces. Each man walked alone and in single file with several paces between them so the Empress could see them clearly. They all had broad shoulders and round faces with stern expressions. Warm puffs of air escaped their mouths as they marched.
    They were escorted by the top military person on Voton, General Verlome. He barked an order and all nine contestants turned their heads up to her and saluted in unison. She was under no obligation to return the gesture. She merely nodded her head to acknowledge their passing.
    As the final contestant approached her, Verlome projected an order arms command. The group continued in lock step with their eyes forward. She sighed and sat back against the cool throne seat. She didn't see much difference in any of the contestants. In fact, she thought they all looked pretty much the same. But then that's the point of a formation. She didn't like conformity much, having had to conform to someone else's idea of how to live for all of her short life.
    She glanced down at the Kwizarra Lonn and caught his look of satisfaction. Perhaps he could marry one the suitors for her. She smiled at the thought, and he naturally mistook her expression for one of approval. These idiots are so easy to fool, she thought.
    ***
    The first two contenders were out before she had time to even learn their names. Lord Karno from Sett and Lord Zegg from Khara. Both of them were apparently not bright enough to pass the intelligence test. Then again, they were from worlds not known for having particularly brilliant people. Nykostra had been paying more attention to her teachers than they might have thought. Both Sett and Khara were the weakest Kastras in the Empire. The fact that either Kastra had sent a representative was strictly ceremonial.
    After the results were known, the two losers unceremoniously left the group. The remaining warriors were brought before the Empress so that she could reward them with their first close up look at who they were fighting for.
    She wore her finest imperial gown, resplendent in red silk and black lace. For a Votainion woman, she was considered pretty but not flawlessly so. She was of royal blood after all and not the product of selective breeding, as some Kastra were known to have practiced. Her beauty was natural and unblemished by gaudy makeup or the lines of age.
    For most of the participants, she was undoubtedly the most beautiful female they had ever met. She could see it in their eyes and on their brutish faces. They were in awe of her like no house attendant she had known. It made her feel good to know that at least some men found her desirable. Although she wasn't particularly impressed with any of them yet.
    They stood at attention in a line for her. She walked before them, an attendant arranging her gown on the tiled floor so that she wouldn't trip on herself. Typically they were a head taller on average than the tallest females.
    None of them dared glance down at her for fear of disqualification. The last warrior was shorter than the others and she caught him sneaking a peek at her. When his dark eyes locked on her own they both recognized the other. It was Ketar.
    His eyes shot back up over her head and then back down again, when he realized she was still staring at him. His shock and