Ranami set down her chopsticks. “No problem.”

They exchanged another glance, this time serious. “We want you to abdicate,” Phalue said.

I barked out a laugh and seized another piece of goat meat, lifting it halfway to my mouth. And then I stopped, put it back down and read their expressions. “You’re not joking. Why accept my visit then? Why not write me back and turn me down?”

“We thought these things best discussed in person, Eminence,” Ranami said. Her tone was respectful, yet in spite of the title, I could tell she didn’t see me as an Emperor. “The fact is, the people don’t know you.”

Again, that accusation. It irked me more hearing it from yet another island. “A problem I’m seeking to rectify through these visits. My father kept me in the palace most of my life and stopped visiting the islands when I was young. It is through no fault of my own that no one knows me.”

“Be that as it may,” Phalue said, though her tone did nothing to reassure me that she felt this was not my fault, “we’ve been without direct guidance from Imperial for some time. Your father’s reign was disastrous by most measures, and now you’re here, telling us that your reign will be better. That you’re the one best equipped to clean up his mess. Deerhead and Unta have sunk. We’re currently taking in refugees from Unta and trying to find places for them. The constructs are attacking the citizens and organizing into an army in the north-east. You bring us back our shards and that’s wonderful, but, Eminence, you can’t ask us to trust that you’ll fix everything.”

Now I understood something of my father’s anger. Why did they think we had an Empire in the first place? I picked up the piece of meat again, chewing slowly to give myself time to think and to calm down. I had to make them understand that the Empire needed a leader. If we did not stand together now, we might fall.

I set down my chopsticks. “I’ve read my share of history. The islands were once independent. Back in the era of the Alanga.”

My words had the intended effect. Ranami went pale and Phalue looked disgruntled. Phalue leaned her elbows on the table, the weight of her shoulders making it creak. “We don’t intend to return to the era of the Alanga.”

“And yet…” I folded my hands.

“The islands would rule the islands,” Ranami said.

“Alanga artifacts across the Empire are awakening,” I said, keeping my voice low and steady. “From everything we know of them, they look human even if they’re not. The fact is: they are living among us and waiting for a chance to strike. Would you be able to stop them?”

“Would you?” Phalue asked.