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S.J.
Kincaid didnt plan on writing a sequel to last yearsbest-selling novelThe Diabolic.
Credit: Chelsea Dier
But after Kincaid published that first book, she found that she just couldnt help herself.
Then something happened: this idea came to me, all tempting and tantalizing.
But the Grandiloquy wont rest until the teen Emperor and Empress are stopped.
Schuster Books for Young Readers
At the same time, Nemesis tries to distance herself from the killer she used to be.
Excerpt fromThe Empressby S.J.
Kincaid
WARNING: Spoilers for those who have not finished THE DIABOLIC
CHAPTER ONE
Someone had poisoned me.
I knew it with a single sip.
That someone was about to die.
This was hardly the first attempt on my life in the harried days since Tyruss Coronation.
Thered been the young Grande Austerlitz, who tried to stab me in a surprise attack.
Id been bemused enough to tolerate his clumsy slashes for a few moments.
It seemed wise to be diplomatic, so I gave him a chance.
Stop this at once, I told him, dodging his next slash, his next.
He just bared his teeth and dove at me.
I side-stepped him and hooked his ankle in mine to flip his legs out from under him.
Days passed before the next attempt.
This one had been a fanatical junior Vicar.
She gave away her intentions with the shout of, Abomination!
just before she tried to pull me into the airlock with her.
I tore from her grip and batted her awayknocking her into the airlock shaft.
It was a gesture of deliberate disrespect.
The condemned were so unworthy, even their deaths wouldnt be watched.
It was the least I could do for one of such daring.
Helionics viewed creatures like me as subhumans.
They would have to kneel to a creature.
The assassination attempts werent a surprise to me; the infrequency of the attempts was.
A mere three attempts on my life in ten days?
It was actually somewhat disappointing.
I welcomed the familiarity of feeling in danger.
It tightened my focus, made my heart pick up a beat.
I should have realized it at once.
Do they ever tire of staring?
Id wondered the first night after the Coronation, when Id noticed the unnatural degree of scrutiny.
This is just life as a Domitrian, Tyrus told me.
There were too many candidates.
Too many of these people watching me probably wanted to do it.
I dipped my head in acknowledgment.
We had to go to the Great Heliosphere.
Had it been up to me, shed be dead already.
I made up my mind.
I walked over to my future sister-in-law.
My shadow slid over her, and her foggy gaze raised to mine vacantly.
Hello, your eminence.
Are you enjoying the festivities?
I said pleasantly, dipping down beside her on the recliner.
Devinee blinked at me dully, unable to comprehend me.
I set down my goblet seemingly off-handedly, just beside hers.
Well, it was a fine conversation, I said to Devinee.
I bid you good evening.
Then I plucked up her goblet, leaving mine behind.
And so quickly, so easily, it was done.
Confirmation of the death of his deadliest foe.
