Deception's Web
by Crista McHugh
Release Date: 11/11/13
Self-Published
Summary from Goodreads:
A soldier looking for redemption falls into the arms of the empire’s Black Widow...
Galerius, former Captain of the Legion, is honored to be given a chance to redeem himself by discovering who is behind the failing barrier. A series of anonymous letters all point to Hostilius, governor of Lucrilia, but Galerius thinks he’ll learn more about the plot by seducing the governor’s thrice widowed daughter, Claudia. Although he warns himself not to fall into snare of the empire’s most deadly temptress, one kiss leaves him begging for more.
Claudia has spent years as a pawn in her father’s political games and longs to break free of his rule, even it means betraying him to the emperor. When Galerius arrives in Tivola, she’s not sure if he’s there to aid her father or stop him. She willingly submits to his seduction, despite their class differences, in order to find the truth. What she doesn’t expect to find is a man who indulges her secret fantasies, satisfying her in a way none of her previous husbands did, and treats her as something more than a conquest. As time runs out to thwart her father’s plans, she must decide if she can trust Galerius not only with her life, but her heart.
Galerius, former Captain of the Legion, is honored to be given a chance to redeem himself by discovering who is behind the failing barrier. A series of anonymous letters all point to Hostilius, governor of Lucrilia, but Galerius thinks he’ll learn more about the plot by seducing the governor’s thrice widowed daughter, Claudia. Although he warns himself not to fall into snare of the empire’s most deadly temptress, one kiss leaves him begging for more.
Claudia has spent years as a pawn in her father’s political games and longs to break free of his rule, even it means betraying him to the emperor. When Galerius arrives in Tivola, she’s not sure if he’s there to aid her father or stop him. She willingly submits to his seduction, despite their class differences, in order to find the truth. What she doesn’t expect to find is a man who indulges her secret fantasies, satisfying her in a way none of her previous husbands did, and treats her as something more than a conquest. As time runs out to thwart her father’s plans, she must decide if she can trust Galerius not only with her life, but her heart.
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He knelt before her. “Good morning, Empress Azurha.”
“Good morning to you, too,
Galerius. I trust Varro was able to assist you adequately yesterday.”
He smoothed his hands over the
clean tunic and nodded. “It was much appreciated.”
“Please come closer so I can
share with you what we know.”
His gut told him this was not
a trap. He stood and approached the table, feeling less cautious than he had
before.
“What do you make of these?”
she asked as she opened the chest.
He estimated that there were
about twenty letters inside, each written on the same fine paper. He picked one
up and studied the carefully written block letters that spelled out his name on
the front. “Whoever wrote these has access to someone with money. A common man
would’ve used coarser paper.”
She nodded, and he continued
his assessment, sniffing the paper. The slight hint of incense clung to it,
much lighter than the heavy scent that followed priests and priestesses. “It
came from a household, not a temple.”
“Good. Now tell me what you
think of the contents.”
He’d been dreading this moment
from the second he’d heard the dispatches were addressed to him. He glanced at
the broken wax seal, noting that it did not bear any insignia, before reading
the few cryptic lines inside. “Have you been monitoring the shipments of ore
from Gracchero?” he asked.
She nodded again. “Marcus was
able to intercept two of the shipments that were trying to bypass the customs
officials by coming in late at night. And these were sizable shipments—several
tons, by our estimation.”
“But who would need so much
ore? It only takes a mere coating to act as a conduit.”
“Read on,” she replied before
taking a sip from her goblet.
Each dispatch contained a
subtle hint, a clue that something was a potential threat to the empire. As the
letters continued, the writer acknowledged the emperor’s intervention, showing
he was aware of plots being foiled, and yet he did not know that the one person
he was writing to was no longer the Captain of the Legion. He frowned.
“Something doesn’t add up.”
“What do you mean?”
“Whoever wrote these letters
is close enough to the plotters to gain access to this information, but is not
high enough in rank to know of my resignation. And yet the paper suggests the
writer has access to money, and the writing reveals the person is well
educated—no spelling mistakes or sloppy penmanship.”
Azurha raised a brow, the
corner of her mouth rising in a half-smile. “Based on this information, who do
you think might have written it?”
“A scribe, possibly. Maybe a
high-ranking servant in a Deizian household.”
She nodded again, keeping her
face blank. If she wanted to play philosopher to a student, she was doing an
admirable job. Thankfully, the mystery of the dispatches intrigued him enough
to continue, despite her irritating game of making him investigate what she
already knew.
If she’d been one of his men, he would have demanded a brief
summary of the information, not this long, drawn-out affair. But this was the
empress, and he needed to play her game if he wanted to regain any of the
respect he’d lost.
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About the Author
Growing up in small town Alabama, Crista relied on story-telling as a natural way for her to pass the time and keep her two younger sisters entertained. She currently lives in the Audi-filled suburbs of Seattle with her husband and two children, maintaining her alter ego of mild-mannered physician by day while she continues to pursue writing on nights and weekends. Just for laughs, here are some of the jobs she’s had in the past to pay the bills: barista, bartender, sommelier, stagehand, actress, morgue attendant, and autopsy assistant. And she’s also a recovering LARPer. (She blames it on her crazy college days) For the latest updates, deleted scenes, and answers to any burning questions you have, please check out her webpage www.CristaMcHugh.com
