The Wolf Queen , Book III Series . This book is part of a series . The books in this series include : Contents . From the pen of the first century third era sage Montocai : Year 3E 98 The Emperor Pelagius Septim II died a few weeks before the end of the year , on the 15th of Evening Star during the festival of North Wind ' s Prayer , which was considered a bad omen for the Empire . He had ruled over a difficult seventeen years . In order to fill the bankrupt treasury , Pelagius had dismissed the Elder Council , forcing them to buy back their positions . Several good but poor councilors had been lost . Many say the Emperor had died as a result of being poisoned by a vengeful former Council member . His children came to attend his funeral and the coronation of the next Emperor . His youngest son Prince Magnus , 19 years of age , arrived from Almalexia , where he had been a councilor to the royal court . 21 - year - old Prince Cephorus arrived from Gilane with his Redguard bride , Queen Bianki . Prince Antiochus at 43 years of age , the eldest child and heir presumptive , had been with his father in the Imperial City . The last to appear was his only daughter , Potema , the so - called Wolf Queen of Solitude . Thirty years old and radiantly beautiful , she arrived with a magnificent entourage , accompanied by her husband , the elderly King Mantiarco and her year - old son , Uriel . All expected Antiochus to assume the throne of the Empire , but no one knew what to expect from the Wolf Queen . Year 3E 99 " Lord Vhokken has been bringing several men to your sister ' s chambers late at night every night this week , " offered the Spymaster . " Perhaps if her husband were made aware - - " " My sister is a devotee of the conqueror gods Reman and Talos , not the love goddess Dibella . She is plotting with those men , not having orgies with them . I ' d wager I ' ve slept with more men than she has , " laughed Antiochus , and then grew serious . " She ' s behind the delay of the council offering me the crown , I know it . Six weeks now . They say they need to update records and prepare for the coronation . I ' m the Emperor ! Crown me , and to Oblivion with the formalities ! " " Your sister is surely no friend of yours , your majesty , but there are other factors at play . Do not forget how your father treated the Council . It is they who need following , and if need be , strong convincing , " The Spymaster added , with a suggestive stab of his dagger . " Do so , but keep your eye on the damnable Wolf Queen as well . You know where to find me . " " At which brothel , your highness ? " inquired the Spymaster . " Today being Fredas , I ' ll be at the Cat and Goblin . " The Spymaster noted in his report that night that Queen Potema had no visitors , for she was dining across the Imperial Garden at the Blue Palace with her mother , the Dowager Empress Quintilla . It was a warm night for wintertide and surprisingly cloudless though the day had been stormy . The saturated ground could not take any more , so the formal , structured gardens looked as if they had been glazed with water . The two women took their wine to the wide balcony to look over the grounds . " I believe you are trying to sabotage your half - brother ' s coronation , " said Quintilla , not looking at her daughter . Potema saw how the years had not so much wrinkled her mother as faded her , like the sun on a stone . " It ' s not true , " said Potema . " But would it bother you very much if it were true ? " " Antiochus is not my son . He was eleven years old when I married your father , and we ' ve never been close . I think that being heir presumptive has stunted his growth . He is old enough to have a family with grown children , and yet he spends all his time at debauchery and fornication . He will not make a very good Emperor , " Quintilla sighed and then turned to Potema . " But it is bad for the family for seeds of discontent to be sown . It is easy to divide up into factions , but very difficult to unite again . I fear for the future of the Empire . " " Those sound like the words - - are you , by any chance , dying , mother ? " " I ' ve read the omens , " said Quintilla with a faint , ironic smile . " Don ' t forget - - I was a renowned sorceress in Camlorn . I will be dead in a few months time , and then , not a year later , your husband will die . I only regret that I will not live to see your child Uriel assume the throne of Solitude . " " Have you seen whether - - " Potema stopped , not wanting to reveal too many of her plans , even to a dying woman . " Whether he will be Emperor ? Aye , I know the answer to that too , daughter . Don ' t fear : you ' ll live to see the answer , one way or the other . I have a gift for him when he is of age , " The Dowager Empress removed a necklace with a single great yellow gem from around her neck . " It ' s a soul gem , infused with the spirit of a great werewolf your father and I defeated in battle thirty - six years ago . I ' ve enchanted it with spells from the School of Illusion so its wearer may charm whoever he choses . An important skill for a king . " " And an Emperor , " said Potema , taking the necklace . " Thank you , mother . " An hour later , passing the black branches of the sculpted douad shrubs , Potema noticed a dark figure , which vanished into the shadows under the eaves at her approach . She had noticed people following her before : it was one of the hazards of life in the Imperial court . But this man was too close to her chambers . She slipped the necklace around her neck . " Come out where I can see you , " she commanded . The man emerged from the shadows . A dark little fellow of middle - age dressed in black - dyed goatskin . His eyes were fixed , frozen , under her spell . " Who do you work for ? " " Prince Antiochus is my master , " he said in a dead voice . " I am his spy . " A plan formed . " Is the Prince in his study ? " " No , milady . " " And you have access ? " " Yes , milady . " Potema smiled widely . She had him . " Lead the way . " The next morning , the storm reappeared in all its fury . The pelting on the walls and ceiling was agony to Antiochus , who was discovering that he no longer had his youthful immunity to a late night of hard drinking . He shoved hard against the Argonian wench sharing his bed . " Make yourself useful and close the window , " he moaned . No sooner had the window been bolted then there was a knock at the door . It was the Spymaster . He smiled at the Prince and handed him a sheet of paper . " What is this ? " said Antiochus , squinting his eyes . " I must still be drunk . It looks like orcish . " " I think you will find it useful , your majesty . Your sister is here to see you . " Antiochus considered getting dressed or sending his bedmate out , but thought better of it . " Show her in . Let her be scandalized . " If Potema was scandalized , she did not show it . Swathed in orange and silver silk , she entered the room with a triumphant smile , followed by the man - mountain Lord Vhokken . " Dear brother , I spoke to my mother last night , and she advised me very wisely . She said I should not battle with you in public , for the good of our family and the Empire . Therefore , " she said , producing from the folds of her robe a piece of paper . " I am offering you a choice . " " A choice ? " said Antiochus , returning her smile . " That does sound friendly . " " Abdicate your rights to the Imperial throne voluntarily , and there is no need for me to show the Council this , " Potema said , handing her brother the letter . " It is a letter with your seal on it , saying that you knew that your father was not Pelagius Septim II , but the royal steward Fondoukth . Now , before you deny writing the letter , you cannot deny the rumors , nor that the Imperial Council will believe that your father , the old fool , was quite capable of being cuckolded . Whether it ' s true or not , or whether the letter is a forgery or not , the scandal of it would ruin your chances of being the Emperor . " Antiochus ' s face had gone white with fury . " Don ' t fear , brother , " said Potema , taking back the letter from his shaking hands . " I will see to it that you have a very comfortable life , and all the whores your heart , or any other organ , desires . " Suddenly Antiochus laughed . He looked over at his Spymaster and winked . " I remember when you broke into my stash of Khajiiti erotica and blackmailed me . That was close to twenty years ago . We ' ve got better locks now , you must have noticed . It must have killed you that you couldn ' t use your own skills to get what you wanted . " Potema merely smiled . It didn ' t matter . She had him . " You must have charmed my servant here into getting you into my study to use my seal , " Antiochus smirked . " A spell , perhaps , from your mother , the witch ? " Potema continued to smile . Her brother was cleverer than she thought . " Did you know that Charm spells , even powerful ones , only last so long ? Of course , you didn ' t . You never were one for magic . Let me tell you , a generous salary is a stronger motivation for keeping a servant in the long run , sister , " Antiochus took out his own sheet of paper . " Now I have a choice for you . " " What is that ? " said Potema , her smile faltering . " It looks like nonsense , but if you know what you ' re looking for , it ' s very clear . It ' s a practice sheet - - your handwriting attempting to look like my handwriting . It ' s a good gift you have . I wonder if you haven ' t done this before , imitating another person ' s handwriting . I understand a letter was found from your husband ' s dead wife saying that his first son was a bastard . I wonder if you wrote that letter . I wonder if I showed this evidence of your gift to your husband whether he would believe you wrote that letter . In the future , dear Wolf Queen , don ' t lay the same trap twice . " Potema shook her head , furious , unable to speak . " Give me your forgery and go take a walk in the rain . And then , later today , unhatch whatever other plots you have to keep me from the throne . " Antiochus fixed his eyes on Potema ' s . " I will be Emperor , Wolf Queen . Now go . " Potema handed her brother the letter and left the room . For a few moments , out in the hallway , she said nothing . She merely glared at the slivers of rainwater dripping down the marble wall from a tiny , unseen crack . " Yes , you will , brother , " she said . " But not for very long . "