❖ QUEENKILLER, KINGMAKER Book 2 ❖
A year has passed since Isla rescued Tam Mai from the dungeons, but her sister's mind is still trapped and broken. There is only one person Isla knows can help her.
Meanwhile across the sea, a prince seeks justice f...
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Even if Isla was not in Dhvani's pockets, still she played right into her service, disrupting Kiet at a time like this. Why today, of all days? Why now? He needed his head in the audience hall, not worlds away with thoughts of treason and murder.
Take the throne? Kiet scoffed at the idea. Take the throne as though it were a simple matter of plucking the last grape from its vine! As though he wanted it, to begin with.
He needed no witness testimony, no forced confession. He would deal with that later. For now, he needed Dhvani on his ship. Without that, nothing else mattered.
Kiet turned to Akai, nodded wordlessly. His captain bowed and led his men away, leaving him unguarded in the antechamber to the great audience hall. The Emperor's herald looked quizzically at him from his place by the doors.
'His Divine Emperor is still in private attendance with his left-hand adviser,' said the man. The guards behind him kept their spears crossed over the entrance. 'I believe the maharaj is not scheduled for another hour and half?'
'No matter.' Kiet approached. The man reached only his chin and was easy to fluster. 'Ask the Emperor this: When Tennu awakes from her Long Slumber, how does one tell whether it is she or Kitsuo who greets the spring? I am sure he would like to hear its answer at once.'
'Maharaj, I cannot interrupt the Emperor with such obscure—'
'I highly advise you allow him determine that.'
The herald swallowed, rehearsed Kiet's message under his breath, and disappeared behind the doors.
Kiet waited what felt like hours, but the morning nine-bells had not even sounded by the time the man returned. He nodded at the maharaj. 'The Emperor will see you.'
The herald stepped aside to allow him through, closing the door behind him.
As predicted, the hall was empty of even soldiers. Kiet's footsteps echoed over the wood until his boots met the edge of the chōza. Gyoseong and Haruse sat on the tribune, far across the rush mats. No one guarded them, not even the truth-weaver.
Kiet bowed for the sake of propriety. He removed his boots and stepped onto the chōza.
The Emperor rose from his elevated throne, face as tense as Haruse's entire body. 'I have been most gracious in hosting you, maharaj, and for that you have come to me with veiled threats.'
'Not at all, Emperor. In fact only this morning I myself lamented the circumstances that brought me to your beautiful kingdom. There is nothing I would regret more than to have our relations impaired, especially over forces outside both our control. I've come to realise that this is exactly what you face.'
The Emperor stepped off his dais. Now stood he at height with the maharaj. Behind him, Haruse sat watching in his seat.
'To protect the land during Tennu's Long Sleep, her kanōhi would at times take the deity's form and frighten frost spirits away. That is why the Eastern Isles remain fertile and green, even in the deepest of winter.'
