20

“He swore the duke was there?” Khalad asked as he examined Prince Kance’s heartsglass. For the last couple of days, the forger had shut himself in his room, only leaving to examine Princess Yansheo. While we were treated like honored guests, we still could not leave the palace compound to explore the city. Both Kalen and Fox had been keen to defy the orders, but Inessa and Zoya convinced them otherwise, arguing it was too big of a risk to attempt at the moment. The hunt for the savul was still under way, but without our help, it was a slow process.

Princess Inessa frowned. Today she was dressed in riding breeches and a plain shirt, much to my surprise. “That’s impossible, isn’t it? How can the duke be in two places at once? Is there a rune for something like this, Tea?”

“I know of an Illusion rune that might be feasible.”

“Whoever did it could draw Heartsrune.” Khalad turned Prince Kance’s heartsglass, as if the glint from it could unlock secrets from within. “I’ve seen Holsrath’s heartsglass, and he has no inclination for it. What about the other Daanorian suitor?”

“Yuanshao? Nobody’s seen him since the party. His family lives in the Mekong province, so it’s going to take a while to reach out to them for questions about his whereabouts. From what Zoya’s gathered, the boy is something of the family’s black sheep. He hasn’t been home in months.”

“I’ve been talking to Baoyi, like Zoya suggested,” Khalad said. “He has his men combing the city but has found little.”

“But you’re sure you can find your master?”

“I think so. I know a few things Baoyi doesn’t that I’d rather not share. He seems trustworthy enough. He relies a lot on his clerk, who seems pretty competent and good at keeping his master’s secrets. But I can’t say the same for any soldiers.” He looked worried. “Normally I would trust Master to look out for himself, but this feels different. I hope he’s all right.”

“Would you like to hold it?” Inessa asked suddenly, offering Prince Kance’s heartsglass to me.

“What?”

“I don’t need to learn to read heartsglass to see how worried you are for him. I don’t know how much you can see, but…”

I nodded, my fingers hovering over the delicate case. Prince Kance’s heartsglass felt warm even from there; I could see a steady pulsing nearly hidden within its depths, like a heartbeat.

“Draw Heartsrune over it, Tea,” Khalad instructed.

“The wards are still here, Khalad.”

The white-haired boy only grinned. “Just do it.”

I obeyed and was stunned to see the rune shimmer into life. Wisps of it settled around Prince Kance’s heartsglass like a cloak—and flared up again, images blooming at its center.

I spotted glimpses of memory: of Kance as a child, playing tag with Kalen and Khalad while Inessa toddled after them, begging to join; of him as a teenager, poring over heavy tomes and old parchments; of riding on horseback at his father’s side as they explored the limits of their kingdom’s territories.

I saw sadness and grief from his mother’s passing, carefully bottled away. I saw compassion and understanding as he calmed a weeping Kalen when word reached them of Holsrath’s imprisonment. I saw fear and worry as he watched Khalad’s heart flame silver, marking his brother’s path away from the throne and into the often-unappreciated life of a Heartforger. I saw resignation mixed with determination when he was made King Telemaine’s heir—no longer the second son but next in line to rule Odalia. I saw the comfort and strength he derived from having Kalen as a protector, Khalad for his support, and Princess Inessa as a trusted friend and confidante. But I saw no romantic love for her there.

And then I saw our first meeting, watched as I blushed and stumbled over my words with Fox grinning by my side. I saw the Falling Leaf cha-khana and how he kept his head, kept me safe from the horde of skeletal rats I resurrected. I saw his admiration and respect as he watched me take down the aeshma, his pleasure and happiness when I presented him with that ill-fated pendant for his birthday.

But though I scoured his heartsglass, I could find no love for me either.

I bowed my head. I had never expected it, surely never demanded it, whatever my feelings for him. But the blow wasn’t as bad as I had expected. A few months ago, this might have devastated me. Now I felt only a wistful sadness.

And, inexplicably, like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. That revelation stunned me.

Do you want to talk about it? I could hear Fox ask.

There’s nothing to talk about. I don’t chase after people who don’t feel the same way about me as I do about them—who I just realized I don’t have the feelings for that I thought I had. Didn’t you do the same thing with that Jezebel girl and her Maharven?

It’s Gisabelle. And why do you keep remembering that blasted man’s name but not—

I giggled aloud and stopped. Khalad and Inessa were goggling at me. “Sorry. I was…thinking of something else.”

“You’re not angry?” Inessa asked.

“Actually, I feel relieved. As odd as it sounds.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m not. I don’t regret it.” And then I did a double take. “You knew?”

The princess laughed. “Not this, no. If anything, it confirmed something else I had already suspected. How did you do that, Khalad?”

“Heartsrune is a forging rune more than it is a regular rune or a Dark one, though we can all draw from it. Wards block both offensive and defensive magic, but forging is neither.”

“I didn’t know this,” I confessed, though that somehow made sense.

Khalad grinned. “We don’t give away our secrets. Weren’t you due at the courtyard for practice with Kalen?”

“I’m coming with you, Tea.” The princess tucked Kance’s heartsglass inside her shirt. “I’m supposed to be training with Fox.”

“Thank you.” It was easy to underestimate Khalad. He was quiet and unassuming, but there was a reason the old Heartforger had chosen him for his successor.

“Don’t mention it. Zoya and Shadi should be along soon.” His silver heartsglass gleamed. This too shall pass, it seemed to tell me.

“There’s something I want to talk to you about while we walk,” Princess Inessa said. “Something I’d like your opinion of. It’s about my engagement to Shifang.”

“What about it?” I asked.

She flashed me a grin. “I might know a way to wriggle myself out of it.”

• • •

Kalen and Fox were already in the courtyard, and so were an alarming number of guards and courtiers who had come to watch. To my astonishment, Emperor Shifang was present, and so were Tansoong and Baoyi. Likh was also beside the Daanorian ruler, his tall, slim figure wrapped in the exquisite peach-and-silver hua Rahim had made for him, with a cluster of shorter women in flowing silks nearby; obviously, they were some of the royal concubines. The emperor made no bones about paying court to the male asha, having taken the latter’s hand in his. Likh was looking around frantically, trying to find an excuse to step away without causing offense.

But all eyes soon turned to Princess Inessa. Aside from her casual shirt and breeches, her hair was pulled back and her face unadorned.

Tansoong was sputtering. “Princess, it is scandalous to wear such clothes in public!”

“This is what the women of my kingdom wear for sword practice, my lord,” Princess Inessa said gravely. “It is our custom.”

“But you have no need for a sword! You are the emperor’s betrothed!”

“For as long as I have a kingdom, then I will always have need of a sword. And I am prepared to fight for it as well as any man here.”

There were a few murmurs among the Daanorians. Emperor Shifang asked Tansoong a question, and the official stuttered out a response.

The emperor laughed and clapped his hands. Likh took the opportunity to move away to my side. “I was so sure he was going to find out about me,” he breathed.

“Likh, you’re more feminine than I am.”

“Oh, I wasn’t referring to that…although that had me worried too. I was snooping around the palace when he found me and asked me to accompany him here.”

“What were you looking for?”

“I was looking at the palace wards. Kalen was right—it’s more complicated than regular spells, but I think there’s a way to untangle them.”

“Are you definite about this, Likh?”

He grinned. “It’s similar to zivar making, really. Think of magic as a spool of yarn. You can make complex patterns with it, but sometimes, some of Chesh’s spells get a little too heavy for the accessories we use. I’m usually the one tasked with unraveling the thread back into the spool, so to speak. It just takes patience.”

“You do know I don’t understand half of what you’re saying, right?”

“I guess it’s something those with purple heartsglass understand more than those with silver,” the asha admitted. “Give me more time to figure it out.”

“His Majesty has had training with the sword as well,” Baoyi translated, looking like he’d taken a bite of lemon. “If the princess wishes to defend Daanoris together with him, he would enjoy an exhibition of her prowess.” It was clear Baoyi wanted to express more of his views about that, but his secretary tugged nervously at his sleeve, shaking his head.

“Would you like to spar with me, Your Majesty?” The princess sounded coy.

If anything, the emperor laughed even harder. Already, a servant was hurrying forward with a small, ornate sword, the hilt meticulously covered in jewels despite its wooden blade.

Are you sure you want to let this happen? I hissed at Fox.

I know enough about etiquette not to scold the princess in front of another kingdom’s emperor. Besides, she’s good enough to beat him. Look at how he carries his sword. The gems on it are too polished to be anything but ceremonial. The emperor might think himself competent, but I know he isn’t.

That’s exactly what I was afraid of!

Tansoong was frantically shaking his head, issuing admonitions in Daanorian. The emperor paused and made a counteroffer.

“No fighting,” the councilor said, this time to us. “Instead, the emperor and the princess shall display their skills for the public to judge.”

That sounded like the better choice to me. Our hosts’ hospitality would come to an abrupt end should Princess Inessa accidentally skewer the emperor with her blade.

Shifang started first. His series of maneuvers were nothing special, similar to the ones I was taught as a novice.

Princess Inessa responded with more intricate movements, her sword slicing through the air with precision. I was impressed. Fox was either an extremely good teacher or she was an exceptional student.

The emperor, however, was clearly not pleased. The routine he performed next was a little more complicated than his first, though still not up to par to the princess’s initial display. The applause was louder when he finished but not entirely genuine.

Princess Inessa watched him carefully and proceeded to sabotage herself when her turn came: dropped swords, flimsy moves, and clumsy spins. “I must concede to the emperor,” she announced as she ended. “I cannot begin to match his skill, and it would be futile to continue this further.”

The message was relayed back to the emperor, whose spirits were noticeably buoyed. I felt Fox scowl. Princess Inessa bowed prettily to the emperor and handed her wooden sword back to my brother, her hand now tightly clutched over her collar, as was her habit.

Lose the battle to win the war, I reminded Fox.

I know, but I can’t stand that she’s forfeiting to that insufferable ass.

One soldier glanced over at me and said something to his comrade. They laughed.

Kalen snarled something in Daanorian, cutting off their laughter. Then one of the men offered what sounded like a challenge. Kalen’s face broke into a wolfish grin.

“We’re going to do something different today, Tea. You’re going to face off against those two arrogant idiots in mock combat.”

“What?!”

“At the risk of sounding immodest, fighting me is a lot different than fighting two guards who can barely tell which direction to parry. I’ve seen them spar. Trust me, you’ll do fine.”

“But—”

“Anything I wanted.” Kalen’s voice was soft and studied. “You promised me, remember?”

It’s a good way to measure your progress, Fox murmured.

“If it means anything to you,” Kalen continued, “he said you didn’t look like you knew how to use a man’s sword, except to act as its sheath.”

“Really?” I stared hard at the men.

“Really.”

“Well, there’s a compelling reason to hit their faces with something sharp. Are you sure?”

“Trust me.” Kalen’s voice sounded odd, any emotion in his tone stifled. But there was quiet confidence in the way he looked at me, and that gave me courage.

“OK.”

One of the men lagged behind as the other strode forward to face me first. I held my sword at an angle, waiting. He had several inches over me though was still not as tall as Kalen. But the Deathseeker had trained me to calculate my reach against people of varying heights. By the time he’d shifted his sword and lunged, I knew what to do.

My blow took him by surprise. The insult still had me seething, and I’d placed more strength into it than I normally would have, knowing it would hurt worse. The man’s sword passed harmlessly over my head because I had already ducked and slammed the tip of my blade up into his chin. A regular sword might have decapitated him; this knocked him out immediately.

The crowd cheered, Likh and the concubines being the loudest.

“Don’t get cocky!” Kalen yelled at me.

Not wanting to suffer the same fate as his friend, my second opponent was cautious, circling me and biding his time. I took the initiative this time, striking only to have it parried. Without pausing, I moved again and scored a glancing blow on his side. The man was fairly competent, but I’d been training with the best fighter in Odalia for months. To be competent was no longer enough to beat me.

I delivered quicker, more decisive hits on his legs and shins while he desperately tried to move his blade in time to counter mine. But I was faster. I might not have been as strong, but my mind was mapping the holes in his defense, finding the best moves to use. My training wasn’t enough to fight Kalen on equal terms, but it made me much more than adequate when facing others. I just hadn’t realized it before.

I spun, angling my sword as if to attack his midsection. He moved to block, and I switched targets in midblow. The man dropped to the floor, stunned and a little concussed.

The courtyard was silent. Inessa and Likh stared at me in awe, but Fox was beaming. Tansoong looked at me with amazement, and Baoyi was silent, though there was a small, reluctant smile on his face. Even the emperor was studying me carefully, like he was seeing me for the first time.

A loud sound broke the quiet.

“That’s my Tea!”

Never had I ever seen Kalen laugh that long or that loud. He was nearly doubled over, one hand against the wall to hold himself up. But there was no derision in his heartsglass, none of the dry amusement usually on display.

There was only pride—fierce, unabashed pride.