“Emperor Millu was confused about my intentions with Krustau. My mistress was from there. She worked for the ambassador’s household, and her father was a high-ranking official. We exchanged letters when I was considering marrying her to make our child legitimate.” He drew his chin back. “The emperor took it as disloyalty, and others in court convinced him that I was intending to betray the Imperium to Krustau. As though I wouldever?—”
“How did he find out?” I asked.
“I never knew. His Imperial Majesty had copies of my letters with my mistress, impossible copies. They were word-for-word identical, but Iburnedthe letters; I never met with her in public. How could he have known what was written in them? And in isolation, without any context, they did appear to be a payout from the Krustavian treasury, but that is just how the Krustau commit their marriage negotiations.” So, he wasn’t about to admit that Tallu had been behind his downfall, meaning he was still hoping Eonaî would risk her reputation to save him. Lord Fuyii turned to Eonaî. “I have been nothing but loyal to the Imperium, and I would be nothing but loyal to you. Your mother took me in when I had no one else. I will pay that back.”
The gleam in his eyes said differently, and Eonaî could read his greed as well as I could. “It is notmeyou need to beg.”
“What?” Lord Fuyii frowned. “The emperor? I will not go groveling to him, not to theboywho ruined my life… That is, not a man who was only a boy when I knew him.”
“He ruined your life because he exposed you?” I asked mildly.
Lord Fuyii’s lips went pinched. “That is what I have recently learned. That the copies of my letters came from him. He always had a reputation… ah, well, that was years ago.”
“So if she argues for you, her first act as consort would be to beg her husband to let back in a traitor Emperor Tallu exposed?” I asked, looking at Eonaî. “That sounds like a bad deal, sister. Perhaps you would be better arguing for a tiger as a pet. At least that would get you an entertaining pet and not an exiled minister who thinks he owns your success.”
“You dare to be sorude. I am your better! I am your superior. I am your teacher.” Fuyii raised his closed fan to slap it across my face, but I was faster, grabbing it in midair and using it to tug Fuyii closer to me.
“Be careful,master,” I said. “Eonaî wasn’t lying.Sheis not the one you should be asking for help.”
“I will not beg that insidious worm Tallu for a favor,” he hissed. “Your sister owes me. She is in my debt.”
“ButIam not.” I dropped his hand. “And I am the one who will wed the emperor. I will be his consort.”
Fuyii went pale. “If Tallu is emperor, he needs a wife. He needs an heir. He has no need ofyou.”
“Why would he take me then?” I said.
Fuyii shook his head. “I always thought the firstborn agreement was to disrupt the Northern Kingdom. If your sister had a child, then the Imperium could invade, claiming it for her child. If he takes you… well, it would leave the north without an heir. Perhaps that is his intention. To throw the north into political chaos.”
I didn’t say that I would never have been my mother’s heir, as that honor went to our eldest female cousin, Iradîo, or, now that she was not staying in the south, Eonaî. Southerners didn’t understand our matrilineal clan system and never would. Instead, I said harshly, “You never told us that. You never told us that the emperor intended to use Eonaî as a pawn in order to do what he couldn’t twenty years ago.”
“Grow up, boy! You are about to be the royal consort! Tallu must have a plan. He killed his father and now sets up no legacy for himself? He is too smart for that. A viper, indeed. He is worse than his father.” Fuyii straightened. “Perhaps he doesn’t want an heir yet, as that would give someone smart an opportunity to break away from his rule. Any traitor could kill Tallu and put his child on the throne. No. If Tallu told his father ofmyplot, then he has more spies than fish in the ocean. Your days are numbered. He will come up with a reason to kill you and then use it as an excuse to attack the Northern Kingdom. Congratulations, Prince Airón. You will be the downfall of your beloved Silver City.”
Three
Eonaî went pale, and then, without a word, she strode back to the door. Sagam was on the other side, and he took in the situation with one glance.
“Lord Fuyii is done here,” she said. “He will join me as we travel north.”
Fuyii gaped. “No. I can be a help to you. Who else can you rely on here?”
“I will rely on my husband,” I said. “As one should.”
“Perhaps he could be kept somewhere he will not run into old friends. He’s expressed how embarrassed he is at his diminished station.” Eonaî’s smile was sweet as she turned from Sagam to her former tutor. “I will see you when it’s time to leave, Lord Fuyii.”
Sagam entered the room and grabbed hold of Fuyii’s arm. He dragged him out, Fuyii protesting loudly. Eonaî shut the door behind them.
“I will try to leave now,” she said. “We cannot risk what he will say now that he’s been denied.”
“Is he right?” I asked in Northern, turning over the implications in my mind. “I think he might be.”
“I don’t know. Emperor Tallu choseyou. He did so purposefully. Nothing done here is without purpose.” Eonaî paced back and forth. “Perhaps he has some other intention that isn’t war? Perhaps he just prefers men. There is that option.”
Even Eonaî sounded doubtful. An emperor would have his choice of courtesans. Physical attraction wouldn’t play into his choice of a spouse.
Still, I couldn’t help but be grateful hewasso attractive. If I was to seduce him so that I could find his vulnerable moments, the times when it would be easy to kill him, I was grateful he was so easy to look at.
I remembered again the feel of his finger on my skin and shivered.
