HAWK & SABLE | NINETEEN

"HER NAME'S DU Luyin," Rhys began, "and she had been working here for two years."

"Perfect timing," Laurence muttered. A new employee would be easier to manipulate, inexperienced and naive. If Ciri was looking to bribe or turn someone to her side, she'd be looking for someone like that.

Dominic continued. "She leaves behind her parents and two younger siblings, all of whom live near the outskirts of the city. She had quarters here and visited home once a week. On one of these trips, she was attacked and killed. That was exactly a month ago."

"Friends?" Irina asked, raising a perfectly sculpted brow.

"A few childhood friends, but they say they had been growing apart for a while before she had stepped foot in the palace. A few other maids here, I think. Generally reclusive."

"Another coincidence," Asteria pointed out. "Both girls were generally loners with only small friend groups."

"No one overlaps," Rhys said apologetically. "We checked. The link between them has been kept secret, I think, if the two girls knew about the other at all."

"Then we'll have to do with what we have," Asteria murmured. "The family and the friends."

Irina eyed them. "Rhys, and take Ciri with you. For the family. Dominic and... ah, Malcolm. For the maids. Better that way." The Circle of Cranes had joined them tonight, keeping mostly to themselves. Malcolm nodded, and Ciri did as well. Rhys and Dominic's presence would show a certain degree of urgency and importance to the issue, but Ciri would calm the family. If they thought they were suspecting their daughter of a crime, they'd be watching their tongues. Between Dominic and Malcolm, besides, they'd be able to charm the pants off of anyone.

She turned her gaze to the rest of them, scrutinising. Ryan looked deep in thought. "The rest of you, do what you were doing before. Banquet at the Baroness's tonight."

"Do we go now, then?" Ciri asked, raising her hand.

Ryan nodded. "No time like the present. We'll prepare a carriage. Dominic, Malcolm..."

The two men nodded and left quickly. Ryan ordered a carriage for them, as he had promised to. That left the others to their own devices as Rhys and Ciri walked out of the palace, both quiet.

"We should probably plan our questions."

Rhys snorted. "Even though it'll all go out of the window the moment we step in there?"

"No plan ever sticks. It's still nice to have a general idea, Miss Jiang."

"I suppose so. We'll have to ask... about her friends. And if she had ever mentioned any paintings. If she ever acted strange, in the case it's blackmail. Probably not, though."

Ciri agreed with a nod of her head. "Seems more like coercion. Persuaded into doing it. We're looking at a charismatic monster."

Rhys hummed pensively. "I'm beginning to form a profile of this character. That's good. That usually happens when I'm close to the bottom of a case." But this was no ordinary case. They both knew that. Even when they found the culprit, they'd have to catch them, and then clean up the mess left behind.

God knew how big of a web they had already weaved in the Scarlet Palace. The officials were already busy enough trying to prevent the international incident Hua Jueying had wanted to cause.

And when this case is finished, Laurence is leaving, a tiny voice in her head told her.

Rhys glanced at her. "What's wrong? You look like that time I forced Dominic to eat furu."

"Fermented bean curd?" Ciri's eyebrows shot up. "He doesn't like it?"

Rhys grinned. "Fucking hates it. Every time I beat him on a case I force him to finish an entire jar. Hilarious. If you're around next time that happens— which will be soon, I'll show you."

"I'd love to witness that." Rhys was blunt, unlike all the others. Even straightforward Danna and Io were often careful about what they said, but Rhys didn't mind being a bit crude. It was a welcomed breath of fresh air.

"You will be doing most of the talking, I'm afraid," Rhys murmured. "I'm better at standing behind and looking intimidating."

"I don't think intimidation would aid us much in this mission," Ciri reminded gently.

"Well, then, we're in for some fun, aren't we?"

"Rhys."

Her hands flew up in mock surrender. "I get it, I get it. I know what to do, don't worry. I can be charming when I want to be."

"Your brand of charming is not the most reassuring on a mission like this."

Rhys's hand flew to her mouth. "I am so offended right now, Diao, you have no idea."

"Oh please." Ciri threw back her head and snorted. "You've probably taken that as a compliment. Come on. Here's the carriage."

The two girls got on, and wordlessly, the carriage began to move. Rhys glanced out of the window for a second before letting the curtain drop and turning back to Ciri. "This will be a long trip."

"Do a magic trick."

Rhys smiled. "It's not magic. You know that."

"It might as well be, to us non-wiccai." There were clarifications in the Hatlen Isles, Ciri had heard. The light arts. The grey arts. The dark arts. "I am curious, though. Which art do you go under?"

Rhys raised her fingers, the red sparks flickering at her fingertips. "Honestly? I don't know. I was never in the Isles. Those who do, though— like Dominic— say I'm dark. We haven't really found a way to use my powers in anything except combat yet."

"Dominic is..."

"Grey," Rhys replied. "Wind and all. I keep telling him the only non-combat use for his powers is to keep everyone cool, and he keeps giving me a cold in return. Starting to get mildly annoying."

"Rhysa Jiang gets colds?"

Rhys shot her a look. "Of course I do. Wiccai do get sick, you know. And when you get your own personal wind blowing at you twenty-four seven because you pissed someone off, you get a lot of colds."

"Tragic."

"Oh, don't worry." Rhys' mouth twisted upwards. "I get him back for it."

Ciri laughed. "I quiver to think of what you do to him in return."

"Anything from dead rats to his favourite daggers vanishing for a few days." She flipped her hair back. "He's never found evidence it's me."

Ciri arched her brow. "Perhaps you shouldn't be sharing this with me?"

"Girls have to stick together. I'm assuming you follow that rule, as a person of honour. If you were male, I'd call you a junzi."

"You overestimate my honour, friend."

"Quite the opposite, really. You're one of the most honourable people I know."

"I'm not in an honourable profession," Ciri reminded. "And when I'm in Sai, you always see my best side. I'm on my best behaviour."

"I'm not honourable either, if you think about it that way. But my definition of honour is very different from a few poets a century ago. We have had to adapt with the times." It's moments like this Ciri recalled how young Rhys was. Seventeen? Eighteen? But the girl acted like someone twice her age, and thought of herself that way too. In all fairness, she'd probably had that much experience and faced that much brutality in her life.

Wiccai girls don't show up with a thirteen year old boy in tow at the doorsteps of the Scarlet Palace every night. She was the only. And even two years after she'd arrived, no one knew any more about her than they did when she first arrived. Ciri was almost tempted to ask.

Rhys was studying her with shrewd eyes. "You have questions."

There was no point in lying, so Ciri said, "Yes."

"Ask away, then." At Ciri's look of surprise, Rhys hurriedly added, "I can't promise I'd answer it, but I am interested in hearing what you're curious about."

Ciri hesitated for a moment. "Where did you grow up?"

Rhys shrugged. "I travelled a lot. Never stayed in one place for long. I am Saian, in case you're wondering, though I didn't grow up here much."

"Your family moved around."

Rhys nodded, itching her scalp. "Yeah, pretty much. Work and stuff. I just tagged along for the most part until... Well, shit hit the fan."

"I'm assuming you won't answer any questions I have regarding that."

"No." She picked at her robe's sleeves. "It's not something I want to talk about. Ever."

Some people liked to show parts of their soul for display, for the world to comment and look upon. Rhys wasn't one of those people. She hid her secrets and past deep, buried it in a dark abyss and tried her best to never look back. When she did, she put another few layers of dirt on it for good measure. Some things were too painful and dangerous to look back upon.

Ciri nodded. "I get that. Did you always know you were wiccai?"

Rhys hesitated, then nodded again. "Yeah. I hid it at first, but then my family figured it out anyway."

"How well did they take it?"

"As well as you'd expect." She grimaced. "Asked me to hide it, basically. They treated me fairly and well, but it was clear they were afraid. For me, I mean. Standing out in some places can be a death sentence."

She hadn't been raised somewhere stable and safe, then. Joskum? Dumah? If she was just hiding the fact she was wiccai, Lohia?

"I get that," Ciri said quietly. "Qiang da chu tou niao." The gun shoots the bird who raises its head.

Rhys nodded, a small smile curved on her lips. "My family loved telling me that. Obsessively, day and night." A cloud appeared in her eyes for a moment but cleared quickly. "That was a long time ago."

"How old are you?"

"Seventeen," she confirmed. "Eighteen in a month. Maybe I should tell everyone my birthday just for a birthday party." A grin flitted onto her face. "I'll get all the boys to bake me a cake. It'll be completely inedible, of course, but it'll be fun watching them suffer."

"You seem to quite enjoy watching the other Wolves suffer?"

"Hey," Rhys laughed, "I'm the only girl among all of them. I've dealt with enough of their crap, I deserve my own fun once in a while, wouldn't you agree? Though I suppose you generally hang out with girls, so you wouldn't get it."

"My sister would," Ciri hummed. "You'd get along with Cass."

"Whenever she gets here," Rhys smirked. "Might take a while, I've heard?"

Ciri snorted. "That's the understatement of a century. Wouldn't be surprised if she elopes before rearing her ugly head here with her lover in tow."

Rhys' brow raised. "That bad?"

Ciri nodded. "They were separated for six years, can't really blame them, but damn if it's not sappy as all fuck."

Rhys laughed. "I love it when you people swear, did you know that? It's hilarious. One moment you're prim and proper, the next minute you're cursing with perfect calmness. You still manage to make it sound posh. I swear it's a talent."

Ciri grinned. "It is."

"So, how's life treating you so far?"

"Rather well, really. I'm surprised. Except for this case, of course, but things are looking up now, isn't it?"

"Where are you heading once this is done and over with?" Rhys asked, curious.

Ciri gave that some thought. "Back to Asayama for school, I think. Or the mountains. Whichever Lady Kuroki decides, before I'm dispatched on another mission. Not sure where that would lead, really."

"Ah, a life of adventure." Rhys leaned back, eyes turning to the curtained windows. "Meanwhile, I'm stuck here in Sai, solving murders and crimes."

"The interesting murders and crimes," Ciri pointed out. "And some of us would kill for that stability."

Rhys shrugged. "I've always been half-nomad, that's what people tell me. Can't settle down in one place for long. At this point, the Iron Wolves are going to be a new record."

Ciri was surprised. "You plan on leaving?"

"Not yet." She flashed a grin. "That's why it's a new record. I usually am packing my bags for somewhere else by now, for somewhere more dangerous. But for now... I'm staying. I like it here. The Wolves are family and annoying colleagues packed into one. I might request some long-term assignment out of the country sometime soon, though."

"Where to?"

Rhys pursed her lips. "Don't know, really. Maybe Joskum? Or Lasyan. Might have to learn the language, though, I only speak fluent Saian, Arecian, Meliquean and Novokulugan. Novokoluga could be interesting."

"Not the Imperial part, though. That's horrible for a wiccai."

"The newer government, then. The Kozlov Government... I'll do some research there. I can serve as a diplomatic aide."

"Your skills would be wasted there."

Rhys winced. "We'll see. Or maybe I'll just stay here for now. War's coming to us soon anyways. I might go with some of the armies. The Wolves would be useful against the Meliquean's Falcons."

Falcons, the Meliquean's versions of the Iron Wolves. Dangerous, every single one of them, lethally trained wiccai. Ciri hadn't met any before, but she was terrified of the day she did. She doubted she'd live. So far, though, the Falcons had been kept lowkey, with only the occasional sighting to keep everyone on their toes.

"You're a good fighter, you'd probably be on the front lines."

Rhys grimaced. "Never fun, the front lines of a bloody battle. But it'll have to happen. You'll be running behind enemy lines."

"Possibly, yes. I'd probably be posted as a diplomat at allies' instead, though. Danna gets the... pleasure, if you could call it that. And Io."

She wrinkled her nose. "Neither seem fond of the plan."

"Would you be?"

Rhys shook her head. "I suppose not."

A few minutes passed in silence. Rhys pushed aside the curtains and turned back to Ciri. "Gods, this is going to take a while."

"It's been less than five minutes. Have some patience, Rhys."

She shot her a dirty look in response. "Patience," the girl huffed. "Patience is going to ruin everyone's life someday. Convinces us to wait instead of take. Nothing lands in your hand without you doing something first, did you know that?"

"If you wait under a tree long enough, the fruit would eventually ripen and fall into your hands.'

"Or, you could spot it the moment the fruit ripens and pick it yourself first. Saves a damned lot of time." Rhys pushed back a lock of her long hair. "But that's just me. I suppose different rules apply for you spies and politicians."

"Funny how you constantly put those two words into the same sentence."

"Without one, the other wouldn't survive," she said flatly.

"An interesting way of viewing things," Ciri mused, smoothing the dress over her lap. "But quite true, I suppose, in a strange way. How's Colonel Lan, anyways?"

"Justine is returning in a few days, if what I gleaned from Ryan and Irina are correct. They're keeping it under wraps for god knows what reason. I'm expecting her by the end of the week. Then she and Myrina can handle Irina, and I can finally do whatever the fuck I want."

"Lan clucking over Irina like a mother hen should be amusing to watch."

"You mean berating her." Justine and Irina were practically sisters in all but blood. Three years older, the former had all the attitude of an older sibling as well. Ciri would know. She'd dealt with enough from Cass.

Rhys waved her hand in dismissal. "Same thing. How much longer do we have to ride?"

"You're the one familiar with this city," Ciri shot. "Figure it out yourself."

Rhys tossed her head back. "Like, forty minutes?"

Ciri tilted her head and did the calculations. "I'd assume so. I don't assume you brought anything to do?"

"We're not five, Diao."

"Then stop acting like you are."

Rhys grunted but didn't argue.

✢

"SEEMS LIKE A FAIR neighbourhood." Ciri glanced around, descending from the carriage. Rhys was already on the ground. They attracted a few glances, in their fancy gowns and an expensive-looking carriage, but one look at Rhys' robes, her gender, and their eyes widened before turning away.

"I hear poultry." Rhys wrinkled her nose. Ciri didn't need wiccai hearing to hear that. "A peaceful neighbourhood. Farmers and weavers. A place no one pays much attention to."

Ciri shrugged. "We can't all live in places as exciting as you, Briar." She used Rhys' nomme de guerre here, because anyone could be listening.

"Third house down," Rhys pointed out, nudging her chin in the direction but not glancing down at it. Ciri didn't either, keeping herself demure, eyes lowered to the ground. "Do we go there directly or glance around first, before our presence alerts anyone?"

"Latter." Rhys nodded. A group of young children were gazing at her with adoration in their eyes. Rhys flashed them a winning smile before turning back to Ciri, who tilted her head. "You're a celebrity."

"I'm female, wiccai, and an Iron Wolf. I'm going to attract attention, Miss Diao." Her hands were clasped behind her back. "Come on."

Ciri didn't argue, obediently walking besides Rhys, glancing up once in a while as if she was studying the neighbourhood. She put enough curiosity and enough disdain in it for people to see what they wanted to see.

The neighbourhood was placid, peaceful. Nothing interesting, nothing worth noting. Exactly what she had expected.

Rhys muttered something under her breath and the two changed directions towards their actual destination. Ciri followed. When they reached the courtyard of the house, a dog howled. Rhys took a step back, raising a brow.

The dog alerted the people inside. Moments later, a man walked out and scanned the two. He noted Rhys' robes and recognised it.

His eyes widened. "Who..."

"Mr Du?"

He nodded.

"I'm the Briar of the Iron Wolves. This is Miss Cirinique Diao. We have a few questions for you regarding your daughter's case– we've found new leads that could help us stop the villains behind it once and for all. Would you mind if we come in and ask a few questions?"

The man looked too awestruck to form an answer. Rhys waited a few more seconds before clearing her throat.

Mr Du snapped out of his trance. "Of course! Of course! Right this way, please." They were led inside, where a middle-aged, plump woman was waiting. Spotting them, her mouth dropped.

Mr Du muttered something in his wife's ear, and the woman bobbed a frantic curtsy before vanishing into the kitchen. A moment later, she came out with tea. Rhys muttered her thank yous, as did Ciri, and took the seat they were offered.

"The case was reopened because we believe it may be linked to another series of crimes. Crimes that concern the government and national security itself. Hence, I was placed on this case. Miss Diao here is acting as representative for the Duke of Shui Xiang."

Mr Du audibly swallowed. "Of course. We'll... ah... assist in any way we can. Is my daughter's killer..."

"At large?" Ciri nodded, letting her features soften. "We believe so. They may have framed someone else for the crime, which may be who we arrested. They were still criminals, but not guilty of the crime they were accused of. But don't worry. We will find the murderer, and justice will be served. I promise."

"My daughter... why would someone want to kill her?" There was a pleading note up the woman's voice as she stared at the two with her sadness-laced eyes. "She was good. And kind and innocent. She would never do anything bad!"

Rhys' voice was soft and soothing. "We believe she may have stumbled upon something accidentally that someone wanted to keep... private." We believe your daughter may have been seduced by an enemy spy into helping them didn't seem the best thing to say to a distraught family. So they settled on that instead. "Did Du guniang ever act... strange, before her death?"

Mrs Du shook her head. "Never! She was perfectly normal. We were told her murder was an incident."

"That was what we believed, until very recently," Rhys replied. "Did she ever say anything that seemed out-of-place? Act secretive? Seem to hide anything from you?"

Mr Du seemed offended. "She'd never hide anything from us. She always told us everything."

Rhys raised her hand. "We don't mean to imply anything, but we're genuinely curious. She may have had good reasons for not telling you about this. Unfortunately, our investigation only allows us to reveal so much. But we do not suspect her of wrongdoing. You can be sure of that." Ciri nodded assuredly, and the couple relaxed.

"No, she never acted strange or said anything strange. She did start spending less time home, though. Our daughter had always been very quiet, and we got the impression she started finally making her friends." Mrs Du seemed excited, and then her shoulders deflated. "And now she is gone. Right when she finally started growing up." She suddenly looked like she was about to weep.

Ciri asked, softly, "Did she tell you about these friends?"

Mr Du blinked. "Not much, no. But young people like their privacy."

"But she always told you everything," Rhys pointed out, raising a brow. "Did she say nothing about her friends?"

"Other maids, mostly," Mrs Du said. Obviously, the girl had revealed much more to her mother than father. Expected. "A few officials, I think. I think she went to a few dinners. She actually mentioned you once or twice, Miss... er..."

"Call me the Briar," Rhys said. "Jingji."

"Yes, she mentioned you once or twice, Jingji. Says she had seen you hanging around and thought you were very cool. She said she wanted to meet you." Mrs Du sniffled. "That never happened."

Rhys' face remained placid, but a quick meeting of the eyes with Ciri took her all she needed to know. Rhys did not recall ever seeing the girl anywhere. But then again, Rhys had nothing but a quick description of the girl's physical appearance, and she was a maid. Even people like Rhys rarely paid attention to young maids bustling around the Palace. They were invisible and perfectly forgettable.

The perfect spies.

Rhys frowned. "I can't seem to quite recollect her. Did she say where she had seen me?"

"At a few banquets, I think. When she was posted on those."

Rhys relaxed slightly, as did Ciri. That was perfectly plausible, but why single out Rhys?

Was Du guniang wiccai? That would explain interest in Rhys. But why hide that fact, then? There were fates far worse than joining the Iron Wolves. The Woles received much more privilege and power than a simple cleaning maid anyways. It was an opportunity most people would adore. There had to be something going on here.

What linked Ai Jinyao, Du Luyin and Rhys together?

They were all females. And young. Apparently all pretty, and generally known for being quiet and reclusive, with only small circles of friends. Rhys and Jinyao were both linked with William, but they had no evidence of that with Luyin. Luyin and Jinyao were both linked to the Treasury, but Rhys was not. It didn't make sense.

"Did she ever specifically mention anyone else?" Rhys asked.

Mr and Mrs Du exchanged glances. "Not to our knowledge, no," Mr Du finally replied.

Ciri decided to take a step further. "Did she ever mention any specific paintings, by any chance?"

Rhys glanced at her, alarmed. But Ciri brushed off the girl's surprise. It had to be asked. The paintings were what started off this entire operation.

Mrs Du blinked, exposing her surprise. "Why yes. Yes she did. A few weeks before she was killed, she brought home a few western paintings." A sniffle. "Said a young man had acquired them but didn't have a place to put them yet. She brought it here. We haven't been sure what to do with it— it looks expensive, but it's Arecian."

Ciri's blood ran cold. Rhys gave the slightest fraction of a nod.

"May we see the paintings, please?"