HAWK & SABLE | SEVEN

  THE NEXT COURSE was shark fin soup, brought up in a large porcelain basin, tastefully decorated with little blue flowers. A maid came forward to pour it into separate bowls for each of them.

Ciri turned to Danna, who was twirling her spoon around her soup. "Bad manners," Ciri mused.

Danna turned to glare. "You sound just like my sister."

"I admire your sister greatly, usually. It's bad manners to play with your food. You're sixteen, not twelve. Not that Iolanthe is acting like you are." To enforce her point, Ciri nudged her chin towards the younger girl, who was dutifully drinking her soup.

"I'm not hungry," Danna mumbled into her bowl.

Ciri glared. Danna huffed and broke off her stare.

"What got you in this bad mood?"

"My cousins." Danna's voice was glum. "They insist on tormenting me, as always." Not from her father's side. Her step-mother's nieces and nephews loved bullying Danna, following in their family's example. It didn't matter that Megara had left her step-mother with a comfortable pension and allowance after their father's death, despite their years of abuse at her hands.

"You know you're much more powerful than any of them." Her step-mother was the daughter of a viscount, and Danna the sister to a baroness, but Danna also had the friendship of royalty, dukes and duchesses. If any of them stepped up even once, her hellborn family would slink back into where they belonged.

Danna shook her head. "It's my fight."

"What happens when they go after Hebe?" Their soft, sweet sister, who let others words stick into her like bullets.

"Hebe will find herself backed by her sisters," Danna responded, voice curt, eyes warning Ciri not to say anything further. Ciri shook her head and turned back to her bowl. She understood Danna's intent to handle this herself, but there were issues that didn't require honour. In her view, this was one of them. But this was Danna's decision, not hers. She would not interfere unless asked to.

Maids came out to collect the bowls, so Ciri stopped talking. Next came the abalones, which made Ciri smile. They had spared no expense. The most expensive food was being served tonight.

A red sea bass followed. With the conversation broken up, everyone seemed a lot more relaxed. William was attempting to joke with Rhys, who returned every comment with a cold glance. Poor man. It could not be easy, being Rhys's paramour. Cool, composed Rhys who wielded silence better than any blade. William Hua had never been a person comfortable with silence. A good thing, then, that it does not mean anything more.

Dominic was smirking, obviously finding William's flustered state humorous. When Rhys turned her eyes on him, a brow arched, his grin vanished as if it had never been there. Ciri could swear Rhys snorted before turning to the fish on her plate.

Ciri turned her attention to Laurence, eyeing him from the corner of her eye. He was speaking softly to Asteria and Irina, eyes lowered to the table, faking demureness. It did not fit him. He was a hawk, soaring the skies in search of prey, not a pigeon feeding from a human's hands.

The next course was roasted chicken. Ciri only took a little, hoping to save some appetite for the final course. Laurence caught her eye across the table, and she gave an encouraging nod. You're doing great. She wasn't sure why she wanted him to know that, since they were technically on opposite sides, but it felt like the right thing to do.

He replied with a little beam. People found his smirks and wry grins charming, but Ciri preferred his true smiles. The ones he offered to people he liked. She was fortunately counted among those.

He was very handsome usually, but even more so when he grinned like that. It made him seem younger, unburdened by shadows and the darkness of his life.

She wondered, momentarily, what he saw when he saw her. She dropped her gaze and returned to her food.

He didn't use to affect her like that. She looked inside herself and sorted through her feelings and didn't like what she found. No, all in all, it was a bad idea. She would not continue down this path. It was foolish and unfortunate.

When the last course was served, Ciri let out a breath of relief. The dinner was starting to become dreadful.

She finished her fried rice quickly and sat there, quietly waiting. She was a very patient person. After what felt like forever, Ruge finally called for dessert. It was red bean soup with lily seeds, simple but tasty.

They remained there for a few more moments, finishing their conversations and making plans for tomorrow and the day after and so on. Ciri stayed quiet, offering smiles when necessary. Irina glanced in her direction, and Ciri nodded with a tilt of her head towards Myrina. I got your message. Irina nodded, reassured.

Dinner was complete, and Ciri was exhausted.

✢

SHE WORE WESTERN breeches, which were tighter and more form-fitting. The maids would have been trained to be discreet, and probably reported to Irina and Ryan, so she dismissed them both early. She changed into a shirt and put on an armoured corset, concealing a few blades within it. Lady Kuroki had brought her old boots, which she put on with a grin.

She grabbed a thin shiv and used it as a ji. A backup weapon. It would be useless in a hand-to-hand fight.

She slipped out through the side door of the apartment, flipping herself over the wall of the palace with ease. She stuck to the shadows, being inconspicuous. To the untrained eye, she'd be no more than a shadow in the night. Cass sometimes said she was part cat, every movement fluid like a dance.

If Ciri was a cat, Cass was a wraith, then? Because when her sister moved, no one could spot her.

Gui Yan Gong wasn't too far from Zui Hua Gong. Ten minutes, and Ciri had arrived. She flipped herself over the wall once more, where Rhys was waiting quietly in the courtyard. She raised a brow. "You've always had a thing for dramatic entrances, Diao."

Here, formality was dispensed. All the Circle of Herons were friends and far too familiar with each other.

"That was hardly dramatic. Had you not been wiccai, you wouldn't even have noticed," she retorted, patting her hair. "Am I on time?"

"Io hasn't arrived yet."

"Trying to convince Lady Kuroki to let her go alone, probably, since Danna and Asteria headed there from elsewhere. I'll head inside." Rhys would remain here until Io came as well, after which a few of the Princess's personal guards would come to stand vigil while they held their meeting.

Gui Yan Gong was reserved for the princess's business. Usually, Irina used it like an office. It was no secret she had a major hand in the empire's politics, so no one raised a brow when the emperor gifted her an extra palace besides her usual residential one. But another one of its purposes was a headquarters for Irina's Circle of Herons, her group of close friends and advisors. Quite a few members of the Circle weren't publicly affiliated with them to gain information easier, so they usually met here at night when there were no prying eyes.

The Dugu twins were two of such people. None of them could quite fit into the group of normal debutantes and young unmarried ladies, so Irina had recruited the Dugu twins, who had been childhood friends. One of them had recently married to a man Irina had approved of, so they were now spread a bit thin, but they did their jobs well.

Dugu Nuola grinned. "Ciri!"

Ciri curtsied. "Nuola, Kejia. It has been a while."

Kejia, the newly minted Marchioness of Rui, strolled forward, dress swaying behind her, a small smile on her pretty, oval face. "An interesting set of attire."

"Unlike you, whose husband has been notified of these meetings, I live in a palace with two lords who must be kept in the shadows. I could hardly march out of the doors in a gown like yours."

Kejia leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Ciri in a hug. "I know. I'm just teasing you. Come on. We're just awaiting little Io now."

Their meeting room was large and spacious. A large wooden table laid in the middle, with maps and books and documents neatly laid all over. Asteria stood next to it, biting her lower lip as she read. Danna sat on one of the cushioned chairs, sipping a cup of tea. They'd all needed the caffeine tonight.

Irina herself was muttering something quietly while inspecting a map. Hearing Ciri's footsteps, she looked up and offered a quick nod of acknowledgement. Myrina kept to herself in a corner, a letter sprawled on her lap that she obviously wasn't taking much joy in reading. From home, maybe. She always looked like that when she ran into her relatives, none of them pleasant.

They'd only begin when everyone was, even if the only person missing was the twelve-year-old Iolanthe. It was strange, having a child at meetings that discussed and changed the fate of an entire empire, but Io had proven herself worthy over and over again.

The Dugu twins finally entered after their vigil outside. Nuola threw back her long, billowing sleeves to get an easier grip at the volumes on the table. Most of them were on law and history. Justine Lan's books on warfare were tucked away in a corner, unused for now.

There was a rustle outside. Io had finally arrived. Rhys hissed something Ciri could not make out and Lady Myrina glanced up with a small smile on her face. The doors of the room were pushed open, and Io walked in, graceful as fawn. Rhys rolled her eyes and pulled the sliding doors shut behind her.

Irina didn't look up from her map. "So the miscreant finally appears."

"This miscreant had to pacify Lady Kuroki first. She had much to say about tonight's dinner. It was most fascinating." Io's eyes rolled so hard Ciri thought it might fall off.

"The dinner was eventful. The Arecian viscount did well." Irina finally turned her full attention to them. "I'm impressed." She looked at each and every one of them one by one.

Nuola said, dryly, "Don't look at me. I wasn't present."

"Phillippe Cadieux doesn't train fools," Rhys pointed out, crossing the room. "If you expected less than perfection, you were a fool."

Irina tilted her head. "I agree. But we have more important things to discuss than the viscount right now. The emperor suggests executing Hua Jueying discreetly to prevent uproar. We won't be able to use him as an example without disclosing the full details of his treason."

"Not yet," Danna glowered, having a personal hatred of traitors because of her own proximity to one. "There's still much we don't know. He has to have had accomplices. The Liu boy, for one."

"Ned's child was being held hostage," Ciri responded curtly. "And he's always been a coward. My great-aunt would serve more than adequate punishment. He had no real hand in this deal."

"He should be questioned." Danna raised a brow, silently issuing a challenge. Ciri made her gaze, unflinching.

"I have already done so, as with my sister. If you truly find it necessary, I can send a summon for him. He is in Asayama now, under my great-aunt's care."

Irina waved her hand. "Not yet, I think. I've met Ned Liu once or twice. Bumbling fool. If his child was being held hostage, I cannot blame him for this. I am not that cruel."

"We've gone around asking about Hua Jueying, as you requested," Kejia said, placing both hands on her lap. "If he had any accomplices within the court, they're careful. Most people seem to have forgotten his existence altogether. The ones who do remember him say he became rather unpleasant in recent years."

"The exact words were odious prick," Nuola snorted. "And that came from the Earl of Ao Zhi."

"The Earl of Ao Zhi considers everyone a prick," Io pointed out, studying the maps Irina had laid out. "Are we meant to be concerned over Melique expanding into Lasyan, or the Eiraons fighting among themselves?" The girl's eyes were practically glimmering as she dragged her finger down the parchments.

"Both," Irina responded with a hint of exhaustion. "Don't forget the Novokulugans, fighting their own bloody civil war. It seems they've all been influenced by the Epimurean's Revolution and our own. There could be no better time, of course."

"Novokuluga? But the peace treaty..." Ciri frowned. "Why did I expect the peace treaty to work again?"

"Small skirmishes for now," Asteria confirmed. "But it's not going to remain that way for long. It's in our best interests to either help one side quickly dominate the other, or split them into two, leaving them both weaker, which wouldn't aid our bout against Melique."

"Are the Arecians and potentially Caershireens not already enough?" Kejia asked, eyebrows furrowed. "Most of the Vayantean soldiers now under Melique would defect if the tides even slightly change."

"But they have at least half of Eirao, which already helps them match Arecia's navy power," Myrina murmured, voice quiet, though the words seemed to echo through the room. "There are... rumours that Lohia has been swaying towards the Meliquean's side as well."

"Lohia in support of Melique ensures Joskum's support for us," Danna pointed out hopefully.

"Except Joskum is the one with a bankrupted treasury and a weakened army. Improving with every passing day, but not enough. It's too busy fighting with Lohia. In the grand scheme of things, those two would be too busy with each other to be any help to the rest of us." Rhys scratched her sleeve. "We should focus on Kon Ria, I think."

"Very neutral," Irina pointed out. "Unlikely to change any time soon."

"Worth a try," Rhys muttered. "Should we send aid to Lasyan?"

"Just money for now. I already asked the Royal Treasury to send over some supplies and cash. Since Melique's mole seems to have access to it, we might as well give them a small scare in the process." Irina scrunched up her nose. "We need to get this mole out soon."

"No one's going around with a Norman Hightower painting," Nuola said apologetically. "We've visited almost every palace within the walls."

"We should help the Makuwi Alliance," Ciri frowned. "If they win, Melique might lose Eirao's support."

Myrina shook her head. "We're already involved in the wars the Novokulugans, Lasyaners and Joskumers are waging. Even we do not have enough resources to interfere in more."

Io had been looking at the map intently. "We have to stop Melique before they get Lasyan, or they'd have an easy way into Epimur and Eibenburen. If Epimur falls, Arecia's in danger too. Not to mention if they head towards Gira. If Gira falls, they can take Gana. If Gana falls, they can take Asayama. If Asayama falls..."

They all fall quiet. If Asayama falls, Sai and Cheonuang would be next. Irina shook her head. "It won't come down to it. I'll ask Ryan to focus on Lasyan. Maybe I'll send reinforcements."

They all exchanged a look. "If you straight-up send reinforcements, that might as well be declaring war."

Irina scowled. "Do we have another choice? Right now Melique is surrounded by Caershire to the west and Lasyan to the north. They can't get to Sai without passing through Gira and Gana or Asayama."

"Lasyan," Ciri confirmed. "We help hold Lasyan. No army yet. Just send resources for now."

Io was frowning over the map. "I don't get the Meliquean's game plan. They should be asking Epimur and Eibenburen for alliances. Why are they talking to the Lohians and Eiraons? If they want to take Caershire, it's Joskum they need, unless they want to take Dumah and Hrishna? But both countries have remained neutral so far. It makes no sense."

"I don't think they're being particularly picky about their allies," Danna pointed out. "They're taking whoever they can. They're picking up the younger, more ambitious nations. Lohia is on a winning streak against Joskum, for starters. Eirao is squabbling among itself in an attempt to gain more prominence in the world. To them, an alliance with Melique is very attractive."

"We need our own allies," Myrina muttered. "And not just speculation. Written-in-stone allies."

"Arecia," Asteria instantly said. "We can convince Caershire as well, by pointing out how close they are to Melique."

"We can at least convince one of the Novokulugan governments, probably. Asayama is no friend of ours but if necessary they will aid us. Cheonuang is easier to sway, but weaker."

"If we can convince Kon Ria..." Io looked hopeful.

"We will consider sending someone to Kon Ria," Irina confirmed. "I forgot to mention— a Vayantean noble family escaping the Meliqueans arrived last week. They wish to settle down in Caershire until they deem it safe to return. We don't completely trust them. Io, can you watch them for me?"

"Aye."

"Dom and I are heading to the shores and docks to see what we might have missed last time regarding the paintings. We'll be back by midnight. I don't have high hopes for it," Rhys admitted, "but it's worth another try. You'll all be busy meeting and greeting the emperor tomorrow, though if you have time spared I'd suggest a discreet visit to the Royal Treasury. Pretend it's part of a tour, bring the viscount along. I'll ask Zhang daren for a Wolf to guide you?"

"Ronan," Irina said. "He's young enough they won't question his presence." Ronan and Rhys had arrived together. Most people speculated that they were siblings, probably from the more old-fashioned areas of the country where wiccai were still often mistreated. The two had no real resemblance, but acted much the same, viewing the world through the same cynical, too-wise eyes.

Io beamed. "Ronan's here?"

Rhys fixed her with a dry look. "Of course Ronan's here. Where else would he be?" The two were much the same age, Ronan around a year older, and were often thick as thieves.

Io shrugged. "He could be on a mission."

"No," Irina said. "He's too young for that, which you'd know." Perhaps. He sometimes went on them anyways, though discreetly and while undercover. Irina knew that. But they lied, even when there was no one else around to listen. "But you won't be seeing him tomorrow, since I want you posted at the Vayantean family's temporary residence. Watch them for any suspicious activity. Sneak inside and pretend to be a maid, maybe, we can arrange that. Meet me here by seven tomorrow morning. I'll figure something out for you. We don't need to worry. We'll win this bloody war."

Those were cold eyes. Wise eyes. She said it calmly with utter confidence. One believed her wholeheartedly.