"Winds and blustering storms!" Enfri ranted. "If it's not one thing, it's another!"

Reyn winced as Enfri's tirade wound itself down. It'd taken a good ten minutes just to reach the end of the profanity, and she was now working her way through more traditional swearing.

Sitting primly, shoulders back, chest out, legs crossed, and hands folded in her lap, Reyn sat in one of several expansive sitting rooms in her personal suite within the Palace of Jade. Interestingly enough, her quarters were the first place so far she'd seen jade in this kingdom. Nearly every vase, coat hook, and cabinet knob was carved from the pale green gemstone. All of it was of the most excessively delicate craftsmanship Reyn could imagine, and she didn't even think it was spellwrought. It must've taken hundreds, even thousands, of man hours to put all of it together.

Her conference with the Dragon Empress wasn't done alone. Reyn sat with Lady Huunaa Thaan, Lord Vash Tryson, Lord Haldi Drunov— who facilitated the sending with his witchery— and Duchess Josenthorne Algara. They sat on plush stools, arranged in a circle for the sending with their empress.

Of the noble delegates, Lady Ymira Shrajevska was the only one absent. She was with the armsmen, making doubly certain no one tried listening in on Reyn's conversation with the empress. Between Ymira's eyes and Reyn's amulet flaring with etherlight, Reyn was as confident as she could be in having privacy.

Enfri's cursing devolved into discontented grumbles, and Reyn assumed that meant the discussion could then continue.

"My heart..." Jin's sigh was easily heard through the sending, and it did Reyn's nerves good to know that the two of them were together again. "I believe you are overreacting."

"Like Hell I am!" Enfri cried, working herself right back up again. "Winds, but we don't even have a daughter on the way yet, and that dirty lecher wants us to promise her to him like she's some two-scub brothel wench!"

Jin sighed again.

Reyn thought better of correcting Enfri on a couple of points. The empress wasn't in the mood to hear that Ku Jun Seo was unlikely to ever become her son-in-law. Rather, Ji Min's young brother or perhaps either of her two nephews would be the Glorious Emperor when Jin and Enfri had a daughter come of age. Succession within the Jade Empire was as obtuse a subject as gender relations, unfortunately, and no one had given a clear answer about how the next incarnation would be chosen.

According to the executor, Jun Seo was in swiftly deteriorating health. Rather, "his current incarnation begins his transcendence of his mortal shell". From that and practicing the Tongue of Jade with palace staff, Reyn was beginning to doubt Jun Seo would live another year. Let alone another sixteen or more, depending on how soon the empress wanted to start producing heirs.

"I agree that the proposal is... in poor taste," Reyn said. "Imperial understanding of eastern marriage is a century out of date."

Jin spoke through the sending. "Yet, you believe they must have agents inside the Five Kingdoms."

Reyn hummed an affirmative. "It is a certainty, Highness. Things they've admitted to knowing wouldn't have come through the executor's brief visit. They have an in-depth awareness of the current political climate in Althandor. They are even aware of King Cathis' rumored instability, of even Prince Dashar falling in the Battle of Ecclesia. That they possess intelligence on Althandi dealings to this degree indicates that they are doubtlessly engaging in espionage."

"My father has attempted doing the same," Jin said. "Althandi agents face insurmountable obstacles. Language, distance, but mostly World's End Gate. Simply looking like one of the People of Jade is not enough to secure passage, and once inside, the difficulties only increased. To my knowledge, none of them lasted a month before they were discovered."

"It's the Gray Lotus Society," Lord Haldi Drunov said. "They are comparable to the royal assassins but perhaps closer to the Altieri Inquisition. They serve the emperor as his intelligence network, his secret police, and when need be, the enforcers of his directives. By what I have gathered, they are extremely effective. And ruthless. If they are even just a fraction as formidable as the people here seem to believe they are, the Gray Lotus Society could very well be the most effective spy network in the world."

Haldi was a man in his early thirties. Slight and slender, particularly for an Altieri. He had long, back-length, crimson hair and lovely blue eyes. He also had dark skin, a precious rarity in the south, and his features looked to have been fashioned by the finest sculptor. Haldi was a breathtakingly beautiful man, however Reyn had been disappointed to learn his courting preference was solely reserved for men in general, and his husband of ten years in particular.

The original purpose of Lord Haldi's presence was to aid in the negotiations with the Jade Empire. As local tradition was preventing this, he'd chosen a different task equally suited to his talents, and Reyn believed that his studies of Jade Empire society, government, and culture were proving invaluable.

Somewhere far away, a sound like thunder echoed. Reyn glanced towards the window and frowned. That noise had been continuing at fairly regular intervals for the past several hours, but there wasn't a cloud to be seen in the sky. Reyn surmised the sound involved spellcraft. Certainly not teleportation, because that would have caused an apotheosis or at least a strong spell echo. Battlefield spellcraft, most likely, being practiced in anticipation for the seemingly inevitable invasion of Althandor.

"Their spies wouldn't look out of place on the streets of Northrun," Lord Vash added to the discussion. He didn't appear to pay much mind to the racket outside anymore, though it'd startled him quite a bit when it first began. "It's been a bit of a twist in our thinking to see these folk as foreigners and not your average Althandi goodfolk. No one would look twice at one of them in the Five Kingdoms. Furthermore, we can only assume they don't share our ignorance where language is concerned."

"And, how have you fared in that regard, my lord?" Enfri asked. "Have you made much progress with your diplomatic codex?"

"Marginal, my empress," Vash said tiredly. "Most of what I have accomplished has been facilitated by the executor. The Tongue of Jade is a unique language in that it's wholly constructed. In a past incarnation, the Glorious Emperor simply... made it up, then he passed it on to the goodfolk— landless, I should say— and commanded that it be the language of the empire. The script is logical and straightforward. There's been little difficulty learning to read it. However, the words themselves follow syntax I've not seen anywhere in the Five Kingdoms. Shotoese is similar in a superficial way. There are some elements of Old Vaylese, even Japaxian, but I'm afraid I've made little headway in becoming fluent that hasn't come directly from the assistance of our hosts."

"Even small gains are valuable," Enfri said. "I'm certain you'll reach a breakthrough. Lady Huunaa, what have you learned about the Jade Empire's arcanists?"

Huunaa leaned towards the sending spirit with an eager expression. "I'm pleased to report I've uncovered a good amount. There are three great mysteries the Five Kingdoms have long pondered about the west's magic. Firstly, how do the People of Jade avoid succumbing to ethershock without nearby ley lines? If not from ley lines, where then do they receive their ether? And lastly, if ether is scarce, how is it that they are known to possess arcanists with arcane proficiency comparable to those produced by the magocracy?"

"You have answers to these mysteries?" Jin asked.

Huunaa nodded. "I do. Their official records speak of spiritualism and superstition, that ether— or Glory, as they refer to it— stems wholly from the Glorious Emperor. One of his titles is even the Font of Glory, and he is supposedly the source of all their magic. I now believe that this is more or less true, if to a limited extent."

"How's that possible?" Enfri asked. "A man bestowing ether like he's a ley line?"

"Because he is a ley line, Majesty," Huunaa said with satisfaction. "Or I should say, his elder magic serves a similar function to a ley line. It took some observation of my own stores during our brief audience with the emperor, not to mention a lengthy visit into the empire's Canticles of Glory. I'll include everything I've learned in my full written report, but the short version is that the Ku Dynasty is an elder bloodline as we assumed. Proximity is a factor, but this power appears to primarily manifest itself as an extension of his will. Marked members of the imperial family have the power to bestow ether to those they favor. In essence, the Glorious Emperor is a conduit between the Ethereum's wellspring and the physical realm, and he has the ability to pass that ether to those he deems worthy of it."

"Wouldn't that require an imprint connection?" Enfri asked. "The emperor can't just give ether to millions of people at the same time, can he?"

"He most certainly cannot," Huunaa said. "The bestowment of Glory is a highly ceremonial affair here, reserved for the imperial family and the highborn elite, and the average citizen wouldn't be able to just drop in and receive ether. That is why I took a closer look at the daily lives of the landless. Of particular interest was their croplands."

"Croplands?" Enfri asked, incredulous.

"Vex," Huunaa said. "It's the single-most common crop grown in the region. There are entire valleys devoted to growing it. They even use bushels of vex as the basis of their currency; one kun will provide a family of five with a week's supply. Vex sprouts are the lifeblood of the Jade Empire, and if it wasn't for your own and Sky Woman Kiffa's research into the arcane properties of vex, I doubt anyone would have ever seen the connection between the way they incorporate it into every meal and their ability to survive without ley lines."

Jin sounded troubled when she spoke next. "Would this mean that the Ku bloodline, these Fonts of Glory, effectively possess unlimited ether stores?"

"I cannot say for certain, Your Highness," Huunaa said. "One would assume the gods wouldn't grant such an overwhelmingly powerful ability to mortals. Additionally, elder magics have always been accompanied by a cost directly proportionate to their power. Forgive me if this sounds rude, but osteomancy's cost is arguably mild in comparison to, say, the ransom exacted upon the Marcels. Or the Akazewis."

"I take no offense from the truth, my lady," Jin assured Huunaa. "Is the Glorious Emperor's blindness the extent of the Ku ransom, or is there something further? I do not personally consider blindness to necessarily be as much a disability as it is often made out as. I know of many individuals who are exceedingly capable despite their blindness. Kai, who led the Aleesh pilgrims to us, for instance."

Reyn nearly choked, and she was certain she heard Enfri stifle a coughing fit of her own. It seemed Kai's identity remained a secret from Jin, as he wished it to be. Reyn pitied Enfri. Keeping secrets from her betrothed was surely hard on the poor girl, but Reyn had given Dashar Two her word. Neither Jin or Josy would hear about who he was until he was ready to tell them himself.

"Again, Highness," Huunaa sighed, "I cannot say for certain. It's a sensitive subject to broach with the Jade Empire, and I don't wish to jeopardize Minister Reyn's efforts with unwanted curiosity. However, I've theories that the tradition of the Glorious Emperor's incarnations is somehow tied to the cost of his elder magic. I'm certain we've all entertained ideas that it sounds similar to the ransom paid by our empress."

"It's crossed my mind as well," Enfri said. "Sooner or later, this is something we'll need to learn about them. Especially if they really do mean to cross the dunes and start a war."

"It would prove disastrous," Vash said. "These people... warfare is a foreign concept to them. I doubt they fully comprehend what it is they're trying to jump into. Their soldiers have already shown themselves to be terribly inexperienced. I'd put ten of our greenest recruits against any thirty of their troops, and it still wouldn't be a fair fight."

"They won't be coming alone," Haldi said. "It's all but guaranteed that the Espallans will follow the Jade Empire into whatever mess they find themselves. The two nations are all but inseparable. You will not find an alliance more devoted to each other anywhere else in the world. You can count on the Jade Empire deferring to Espallan experience when it comes time for battle."

"Are they really so close?" Jin asked. "Surely, there are some tensions between them."

"Surprising as it may seem, there aren't," a new voice from the other side of the sending said. "A reverential separation, perhaps, but nothing like tension."

"Darian?" Reyn exclaimed suddenly, and there was no small amount of a blush in her cheeks. "How long have you been there?"

"From the start, naturally," Darian said. His tone implied that he was surprised the question was even asked.

Enfri returned, sounding weary. "With his experience, I thought it would help to have Darian on hand." Her tone dropped to a discontented mutter. "We should get some use out of him."

If Darian was insulted, he didn't let it show. "I will strive to give all I can, Your Majesty."

Reyn gripped her skirt to stop her hands from trembling. Her emotions warred between fury or mortification being the most dominant.

"As for the Espallans," Darian continued, "they make no secret of the esteem they have for the the executor and the Glorious Emperor. Going by Ku Ji Min's demeanor, the Espallans are venerated to a mythic level by both the landless and highborn. It is like they worship each other as... almost messianic figures."

"I agree," Lord Haldi said. "If these lands were two youngsters, we'd all be wondering why they're not married already." Haldi held his chin in a thoughtful posture, and his voice dropped an octave. "Then, we'd worry that the pedestals they're putting each other on are paving the road towards a rocky future."

Enfri took a moment to think before speaking. "We have to dissuade the Glorious Emperor from taking rash action. With or without airships, another armed force mucking things up over here won't do anyone favors. I don't even want to think about what it could cost them."

"War is a way of life in the Five Kingdoms," Haldi agreed. "To put it bluntly, it will be lambs facing lions. They march towards a slaughter."

"The Espallans will be a problem," Josy said, joining the discussion for the first time. "They'll be out of their element once they're in forests and grasslands, but they're hardened warriors who know how to mount a cavalry charge. If they come in force, Althandor will be hard pressed to hold them back alone."

"I believe the Jade Empire knows this," Reyn added. "By the things said during the negotiations, I believe they will attempt to avoid engaging Nadia's legions and make straight for central Althandor. With most Althandi forces tasked towards guarding against Horde incursions, there is a good chance the Jade Empire may reach the Spired City itself before they are seriously engaged."

"And let me tell you for a certainty," Darian said, "there is no love lost between Espalla and the Five Kingdoms. They almost see killing us as a game. They attribute little, if any, value to our lives. They view anyone from the east as their enemy, and there is only one thing to do with enemies."

"Are your opinions colored by recent events?" Jin asked, and there was no mistaking the sneer in her tone.

"I should say so," Darian said without hesitation. "Before my expedition was attacked, I believed all the talk of Espallan barbarism to be propaganda and hearsay. I no longer hold such delusions. Those people are nothing more than killers. Mark my words, Highness, they want nothing more than seeing the Spired City fall."

Enfri sighed. "Pacifica and Lord Wallace thought this was going to be their plan, too. King Fen's still keeping his forces in Drok Moran, so who knows what he's going to do if the Jade Empire flies in."

"Your Majesty," Reyn said carefully, "I trust I am not overstepping, but am I correct you do not want the Jade Empire to invade?"

"Winds," Enfri gasped, "Of course I don't."

"Just to play demon's barrister," Darian said, "there is some merit to removing the current power structure."

Enfri was adamant. "Like you all said. Disaster!"

"For many reasons," Jin added. "More chaos benefits no one but the old masters. Furthermore, Shan Alee sits in the path of any invasion from the west."

Darian chuckled. "It seems speaking my mind hasn't raised your estimations of me. I'll be more circumspect in the future."

"No," Jin said heatedly. "Please, do speak your mind. It makes it so much easier to condemn you when you make your aims clear."

Darian chuckled again.

"That's enough of that," Enfri said to diffuse the argument. "Staying on the matter at hand, Sandharbor's suffered enough because of me. The next winter's going to be lean enough if I bring fifty thousand Aleesh into the area. An army marching through like a swarm of locusts will make it even worse."

"We have been assured that Aleesh lands will be untouched by their forces," Reyn said. "After all, the Glorious Emperor anticipates a formal alliance between our empires."

Enfri groaned. "Meaning, he'll want us to join in on the invasion. Winds and storms, but everyone is Hell-bent on pushing me into a fight with Cathis. When will everyone just get it through their heads that that's the last thing I wanted from the blustering start?"

"My heart," Jin said softly, "it may be that war between Shan Alee and Althandor is a forgone conclusion."

"I don't believe that," Enfri insisted. "I'd never have bent the knee to Maya if I believed that for a second. I'm a vassal of House Algara, even if only three Algaras know it."

"Well," Josy said, "one of those Algaras is halfway around the world, another's an enemy of the crown, and winds alone know what Maya's doing right now. It'd be a hard sell convincing Uncle Cathis you're anything but his enemy."

"I can't believe what I'm hearing!" Enfri exclaimed. "I expected Darian, but of everyone I thought might be raring for a fight with Althandor, you two were at the bottom of the list. Winds, you're in the blustering line of succession!"

Jin grunted something noncommittal. Josy snorted.

"We're girls, Sky Woman," Josy chuckled. "Not much chance of that. Maya's the only Algara with boobs and a shot at the throne."

Reyn gave Josy a disapproving frown. Between her and Enfri, any and every body part was liable to get mentioned during official business. Josy noticed the look and winked at her.

Boobs, indeed. How crass.

Lord Vash and Lady Huunaa startled at another round of thunder from outside. The Irdish woman tugged at her skirts in vexation as she glowered at the nearest window.

"I cannot speak as to their immediate plans," Huunaa said, "but judging by all the noise, they're certainly in a twist over preparing for it."

Reyn sat up straight and addressed the sending. "Your Majesty, our mission appears to have been out of our hands since it began. Nonetheless, I believe we have an opportunity to forestall armed conflict as well as facilitate peaceful trade."

Enfri's reply sounded both conflicted and resigned. "What is your recommendation, Reyn?"

"Agree to the betrothal, and I will see to it your future daughter is afforded the right of refusal. I will also put it before the emperor that Shan Alee is best equipped to set the pace for military affairs with Althandor. From there, we can delay any rash action."

"To what end?" Jin asked. "Sooner or later, the Jade Empire will demand war. If they arrive in force, my father will surely see it as an attack. Horde or no, the Western Legion will come eventually."

"That will fall to you two," Reyn said, "and to Pacifica. From where we stand, the best hope to avoid armed conflict is to work towards getting the Jade Empire and Althandor sitting down at the same table. We have had military victories. It is time we secure diplomatic ones."

"That's a tall order," Enfri said. "I think... I think it may just be possible, though. If Maya is successful, there won't be any obstacles from the Five Kingdoms."

Reyn nodded. "The Glorious Emperor has declared the east must fall, but his toadies are talented with reinterpreting his words. There is surely some way for their cognitive gymnastics to allow for a peaceful resolution. I would wager that most would welcome the opportunity to avoid war."

Haldi nodded. "I agree. Centuries of pacifism can't be abandoned so easily. The People of Jade are confused by the sudden call to arms. They go along with it because their emperor has said it must be so. Their faith in him is unquestioned, but I believe they'll be just as quick to accept an edict in the opposite direction and say it was the emperor's irrefutable word all along."

"They're frightened, Majesty," Huunaa added. Her tone and expression showed the sympathy she had already begun to foster for the locals. "They obey and conform, but they're still good people who would rather live in peace and quiet. They don't want to fight."

"We'll do everything we can to make it so they don't have to," Enfri said. "One last thing before I'm called to speak to the Chaya Domun elders. Josy? What's the situation with Master Deveaux? Has he been causing trouble?"

Josy winced. "Aside from one near thing after our arrival, we've been keeping him in hand. The madman's off his nut. Keeps raving about how the People of Jade want to kill him."

Enfri scoffed. "They can get in line with the rest of us. But, just to be clear, there's not any truth to that, is there?"

Josy hesitated. "I don't know if it's even worth mentioning."

"If what is?" Reyn asked.

"I'm probably just being paranoid after that near-escape of his," Josy said, "but it might be something. The People of Jade are... interested... in Garret."

"Interested how?" Jin asked.

"Asking all sorts of questions about him. Who is he? What's his lineage? What crimes did he commit? Basic things. Nothing that I'd think needs to be kept secret. They didn't really start getting nosy until they learned who his father was."

"Why would they care?" Darian asked. "His father was Hierarch Ambrose the Merovech. Lord Ambrose was an important figure in Althandor, but other than him being King Cathis' grand marshal, I don't see any reason they'd take an interest."

"Like I said," Josy sighed, "don't know if it's worth mentioning." She chewed her lip. "Twice, though, some of those blind fellas, the black-robed consulars who personally attend the emperor, they've wandered by where we keep Garret. I'm not sure if the translators were misspeaking or if they were just being weird talking to a woman, but they gave the impression they wanted to speak to Garret."

"I suppose..." Enfri said slowly, "that's not entirely unreasonable. We're asking them to hold him in custody, after all. I just don't like the idea of Garret having the chance to work his tricks on anyone."

"He's a daanman now, Majesty," Huunaa said. "Even should he get loose, he can't do so much damage anymore without his magic."

"I won't underestimate him," Josy said. "For the time being, nobody talks to the scumbag until the negotiations are over. After that, they can ask him all the questions they want once he's no longer our problem."

"Even so," Jin said, "be careful, Cousin."

"Ten times more careful than normal," Josy promised.

Reyn drew in a long breath. Talk of Garret put her on edge more than anything else they discussed, but it was making her feel better to know that Josy was approaching Garret with all the caution he warranted. The duchess was many things— infuriating, mostly— but she was also competent, and competence was perhaps the highest compliment Reyn could attribute to a person.

A nebulous thought came to mind, one that told Reyn that she'd thought almost the exact same thing about someone else. Who might that have been? The fleeting fancy drifted out of mind almost as soon as it arrived, so why was it that Reyn was suddenly feeling indignant over something?

She glanced over at Josy while the delegation listened to the empress thanking them for their service. Reyn's eyes danced across Josy's jawline, the casual way she crossed her arms, the superficially arrogant way she tilted her head that really just meant she was paying attention, and also to her taut stomach muscles. Gods, but the duchess had a nice body to look at. Not quite as muscular as her cousin but still strong enough to pick a girl up with little effort and make her feel as light as a feather. And that short hairstyle of hers looked better and better every time Reyn saw it.

Reyn was starting to realize that her cheeks were getting warmer. As before, Darian pushed her thoughts towards the sensual. A bothersome defense mechanism if there ever was one. Then, embarrassingly, Josy looked over and met her eyes. Startled, Reyn hurriedly looked away, but that just got her blushing more. She'd been discovered! Ogling the duchess! Of all people!

Surreptitious, Reyn looked back. Josy grinned at her like a wolf. It reminded Reyn that Josy had yet to collect on that outing Reyn had promised her.

"That will be all," Enfri said, snapping Reyn's attention back to where it belonged. "There are a couple more things I need to talk to Reyn and Josy about in private. The rest of you, thank you."

Vash, Haldi, and Huunaa stood and gave polite farewells. Darian also murmured something polite as he left, and there was some disappointment in his voice as if he'd wanted to stay and speak further with Reyn. Haldi locked the sending spell in place before taking his leave.

As everyone got up to go, Josy scooted her stool over by three hops to sit right next to Reyn. Something about it had a menacing quality, like a predator sauntering up to a crippled rabbit lacking the means to escape. Josy never stopped grinning the entire time.

"Something on your mind, Legs?" Josy asked in a whisper while the others left. She leaned in close so it wouldn't carry through the sending.

"Nothing that bears mentioning." Reyn determinedly kept her eyes ahead and didn't turn to face her.

Josy pursed her lips into a pout. "Boo. No fun."

"Do you delight in confusing me?" Reyn demanded. "I swear, I cannot figure out the first thing about what goes on in your head. Do you want me to court you or don't you?"

Josy opened her mouth, probably to say something as snide as it was inappropriate, but she stopped herself. Her eyes turned sad. "I want to know if I can be," she whispered, and it almost sounded like a plea.

Reyn could only stare into her eyes as her mind went blank. Those eyes held far more pain than Reyn had realized. Enough for a lifetime, and Josy was young enough that she shouldn't yet know a fraction of the pain she'd had forced upon her. And that was only the pain Reyn knew of, the pains Josy allowed to show. What more could there have been? The secret pains she shared with no one. The pains she didn't dare let anyone see.

She was afraid of allowing anyone to see who she really was.

Oh, spirits save us both, Reyn thought. She's the same as me.

A timid call from the sending snapped Reyn back to the moment.

"Hello?" the empress asked. "Josy? Reyn? Are you still there?"

"Yes," Reyn said, clearing her throat as she maintained eye contact with Josy. "We're here, Majesty."

"What do you need from me?" Josy asked. She didn't turn away either, and Reyn couldn't be sure of who she was addressing.

The weather in the Jade Empire was as temperate as Althandor, but right now, it felt warmer than the Espalla Dunes.

"Two more matters," Enfri said. "Private ones I thought you... Jin? I didn't mean you should go."

Reyn and Josy both blinked, and as if the spell cast over the pair of them had been broken, they turned their heads to look towards the sending.

"Forgive me, my heart," Jin said, "I do not wish to intrude."

Reyn could practically hear the slight half-smile Jin wore for Enfri. "There is no intrusion, Your Highness."

"To be more frank," Jin said, "I do not wish to allow Darian the chance to go about without eyes on him."

"Alright," Enfri said. "Make sure he stays away from Elise. I believe her when she says she won't help her agent anymore, but that doesn't mean he won't try something if it really is him."

"He will not have the chance," Jin promised, and her footsteps fading away were the last Reyn heard from her.

Enfri sighed. "Winds, but I hope it is Darian." She let out a squeak. "Blustering... I'm sorry, Reyn. That was..."

"I hope so, too," Reyn said. "It will be so much easier to hate him."

"As to that," Enfri said with some hesitation, "Starra got back to me, and she had news about something you asked her to look into."

Reyn sat up straight.

"Something's happening in the City of Althandor. Starra didn't have time to elaborate, and she asked me to let you know she'd have told you this herself if she had the opportunity."

"I understand, Majesty," Reyn said, starting to feel breathless. "It's about Darian's claim that he funded his expedition with a train robbery, isn't it?"

It was odd. Reyn didn't believe for a moment that Starra would go to the empress with just this and not tell Enfri every last detail of what she was up to in the Spired City. As far as Reyn could deduce, that meant Enfri knew exactly what was happening, and she judged it was too sensitive to let spread. Reyn was being kept in the dark about something. A big something.

And for the moment, Reyn didn't care.

"He's telling the truth," Enfri said. "About six months ago, the Courtesans claimed responsibility for the robbery of a train en route from Parnaia to the Spired City. It was carrying thousands of marks worth of taxes from House Marcel."

Reyn looked down at her hands. "Enough to fund the construction of six airships and the hiring of mercenaries."

"More than enough for that and to fund years of Courtesan operations on top of it. Starra believes Darian was involved. Some of the Courtesans were captured afterwards, and they confessed under interrogation to assisting an agent called the bright tower."

"That is the codename for Darian," Reyn said. She closed her eyes and didn't know what she should be feeling. "He wasn't lying. Darian didn't betray my cell."

Was it possible to be both relieved and disappointed at the same time?

"Knowing this," Enfri asked carefully, "do you think Darian could be the traitor my aunt placed in Shan Alee?"

Reyn swallowed. "I do not think I am qualified to make that judgement, Your Majesty. I am... too close to the matter."

"I understand," Enfri said softly. "Being innocent of one thing doesn't make you any less guilty of another."

He never betrayed me, Reyn thought. I betrayed him. I've been hating him for something he never did.

And what did that mean? Blaming Darian had been the only reason she'd stopped loving him, but so many things had changed since then. Her world had ended. The rest of the world was ending. Through all of that, Darian hadn't stopped loving her.

Did the girl he fell in love with even exist anymore?

"Lastly," Enfri said. "Josy, this is something you should know."

The duchess gave Reyn a sidelong and concerned look. "What is it?"

"Maya has disappeared."

That demanded Josy's full attention. She shot to her feet. "What?"

"Maya left the Spired City with Vintus. The plan was for her to keep him away from what the Cabal is doing in the Spired City, but she's been gone longer than was planned. Maya and Zanda haven't checked in with Lady Claryss since they left, and the Cabal isn't willing to risk giving a sending to her on their own."

"She could be in trouble," Josy said. "Winds and storms, what're they doing about it?"

"The Cabal isn't saying," Enfri said. "They don't even tell Starra everything, and she's one of them. All Starra knows— she swears to me she doesn't know anything else about what Maya is doing— is that the battlefield coterie left the Spired City and went north. Maya went with them, ostensibly joining in on their schemes. The Cabal is purposefully keeping Starra in the dark about this. There's something about it they don't want her to know."

"We don't know enough about this Cabal," Josy snarled. "They supposedly worked for Ambrose, but he's dead. If they're playing games with Maya, I don't care who their master used to be. I'll stand on their necks until they tell me everything!"

"I'm inclined to agree with you," Enfri said. "I know they're supposed to be on our side, but beyond stopping the doom, I wonder how far we can trust them. They oppose Vintus, but that doesn't mean they want me to succeed."

Josy's entire body was stiff with tension. "If the Cabal isn't doing anything, what do you plan to do about it? You're Maya's vassal, aren't you?"

Reyn reached for Josy to calm her. She thought better of it and held her hand back.

"I'm well aware," Enfri said. "She has one of my dragons with her. That's the best help I can think of giving her. Beyond that, I wouldn't even know where to start looking for them."

"Would you if you did?" Josy demanded.

"In a heartbeat," Enfri said without hesitation. "I would for Jin's sake, if nothing else, and there are plenty more reasons for me to do all I can for Maya."

Josy clenched her teeth and looked down at her feet. The frustration radiating off of her was almost thick enough to touch. "I... I know you would. I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Enfri said firmly. "For now, I've asked Starra to dig up as much as she can. Pacifica is sending out a few agents to ask questions around the Spired City. Between them, they might turn something up. If they do, rest assured that if Maya needs my help, I'll give it."

Josy swallowed and sat back down. "Thank you, Enfri. I needed to hear it."

Enfri sighed. "I'm sorry to smack you both upside the head with bad news and run away, but the elders will be gathering soon. I need to get ready to argue my claim."

"We understand, Your Majesty," Reyn said. "Good luck."

"Thank you," Enfri said. "I'll need it."

Reyn could hear Enfri leaving the room through the sending. The meeting was now done, and Reyn thought she'd like nothing more than to find a deep river and lay at the bottom of it for an hour. She wanted to try sorting through what Starra found out about Darian and wonder what that meant going forward. Glancing to her side, she found that Josy looked like she wouldn't mind a plunge into deep water herself.

"Come along," Reyn prompted. "We must tell Lord Haldi to unlock the sending."

"Yeah," Josy murmured. "Let's do that."

Reyn guided her to stand. The moment they shared earlier seemed to have faded now that both of them were occupied with new problems. "Are you well, my lady?"

"No," Josy admitted. "I shouldn't be here. I should be back there. I should be helping Maya."

Reyn chewed her lip before responding. "I do not know if this will help, but for what it is worth, I am thankful you are here."

Josy turned her head to face Reyn. "You are?"

Reyn nodded. "Of course. If you were not here, who would pay for my meal in town later?"

There was no reaction for three seconds, then Josy cracked a grin. "I figured, with all the nonsense with the emperor, you forgot I asked."

"I mean to collect on your offer," Reyn said. "How about... after I go with the executor to see these Canticles of Glory?"

Josy looked away, and if Reyn wasn't hallucinating, she had some spots of color in her cheeks. "Sounds good, Legs. I'll be keeping the scumbag under watch. Come find me when you're done?"

"Within an hour," Reyn promised. Despite everything, she felt as if it was something to look forward to. There was only one problem she could anticipate.

Starra would be insufferable when Reyn told her. She could already hear the dratted vampire laughing about it and saying "I told you so".

One of these days, Reyn would learn to listen to her.