"There it is," Enfri said. She placed a large potion vial upon the table along with a bundle of handwritten notes. "You'll need to keep an eye on every step of the treatment, but I'm confident it'll produce results within a month."

The market square was almost entirely deserted. Only a few residents of Chaya Domun still lingered on the jungle floor after the sunset. The gazebo at the center of the square had a number of tables— a relaxing place to sit in the shade during the daytime— but all except for Enfri's sat unused.

She wore a more familiar outfit tonight. It was a dark green dress with a long skirt past the ankles and a neckline up to her throat. A tad sweltering in this heat and humidity, but Enfri's one consolation towards the climate was to keep her fine shawl around her shoulders rather than covering her hair. As accustomed as she was to what they wore in Chaya Domun, she felt that she should present herself to everyone as the empress she intended to be for them. Even if seeing her in the clothes of an outsider counted as a point against them accepting her claim, Enfri refused to mislead them.

Ardule transmuted the wick of a candle into flame and held it over Enfri's notes as he looked them over. Elise's Citrine Knight was a tall man even for a pureblooded Aleesh, rather handsome as well. His darker skin and Melcian accent were the only things about him that weren't stereotypical of their race. Most interesting to Enfri, he didn't have quite the same aura about him as the rest of Elise's knights. Not as hardened. Nor as hostile.

"You have mine thanks, Your Majesty," Ardule said as he read over the papers. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Light. I would nay have considered crumbleweed."

"Really?" Enfri asked in surprise. "My grandmother used crumbleweed for all sorts of remedies for feminine health. It eases the birthing process, regulates menstruation, and even clears up yeast infections."

Ardule glanced up at her with a pleasant smile on his lips. "Forgive me, Your Majesty, but mine expertise with midwifery is much inferior to your own. I left the care of the women in mine village to mine assistants. I believed women at their most vulnerable to be more comfortable with other women."

Enfri pursed her lips. "Can't say I agree. Your reasoning isn't all wrong, but I think a healer should be involved in everything being done for their patients. Winds know, I had to get close looks at the dangly bits of men more often than I wanted to."

"Dangly..." Ardule laughed. "The word you are searching for is..."

Enfri covered her ears. "Winds, don't say it!"

He placed a hand over his heart, and his smile broadened. "I hear your earnest advice, Majesty. Rest assured, it is advice I shall meditate upon."

From off to the side came a discontented hiss. Ardule's companion, the wild girl named Temri, hadn't taken her eyes off Enfri since they arrived. She perched on a bench from a different table, crouched like a gargoyle. "Don't call her that," Temri said. Her voice was soft and quiet, like the voice of a snake. "She's not the empress."

"Have a care, imé," Ardule replied gently. "It nay carries a price to treat those around you with respect. Her Majesty has come in good faith and has brought a wondrous gift for our beloved. The least we can do in return is be polite."

Temri grew sullen, all but pouting. Her eyes flickered to Ardule before she dropped her gaze and blushed.

Enfri hid her knowing smile. Poor girl. Temri might've been wild and brainwashed, but Enfri knew a puppy crush when she saw one. She thought it spoke well of Ardule that he offered Temri kindness to go along with the poisonous ideals Elise was surely feeding her.

Don't forget, girl, Shoen growled, this is the same child who slaughtered your crewmen in front of you.

I haven't forgotten, Enfri thought back. And you know what? I forgive her. I can't look at her and see anything but another of my aunt's victims. Elise made Temri into a knife, and a blade doesn't carry the blame for who it hurts.

Bah. Once more, you show your soft heart. Weak.

There are twenty-five failings to make a mortal weak, Enfri thought. Forgiveness isn't one of them.

Temri looked back up at Enfri. Her eyes narrowed when she saw Enfri watching her. She shrank back like a cat that had grown accustomed to the cruelty of humans, one that had never felt truly safe. She made Enfri's heart ache.

"Back to the matter at hand," Enfri said, looking back at Ardule, "the potion here will provide for the first week of treatment. Elise told me you're an alchemist, so I included the formula I developed from the treatments used by the goblin green ones. You should be able to invest more as needed. The only reagents that may be hard to come by are ataxi root and a southern herb called kavash."

"Mmm, yes. Ataxi rarely finds its way out of the Protectorate these days." Ardule furrowed his brow as he skimmed the formula. "Kavash. I am unfamiliar."

"I hadn't heard of it until the goblins introduced me. It grows well in cold weather, a tall and hardy stalk with trefoil leaves and clusters of white flowers. It's the leaves you need to use. They carry the right quantities of structure and sinew essence. If you can't find any, I'll provide from my own supply if you send me a message."

"I will remember this, Your Majesty. Thank you." Ardule glanced off to the side, at the one who came as Enfri's escort. He inclined his head.

"Let me get one thing straight," Darian said. He leaned his back against one of the gazebo's supporting wood beams with his arms crossed over his chest. "Elise traded a gold dragon in exchange for a... fertility remedy?"

Enfri grimaced and didn't look his way. After Ardule talked about politeness, it took a real piece of work to act so rude. She curled her lip in dissatisfaction.

"To call this a mere remedy is an understatement," Ardule said as he pushed away from the table to stand. "To be quite frank, my lord, Her Majesty's treatment is nothing short of miraculous."

"Alright," Darian replied in a flippantly light tone. "Not my business to judge."

"Now really, my lord," Enfri said, feeling her temper flare up. "Out of everything that's come of this expedition, this exchange is the one point where I honestly believe all parties came out ahead. Don't be so..." She shook her hands at him. "So... Darian-esque about it."

Darian's eyebrow quirked up, and he pulled an amused face. "And what, pray tell, is meant by Darian-esque?"

"Grumpy. Curmudgeonly. Acting like everything's beneath you. Blustering mean."

Darian blinked. "Stones. If that's the impression I give, you have my sincerest apologies."

Enfri went over what he said with a fine-toothed comb in search of sarcasm. It bothered her that she didn't find any. Setting Darian out of mind, Enfri stood along with Ardule. It looked like this meeting was coming to an end, but there was one thing more she wanted to gain from it.

"If I may ask a blunt question, your worship?" Enfri decided that if he used proper address for her, she ought to do the same.

Ardule inclined his head. "Of course."

"You weren't part of my aunt's enclave in the Spired City. You were born here in Chaya Domun. You're ndopu uche. You left the Reach fifteen years ago to protect your people, then you became a surgeon in Vayl. Is all that right?"

He appeared taken aback by her knowledge of him. "This is so, Your Majesty. How...?"

"I've accepted a new handmaiden into my service. Her name is Odjualla Weaver."

Ardule's eyes widened with recognition. "Ah, Lautha's goodwife. Yes, she and her husband were part of mine community of Aleesh within Vayl. This was before the man named Landon Marchand came through our village and claimed the Aleesh living there. He came bearing tales of a Dragon Empress we should seek out to save ourselves."

Enfri clasped her hands in front of her. "I guess I just want to know why you didn't go with them. Forgive me, but I feel a bit cheated that this is the first we've met."

Ardule smiled warmly. "You honor me, Your Majesty. Unfortunately, I believe you well know the reason I could nay go. I am a healer and could nay abandon the people whose care I was responsible for."

Enfri nodded. "And when Elise found you? Why leave then?"

Ardule looked off into the night and sighed. "Nay one, but two Dragon Empresses had then pulled upon my thread in the web of Fate. I could nay ignore what was then clearly my destiny a second time. Furthermore..." He dropped his smile for a brief moment before he brought it back. He faced Enfri again. "I laid mine eyes upon the mighty. Mine Hospitalier asked me to become his Citrine. I am only human and could nay refuse such wonder from mine life."

In his face, Enfri saw something left unsaid. She came away with the impression that Ardule hadn't been given a choice. Her eyes flickered to Temri for a moment. "And if I offered you another option?"

Ardule bowed deeply from the waist. "I would hear it gratefully and take it as an honor. And then, I would regretfully decline. You see, Your Majesty, I am a healer, and I cannae abandon those whose care I have taken as mine responsibility."

She was disappointed, but Enfri felt she could easily return Ardule's smile. "I understand. If nothing else, I'm grateful my aunt and her knights are being cared for. I think they need you more than they realize."

Ardule turned his head to regard Temri. The girl avoided his eyes, and her cheeks darkened considerably.

"Hey, boyo!" Cardin arrived within the gazebo. He had the lithe Emerald, Semile, with him. "You about finished here?"

Enfri bristled, and Darian pushed away from the beam he leaned against to stand at the ready. He narrowed his gray eyes and watched Cardin's every move like a hawk.

Cardin spared Darian one look before dismissing his presence. He almost made a show of it, adjusting how his fedora sat so the brim would block him from sight. Cardin and Semile stepped up onto the opposite side of the gazebo and remained there.

"Our exchange is concluded," Ardule reported. "If you will excuse me, I would take this potion to mine quarters, where I may give it the study it warrants."

Cardin clucked his tongue. "Check for poisons while you're at it."

Enfri scoffed.

"Rest assured that is among the things I intend to look for." Ardule bowed his head to Enfri. "No offense meant, but I must be thorough."

Enfri raised a palm to show she wasn't offended. Not by Ardule, at least.

"We ought be off," Cardin said, jabbing a thumb over his shoulder. "All the fuss is about to start, and the empress wants Temri with her."

That seemed to be everything Temri needed to hear. She sprang from her perch and bolted from the gazebo. Temri clipped Cardin with her shoulder as she shot by him.

"Oi, watch it!" Cardin scolded, but she was already long gone.

Semile unsuccessfully tried to hide her amusement behind a hand. Cardin caught sight of it and gave her a hard look. Semile's contrition didn't look at all sincere as she giggled softly anyway.

Enfri acutely felt like she no longer belonged here. The gazebo was now firmly part of Elise's domain. Also, she was almost fully convinced that the man ostensibly watching her back was in league with the other side.

She glanced to her right towards a spot well off in the distance to reassure herself. Thirty paces from the gazebo, shrouded in the shadows of the jungle, Enfri spied a pair of soft-glowing, blue eyes. Had she not known where to look, Enfri doubted she'd have seen any trace of her. Jin watched everything, unblinking, and she'd borrowed a bow and quiver of arrows from the Pearl crew before leaving Therrak's home.

Part of the reason for this exchange was to serve as a test for Darian, one of several Enfri and Jin prepared with Saveen's aid. Thus far, he hadn't taken any of the bait they'd dangled in front of him.

This test was one of the more blatant ones, so Enfri hadn't truly expected Darian to take his shot at her. He was probably expecting something like this, and Pacifica's plan to prove his guilt involved allowing Darian to feel like he was pulling the wool over all their eyes. He'd walk away from this exchange feeling like he was awfully smart for not showing his true colors just yet, believing he was one step closer to lowering Enfri's guard. Then finally, Enfri would give him an opportunity to thwart her that he couldn't refuse taking.

And Jin would be ready.

With the exchange concluded, however, Darian had passed this latest test. Whether he'd clear the next one remained to be seen.

While Elise's knights prepared to leave, another of Enfri's watchful guardians fluttered down from the jungle canopy to alight on her shoulder. Saveen gave her wings one last flap before folding them neatly across her back. She didn't acknowledge Enfri right away beyond using her as a chair. Saveen's full attention was fixed on Cardin.

The knights gave Saveen guarded looks, ranging from Ardule's open curiosity to Semile's wariness. Hanging in-between was Cardin's expression, cautious yet with a measure of something that might have been sadness.

"Been a while, love," Cardin said softly. "You well?"

Saveen held her chin high. "You can't call me that," she said in a firm voice. "But yes. I'm much better off where I am."

Cardin averted his eyes and nodded.

They know each other? Enfri wondered. I thought Saveen ran away from Elise before she recruited Cardin and the others.

Saveen's knobby scales gave a small ripple, and she turned her head to look at Enfri. "Are you ready to move on, Your Majesty? The elders are nearly all arrived, and the lodge is past capacity. There's enough Aleesh there to give Cathis nightmares for the next thousand years."

"I suppose it's that time." Enfri gave Ardule a smile and a curtsy. "You must want to speak with Elise before it all starts. I won't keep you."

"Yes. Were it appropriate under the circumstances, I would offer mineself as your escort, however mine empress would nay appreciate this, I think."

"I understand, your worship," Enfri said. "I hope the treatments go well."

"For certain, I will write to keep you apprised of my empress' progress." Ardule placed his hand over his heart and gave a slight bow from the waist. "Farewell, Your Majesty."

Enfri turned and left while Elise's knights did the same. When Ardule withdrew, Cardin and Semile fell into step alongside him. While the Emerald kept her eyes forward and her back to the gazebo, Cardin cast surreptitious looks towards Enfri over his shoulder.

No, Enfri thought with a hefty amount of suspicion. At Saveen...

Something was afoot here. Enfri tapped a fingertip to her lips as she considered what that might have been and why Saveen's scales were rippling like crazy as she became aware of Enfri's imperial scrutiny.

"It's complicated!" Saveen blurted out.

"I don't believe it," Enfri whispered. "All this time, the real traitor was right under my nose."

Saveen's tail shot upright and she shook her head in denial so rapidly it became a blur.

Enfri covered her mouth and laughed. "Winds, it was a joke. You're the last person in the world I suspect."

The little dragonet dropped to her belly on Enfri's shoulder and hung like an empty sack. "Flames, Majesty," she said petulantly. "You took a century of my lifespan."

Enfri patted Saveen's head as an apology as she turned to look at the first person she suspected. Darian followed her two paces back, but once he saw Enfri looking at him, he hastened to walk closer to her side. Saveen transferred from Enfri's right shoulder to her left, putting a little more space between her and Darian.

"Yes, Your Majesty?"

Enfri faced forward. "Nothing, my lord. Just seeing if you were still there."

"As opposed to...?"

Saveen sniffed haughtily. "As opposed to following after your cohorts."

"Stones take me," Darian muttered under his breath. "All this suspicion of treachery is almost enough to inspire a man to treachery."

"Now, now, Saveen," Enfri said. "Innocent until guilt is proven, remember?"

Darian scoffed. "I'll have you know, I've yet to hear a shred of evidence that isn't circumstantial. I arrived soon before your problems with a traitor began and nothing more. Besides, if it was me, would I qualify as a traitor? I've sworn nothing to you or your house."

Enfri hummed thoughtfully. A fair point. She'd have to remind the prosecuting barrister of that at Darian's trial. They'd need to invoke charges of espionage rather than treason. It wouldn't do to go jumping through all these hoops to catch Darian just to have him escape justice on a technicality.

"Saveen?" Enfri held out her arm for Saveen to hop onto her wrist. "Would you mind going ahead? Tell Kolbat and the others I'm on my way."

"Of course, my empress." She narrowed her eyes at Darian. "Will you be alright?"

Darian sighed. "I can escort Her Majesty a quarter league down an empty lane without incident."

Saveen ignored him.

"It's alright, my Bastion," Enfri said. "I'm right behind you."

"As you say, my empress." Saveen looked around at the jungle shadows around them— assuring herself that Jin was still there, no doubt— then she took wing and soared off into the night.

Even knowing that Jin was nearby and tailing them, Enfri was anxious about being this close to Darian with no one else in sight.

"Aren't you warm?" She asked, looking at Darian's double-breasted coat. It was a dark red one of a militaristic cut, also a touch out of fashion if Jin's lectures had taught her anything. Whether it was a uniform or not, Enfri thought it a little much for Darian to wear it in the Reach.

"Your indulgence, Majesty," he said, smoothing the front of it with a hand. "I rarely ever got the chance to wear it."

Enfri hummed. "That's a Nadian knight's coat, isn't it?"

"It's polite to hide ignorance, Majesty. Please mind your manners."

"I beg your pardon!"

Darian smirked at her sidelong. "A little fun at your expense. Apologies. While you're partially correct, no one's openly worn a uniform like this in Drok Moran for twenty years."

Enfri thought she understood. "Your grandfather's knights wore those, then."

Darian dropped his eyes and brushed imagined dust from his chest. He let out a regretful breath. "Aye, so they did."

"Not something a man on the run can wear to market, then." Enfri glanced off into the jungle again. She'd lost track of where Jin was, but Enfri imagined she could still feel Jin's eyes on them. Confident that her light stalked the shadows, Enfri faced forward. "I imagine you harbor a lot of resentment, Lord Darian. Towards Jin."

Darian's lip twisted momentarily. "She has her reasons, and your betrothed isn't the Algara who ordered my execution."

"Towards me, then?"

He frowned. "Is there a reason I should?"

"If you don't know who my father is or why he was a little famous, I guess you wouldn't have one."

Darian chuckled. "Your Majesty, no one can spend ten minutes with your legion and not hear the 'Legend of Yora Page'. I'm well aware of how he opened my grandfather's city to the Merovech, and I assure you, I bear no grudge against armsmen who serve their lord. Nor against their daughters."

Enfri pursed her lips as she looked him over. She supposed she could see something of why Reyn might've thought Darian attractive. Those eyes were something else, yellow and violet mixed in with the steel gray. Enfri wished demon thralls could carry some outward sign of their servitude to the old masters. A sulfurous miasma on their breath or fangs or diabolic horns on their brow. It'd make spotting minions of evil a whole lot simpler.

Evil shouldn't have been handsome, but Enfri had learned that it often was. Come to think of it, her first impression of Garret was that he was good-looking, and where had that gotten her?

At the least, Darian had a knocked arrow pointed at his back, and Garret was imprisoned in the Jade Empire, so there must've been some justice in the world.

"Why these questions?" Darian asked. "Trying to figure out why I'm working with your aunt to bring your infant empire down around your ears?"

Enfri turned away. "Is that a confession?"

"No," he said, and Enfri grew aware of how closely he watched her. "I've sworn this before, but perhaps not to the one to whom it matters. I swear it now, Your Majesty. I wish only to work with you. I'm not your enemy. I never was, and I never will be."

"Say I believe you," Enfri said. "What then? I'm not in the Highest King's good graces, and I won't speak for what Maya will think of you being in my custody. Do you think there's a future for you in Shan Alee?"

"Honestly, Majesty?" Darian had a wan look about him. "Saying this won't do much to endear me to you, but I'm not convinced Shan Alee even has a future."

Enfri frowned but said nothing. It was a doubt she often shared.

"Forgive my bluntness."

"Jin did say you should speak your mind."

"That she did. Regardless, I've thrown my lot in with you. Against my will and better judgement, but thrown in with you, nonetheless. Should you need anything from me, I'm at your service."

Enfri raised an eyebrow. "Have you anything to give? The Espallans more or less plopped you down in my camp with nothing but that nice, illegal coat."

"I have my men," Darian laughed. "Scattered by Espallan mercy, but I expect I know where to find them. The mercenaries will have pocketed my silver and forgotten the whole affair by now, but many of those I took to the Imperial City have been with me since I was a boy. Those that survived the barbarians' attack will rejoin me as soon as I locate them."

"More Courtesans?"

Darian grimaced. "Stones, no. Despite what you may think, I don't consider myself part of that organization. True, we share a goal of Nadian independence, and they see me as the king they wish to replace Fen. I've quartered in their safe-houses, and we've undertaken operations side by side. But in the end, I serve the people of Nadia. Not Nalthorio."

Enfri watched him sidelong. "That's the Courtesan commander, right? Reyn learned his name in Drok Moran."

Darian hummed in confirmation. "Something of an oddity, that one. Only met him the twice. Once to plan a train robbery, again to deliver his share of the take. Can't say as I much trust the man. Oily fellow. Soft-spoken. He's some old scoundrel from Primus— a foot-pad and thief with aspirations of grandeur, I'd wager— and doesn't have a stake in Nadia at all as far as I can tell. No, Majesty, I wouldn't trust a man like that with my grandfather's kingdom."

Enfri wrinkled her nose. Drat. Can't tell if he's having me on or not. Winds and storms.

"But," Darian said suddenly, "future or not, I must say I'm grateful to you, Majesty."

"Why's that? You haven't received the warmest welcome from us."

He shrugged. "Nor the coldest I've received, believe it or not."

"I believe it," Enfri said flatly.

"Ouch," he said, clutching his chest and laughing. "To answer your question, I'm grateful to have the chance to see the culture I've spent the last six years studying."

"Aleesh culture?"

"Yes. Please don't take this the wrong way, but you have a fascinating heritage, academically speaking. More so because delving into the history of your people is forbidden."

Enfri grunted. "Yes, well, Chaya Domun isn't the old empire, thank the winds."

"Not the bad parts. Luckily for students of history the world over, the good endures." He got a small smile. "Here and elsewhere."

"Flatterer," Enfri muttered.

"And by the way, that color looks lovely on you."

She looked down at her dress. "I do like green, but I think yellow is more my color, really."

"I don't mean the green, Majesty." He leaned closer and brushed a finger against her cheek. "This red suits you."

"Ack!" Enfri recoiled in horror, her jaw hanging open.

Darian stayed where he was, grinning broadly.

"W-w-what are you saying?"

"That you're beautiful when you blush."

Enfri prayed that Jin was out of earshot as she tailed them, because if she heard just half of this, Darian's life was over. "I wasn't blushing."

Just saying it made her cheeks heat up and turn her into a liar. She hadn't been blushing before. She hadn't.

"It wasn't my intention to be forward," Darian said. He still wore that pleased grin. "I was merely stating facts. Her Highness is a fortunate woman."

It took effort, but Enfri settled herself. She ran her hands over her skirt to smooth the fabric and drew herself up to stand straight. "Blustering... I'm keeping my eye on you."

The swaggering popinjay had the audacity to wink. "Nothing could please me more."

Enfri puffed up her cheeks from the effort of not flying at Darian like a swatting windmill. Determinedly, she turned her back on him and stormed down the lane, fists clenched and arms rigid.

Darian sighed as he followed her to the elders' lodge. He might've been laughing softly to himself, but Enfri was too upset to pay close attention.

Ohh, if I didn't understand why Reyn decked him before, I certainly do now. Shoot him, Jin. I won't be mad.

She hiked up her skirt and took the steps up to the lodge. Before she reached the doorway, Enfri took a moment to breathe in deep and calm her expression. If she went in looking like she wanted to murder someone, the elders wouldn't be able to tell the difference between her and Elise.

Darian came to stand beside her. He opened his mouth to give what was probably going to be some excuse for his abominable behavior.

"Ah, ah," Enfri said, raising a forefinger to cut him off. She couldn't look at him right now, and she definitely didn't want to listen to anything more he had to say.

"Aren't you going in?"

"I said 'ah, ah'."

Darian exhaled heavily and rolled his eyes.

"We're waiting on someone," Enfri explained. "Do yourself a favor and don't say much if you can help it."

"May I ask who?"

If Darian was startled when Jin materialized from the night and ascended the steps, he did a marvelous job of hiding it. "Highness."

"My lord," Jin said, her voice cold.

She doesn't have the bow she took out with her, Enfri thought. I hope she didn't leave it somewhere one of the enclave's children might find it.

Enfri couldn't tell how much of the last conversation Jin overheard, but even if it hadn't been a single word, she'd have seen plenty. Winds, but if Jin drew her sword, Enfri didn't know if there was anything she could do to keep Darian alive. Or wanted to do.

Fortunate for all involved, Jin managed to restrain herself. She stood alongside Enfri and held out a hand. "Are you ready to earn yourself a nation, my heart?"

Grinning, Enfri placed her palm on top of Jin's. "You know what? I think I am. Care to escort me?"

"It shall be my greatest honor."

Neither of them paid much mind to Darian blowing out his lips. The lodge door opened, and a young Aleesh boy serving as the elders' page gestured for them to enter. He touched his hand to his chest and stepped aside to make way.

Their steps in sync, Enfri and Jin went inside.