THE MEETING CONTINUED on after that short interlude between Malcolm and Naeva. They discussed the upcoming war, their preparations, and their views.

And then came the reason why Ryan had called in Naeva.

"I've heard concerning news about the allegiance of certain Giran houses."

Gira was an oligarchy. It was not run by one specific person, but instead a council of the most powerful families in the island nation. Or at least the eastern side of the island nation, because the west was a cesspool filled with crime and poverty. And while Gira has been a Saian vassal state for the past few decades, there has always been occasional doubt on whether or not Gira was truly willing to accept Sai as ruler, or if they simply saw them as useful in times of need. Sai, after all, was thousands of times bigger than tiny little Gira.

But Gira was still important. It was close to Sai, but also close to Melique. Not to mention that it was a major trading port used by a majority of the world to transport goods and services.

"Elaborate," Asteria said, eyes narrowed.

"It's just a whisper in the wind," Ryan mused, "but it was enough for me to be a bit worried about it. House Phikkai, Gong and Torren. Apparently, they've been considering making deals with the Meliqueans."

And then all eyes were on Naeva, who was the only one who'd know anything about the topic in depth. Slowly, Naeva began, "I could see it in Phikkai. They've never quite liked Sai—you all remember that case Cass was dealing with. They were making deals with Gana years ago. They're not known for being loyal and noble around the houses either. Not Gong, I don't think. Their matriarch is staunchly pro-Saian. Well, they are Saian in blood."

"And Torren?" Ryan prodded.

"No one knows much about the Torrens," Naeva mused. "They're a relatively new house, a new superpower. Not much history in the city. Third generation immigrants, if I remember correctly. It wouldn't be surprising if they decide to take the shorter way to the top."

"Where did you hear this?" Myrina asked, tilting her head.

"From some spies, of course."

"If they were only able to give you this little information, they are not very good spies."

He glanced at her, annoyance in his eyes. Myrina raised her chin, but then her gaze darted away, whatever little pride she'd managed to muster for herself a second before gone.

That seemed to be how she always was. Tiny steps, tiny steps. A kingdom could not be built in a day, and clearly confidence worked in the same way. It was alright, though. She was a patient woman.

"I think what Myrina means is," Asteria murmured, "did you hear anything else? And is this source trustworthy?"

"It's trustworthy," Ryan confirmed. Since he shared no exact information, Myrina assumed it was confidential, or he did not want to reveal it in front of Naeva, who was not precisely a part of his inner circle. That was fair enough.

"And what do you wish to do about it?" Asteria asked, one brow raised. Calm and collected Asteria Lu. If her heart was not engaged by Lieutenant Harlande, Myrina had no doubt that she'd have been picked as Ryan's bride long ago. But the Emperor and Empress were not harsh enough to break apart a couple just for a good political match. Besides, Asteria was not the only unmarried noblewoman of a suitable age.

In fact, Ryan's wife would not have to be a noblewomen at all. She could very well be the daughter of an official or the like.

And here's where Myrina's job came in—Irina had told her about it, and then so had the Empress a mere week ago. To gather a list of all suitable women and present it to Ryan. With the Princess already married off, it was Ryan's turn. He needed to marry. He needed an heir. He could not drag it on any further.

It was something she'd discuss with him after the meeting ended, because she did not want him to be pressured by everyone else's presence.

"Investigations, of course," Ryan said grimly. "From what Naeva had said, I'll place more work on the Phikkais and the Torrens. Less people on the Gongs, then."

Justine raised her chin. "You could send a message to the Weeping Flames Club. I'm sure Io's siblings would be able to provide us help if necessary."

Ryan raised his brow at the general. "I'd prefer not having to rely on foreigners when necessary. I'll use our own agents first. If that doesn't go as planned, I'll ask them for aid. But not yet."

Justine nodded, unaffected by his refusal. She'd been expecting it, most likely. The twin owners of the Weeping Flames Club had allegedly saved her and General Gabriel Stoneworth's lives when they had been travelling to Arecia earlier in the year, and thus Justine must have felt the need to repay them somehow. And having the Crown Prince of Sai ask them for help? Which signalled potential future patronage and sponsorship?

That was a hefty repayment indeed.

But that was if Ryan agreed, which he hadn't. But if the Mi twins ever came knocking, Justine would have something to say—see? I did try. But he refused, and there was nothing I could do about it.

Or perhaps Myrina was just too cynical about how people worked.

She had to be. She'd seen and lived through the greed and selfishness that plagued humankind. It was why she wanted to escape. It was why she wanted to devote herself to a life of piousness, because at least then she could be kind and soft-hearted without having to worry that someone would come and harm her.

But that was all in the past. They all changed with the times, and even if no one else noticed, sometimes, Myrina Mai rather thought she was the one who had changed the most.

The meeting ended soon after. They laid plans for the investigation of the Giran houses regarding their loyalty (or lack thereof), and discussed potential war preparations. But that had nothing to do with Myrina. She was not a general, and she was not a political chessmaster. She was just the assistant at the side, marvelling as her superiors crafted masterpieces.

It was a game that she was dragged into that she didn't know how to play.

And there was nothing she could do about it.

As everyone left, Myrina sat and stayed behind. Ryan didn't usher her away either, probably realising that she wished to speak to him.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked as the last of the group trickled away, leaving only him and Myrina sitting across the round table.

Myrina took a slow sip of the cooling tea and said, "The Empress requested I present a list to you."

Ryan's face darkened. "If this is about a bride—"

Myrina raised her hand. "Princess Irina left for Arecia more than six months ago. And a marriage does not finish itself within a day. Especially not that of the Crown Prince of Sai. I apologise, Your Highness, but you must start with your selection."

Ryan's fingers went to his nose, pinching it. "Give me the list, then."

And so Myrina called for Chunyi, who walked over a moment later, half-bowed, with the scroll in her hand. Myrina took it and handed it to Ryan with two hands. "Do take a look, sir. You can eliminate some if you wish to, but the Empress wishes to see a narrowed down list by the end of the week if possible."

"Huang e'niang talked to you about this?" Huang e'niang. Royal mother.

Myrina nodded. "Yes, sir, she called me to the Fengzhu Hall around a week ago and asked me to compose this list. You must have received familiar ones in the past, but this is the most updated, as many of the young ladies on the old list have already been married, or are currently engaged." And that was a warning. You're running out of women to marry. Most of them are starting to start families, and if you carry on like this, your bride will have to be many years your junior.

Myrina may have started off unable to play this game of thrones. But over the years, she had picked up a thing or two. She'd had to. If she hadn't, she might be dead by now. And words between words was one thing she'd mastered. Messages hidden in normal conversations, warnings laced in compliments. It was all an art form, and one that Myrina learnt rather quickly.

"I understand." Ryan leaned backwards. Myrina expected to be dismissed, but instead, when Ryan opened his eyes, he looked at her and commanded, "Read the list out loud."

Myrina hid her surprise, but swiftly took back the scroll and rolled it open. "Jing Yuhu, daughter of Chancellor Jing of the Third Order. Age twenty. Known for her extreme beauty."

"But she's an idiot. I've talked to her before, eliminate her from the list. The future Empress of Sai cannot be a girl who cannot even speak a second language and despises books with a passion."

Myrina blinked, but obeyed as she picked up the brush pen from the centre of the desk and drew a line through the name. "Kai Ju, daughter of the Countess of Fozhou and her heir. Age eighteen. Extremely talented in the art of painting and poem-writing."

"She's a possibility. A tad young, but five years difference would not be much of an issue."

Myrina made a small mark next to her name. She'd be showing up in any future lists presented. "Qu Huanying, daughter of—"

"No. Just no. Not her. Anyone but her."

Myrina glanced up, nonplussed. "Any particular reasons why, Your Highness?"

"The last time I met her gaze, she fainted."

Myrina's mouth widened. "That was her?"

"That was her. Qu Huanying. Her father's Chancellor Qu of the Fourth Order. I'll never forget that girl, and not in a good way."

"Of course, of course," Myrina murmured, quickly crossing the name out. Three names presented and two already eliminated. This wasn't going well. But then again, she hadn't expected it to be. Ryan was staunchly against marriage, or at least at this age. It was behaviour not very befitting of a Crown Prince, but then again, who was Myrina to judge?

Perhaps being against matrimony was in the blood of both young Gus. Hongyun knew Irina was against it when the match had first been proposed.

And funnily enough, Ryan had encouraged it then. It said a lot about what people were willing to do to others that they would not to themselves.

Irina had done much the same thing. Perhaps it ran in Gu blood. Perhaps that's what made them leaders and the rest of them their underlings. There was food for thought there, Myrina was certain.

She was just being cynical now, though.

"Pang Yinyuan, baroness of—"

Ryan's head snapped over to Myrina with breakneck speed. "I am not considering Daneira Pang's older sister as a potential marriage partner."

Myrina blinked. "Why not? Baroness Pang has shown herself to be exceptionally capable in the past while. Not to mention that since her barony isn't that strong and she has little family, you have little to worry about in that department."

"Just no," Ryan said, shutting his eyes. "There's a reason she's still not married, and it certainly is not because she wants to become Empress. Eliminate her."

Myrina swallowed, but she didn't argue as she crossed the name out. That had been the Empress's idea. To include some of the older, more powerful ladies. They'd offered list after list of women more or less Ryan's age or younger, and he'd rejected them all. The Empress wanted to see where her son's taste laid. And it wouldn't precisely hurt for him to directly marry a capable woman who held power in their own hands independently. Baroness Megara Pang, or Pang Yinyuan, was certainly a leading figure among that particular group of women.

"If I may ask..." Myrina drawled, "what kind of women do you wish to be your Empress? I understand that you've been told to make your selection for a long while now, and while you have mentioned that you do not wish to take a bride, you must at least have a preference."

"Intelligent, strong-willed women. Who would not be a burden but instead be able to help me with my duties. Someone capable enough to become the future Empress of Sai."

"Any preferences with age?" Myrina asked, committing all of that to memory and mentally filtering through the list of names she'd prepared.

"I don't particularly mind. Not too young, not too old."

"Of course, of course." And now with all that in mind, Myrina stared at the list again.

"Lady Ru, sister of the Viscount of Guangqing."

"She is a potential choice," Ryan murmured to himself. "She's good at conversation. Strikes me as someone intelligent."

"In her youth," Myrina supplied, "she studied in Caershire. She's a fluent speaker of four languages and is said to have aided her brother greatly after their mother's untimely death four years prior." Which suggested that she was good at managing estates and having duties. Quite a perfect character.

Myrina knew Lady Ru. She was beautiful and bright, always knowing what to say and what to do. Her brother was quite a sombre and quiet person, and Lady Ru was one of the few people who could bring her brother out of his shell. They'd lost their parents early, and so the two of them had regularly relied and depended on each other throughout their youth. Lady Ru was currently twenty, according to the list compiled.

The perfect age. Ryan was twenty-three, turning twenty-four in around two months. He was two years older than Myrina, who was the same age as Irina. It was why she'd been summoned into the Palace to act as Irina's companion all those years ago. Similar age, similar backgrounds, and rumours of her timid demeanour and temperament was widely known. Perfect for reining in the strong-willed and wild Princess. Or at least that had been the plan. Myrina wasn't sure if it had been changed after they'd actually met her.

Lady Ru was someone Myrina was most definitely going to mention to the Empress the next time she was summoned. Perhaps they ought to invite the lady to court for a lengthy stay. That might be helpful. Irina's prolonged exposure to Prince Stephen had helped their marriage become a stable and happy one, even if neither were the most romantic. That was how most royal marriages worked. They were for alliances and politics, not love. Never love solely, at least.

Hesitantly, Ryan said, "I... I might consider her. I don't know. She's a bit too cheerful sometimes."

Myrina pinned him with a flabbergasted stare. "My prince, forgive me for saying this... but you ought to lower your standards a bit. You must marry, and choosing and picking away like this will not help you in the long term."

"So you think I should take an idiot for my bride."

"I did not say that."

Ryan sighed. "Whoever I marry will be the Empress of Sai, Myrina. They need to be fit for the role. Or either they or the empire will suffer. And I cannot allow for either. I have not found a woman fit for the job in all these years. But I will eventually, I can promise that. But don't push it. Allow it to happen... naturally."

"If that is what you wish for, sir."

"Don't call me sir. It makes me feel old."

Myrina bowed her head.

She'd be lying if she said she didn't feel some degree of joy out of this. Ryan was usually such a composed person. You could rarely ever catch him disconcerted, yet she was just able to do that. Time and time again, Myrina got under his skin, ruffled his feathers. And she enjoyed it, honestly. She found it entertaining. But that was her own little secret, one that she would never share to anyone else.

Myrina knew why this happened. Because she was against everything Ryan stood for. Ryan was a free spirit. Myrina was more than content being a bird in a cage. Ryan wanted to stand out for everyone else. Myrina was barely able to keep herself going on. Ryan was liberal and forward-thinking, and Myrina seemed to be forever trapped in the past.

Neither of them were going. They were individual people, they were free to do as they pleased. But it also permanently puts them on two different sides of the spectrum. You could even see it in the way they dressed. Ryan was frequently seen in modern and more westernised suits with a slight Saian flair, while Myrina predominantly dressed in old-styled clothes like long silken robes. She rarely even touched qipaos, Irina's preferred item of dressing. They'd never quite felt right to her. The traditional ones were alright, but the new ones... They felt odd and uncomfortable.

Like they didn't belong on her.

And maybe they didn't.

"Tell my mother that she doesn't have to worry so much about me," Ryan instructed, sitting up. "I will find a suitable bride, by myself. Without any outside interference."

Myrina raised her head. "I will relate this to her. But I cannot promise that your will will be carried out."

"Well, either way—"

That was when the muffled bang of a gun, followed by a silver bullet cutting through the tense atmosphere and stiff air, changed everything Myrina had ever known.

BAM BAM