Tam, Harris, and Eli halted in their tracks as they stared at the wall of Gondol through the trees.

  Night was approaching, but the torches had not yet been lit.

  They had landed a league and a half away from the city to avoid Eli’s beast form raising any alarms, and they had also anticipated having to proceed cautiously even then, what with the imperial soldiers and army still scouring the land.

  Tam’s gaze slid over to Eli.

  She did not look well.

  Her body had shaken terribly when she’d first transformed back into her human form.

  They’d rested for a short while before picking their way to the city.

  By now, however, Eli did not look better. Her palor was nearing a gray hue, and while they all had a coating of sweat that was making them clammy as the air cooled, droplets still fell regularly from Eli’s forehead.

  “Alright, Tam, what now?” Harris asked patiently, his hazel eyes roving over the stone wall that stood four stories tall.

  Moving his attention back to the city, Tam squinted.

  “We time the guard patrols on the wall. Then once it’s dark, I move us onto the wall, then onto a discreet corner below in the city”

  “Will you be alright moving three people in and out of the void so quickly?” Harris raised an eyebrow in Tam’s direction.

  A rueful smile touched Tam’s lips. “Yeah. My abilities are much stronger now.”

  The duke tilted his head and squinted in the same direction as Tam. “Once inside the city, where are we going?”

  “We’re going to find one of the brothel’s my family has invested in with the Ryu family. There are three or four of them… Preferably we’ll go to the one called The Opulent Opal.”

  “Why that one in particular?” Harris wondered as his stare homed in on a small figure starting to patrol the line of wall they were to breech.

  “It’s one of the wealthiest brothels, and because of that, they can afford more discreet rooms, security, and know how to keep gossip from getting out. It also means they have nobles for customers, and the nobility will most likely have mentioned what is going on in the palace to give us a sense of where to go looking for the kids.”

  Harris gave a short jerk of his chin. “Makes sense.”

  With the plan explained, Tam turned back to Eli, whose eyes were starting to look a little glassy. “You go sit over there by the rock, and have some water.”

  Eli’s eyes flit in his direction, and it was evident she wanted to give him some sort of chilly stare, but she also tried to take a step at the same time and stumbled.

  Tam’s hand gently snaked out and caught her around her middle.

  Once she had regained her balance, he proceeded to usher her over to the hidden spot he had observed.

  “I’m fine,” she informed him breathily.

  “I’m sure you will be. But you just flew for most of the day and aren’t used to it,” Tam responded, his tone polite, but distant.

  Eli made a faint grumble of irritation as he helped set her down on the rock.

  “Sleep if you can.” He straightened and turned away to face Harris whose gaze hovered over the couple knowingly. “I’m going to risk going a bit closer to check the patrol times.”

  Harris nodded. “I’ll wait with Eli.”

  Tam gave a half smile of appreciation then ventured farther into the woods, his footsteps turning silent as he stuck to thick brush and shadows.

  His heart was a steady drum in his chest.

  I hope you’re safe, Luca and Penelope. I’m coming as quickly as I can.

  ***

  Annika sat in the chair beside the grand bed, her arms draped leisurely over the armrests.

  “I am glad to see you awake, Your Excellency.” She smiled.

  The Zinferan emperor was sitting up in his bed for the first time in months. He coughed, his brown eyes bloodshot but clear as he regarded the duchess.

  “How did you send away my guards?” he asked warily.

  Annika reached over to the night stand and poured a goblet of water and handed it to him. “I didn’t. They are outside the doors. If you’d like to shout, you are more than welcome to.”

  The emperor’s eyes swept over his room. “What of my attendants? Physicians? Maids?”

  “Your attendants only come for the night. Your physicians come after meal times. And your maids are all busy preparing for Prince Jum’s birthday celebration.”

  The emperor’s hand trembled as he raised the goblet to his lips and took a drink, his eyes settling on the duchess who was perfectly calm as she waited for him to finish.

  “Who are you?” he managed while handing her the goblet.

  “I am Duchess Annika Ashowan of the kingdom of Daxaria. Mother of the Daxarian queen and wife of the house witch. You have met my husband before. Duke Finlay Ashowan. Though I believe the last time you two met he was only a viscount.”

  The emperor masked his expression as Annika proceeded to refill his goblet and hand it back to him.

  He drained another cup before speaking again. “And why are you here, Duchess Annika Ashowan?”

  “It would seem both the Coven of Giong and the Coven of Wittica are committing crimes against their crowns, and your concubine, Soo Hebin, has aligned herself with the first witch. The daughter of the Gods escaped her prison in Troivack, and has come here. Most likely with Soo Hebin’s assistance. The first witch now lives within your walls, and Soo Hebin has also been drugging you discretely for quite some time with Witch’s Brew.”

  At this the emperor’s eyes flared.

  “I have given you an antidote that will help you overcome your withdrawal, but I regret to inform you you will not live for much longer.” Annika bowed her head.

  “How long?”

  “A month at least. A year at most.”

  The emperor gave a breathy laugh. “Soo Hebin… It is no surprise.”

  “Why has she been left unchecked for so long?” Annika wondered lightly, though her eyes were sharp.

  The emperor turned a dark look at the duchess. “Had you not woken me I would have you on your knees for daring to question me.”

  The duchess didn’t move an inch, nor was she particularly bothered. “You can try. But that would be a waste of time if you would like to set your court to rights.”

  The emperor stared at the duchess, his eyes searching her face before his lips curled upward in a humorless smile. “Your husband did not lie about you. He said you are the more fearsome one in your marriage.”

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  Annika smiled, though she felt a twinge of sadness when she thought of her husband… She missed him.

  “I did not interfere with Soo Hebin for a number of reasons. For one, she has powerful allies. She has to be dealt with carefully. It was one of the many reasons I didn’t name an heir. To discourage her from attacking anyone viable for the throne.”

  “Ah yes. A plan that worked incredibly well given that dozens of your adopted and blood related offspring have been abducted, murdered, and Gods know what else.” Annika kept her tone breezy, but there was a steeliness beneath it she didn’t bother to hide.

  “Shall I holler for my guards?” the emperor bit out before another cough claimed him.

  The duchess sighed irritably. “My understanding is that your mother helped run this empire for you in place of a wife. Without her you have not been able to keep everyone and everything in check. And now your kingdom is on the brink of not only a civil war, but a war against Troivack and Daxaria because of this. Take responsibility. Name an heir. Execute Soo Hebin, and turn this palace upside down to find the first witch. You will need to ally with Daxaria and Troivack to subdue the coming war with the covens.”

  “Must I?” the emperor mused dryly.

  Annika arched an eyebrow. “If you want your land to fall to ruin then so be it. I will take my daughter, the queen, and leave.”

  “You think I’ll just let you leave?” the emperor challenged.

  Annika’s smile was terrifying and she knew it. “You think you can stop me?”

  The emperor’s stare was hard. “My mother would’ve liked you.”

  Laughing genuinely, Annika relaxed a little. “I think she would’ve too.”

  “You do not fear me at all,” the emperor noted casually. “And you aren’t afraid to speak your mind despite my threats. Why?”

  At this, Annika leaned forward. “My husband’s best friend is Jiho Ryu. I have heard a great deal about you, Your Excellency.”

  At the mention of Jiho, the emperor’s face softened, and an astonishing blush warmed his otherwise sickly coloring.

  Seeing this startled Annika.

  Jiho had said he was on good terms with the emperor… That look told her there was perhaps a little more to it than that.

  “You are right about how things fell apart without my mother. I had intended on placing the child she took in as a close assistant to myself to keep the women in check—Princess Elisara was young, but sharp. Efficient. Then when she disappeared I had no one else that I would consider placing in such a dangerous position. I had hoped Elisara’s magic would’ve helped her survive a bit longer regardless of her age.”

  Annika sat upright in surprise. “Do you mean to tell me Princess Elisara was that close in line for the throne?”

  The emperor raised an eyebrow upon hearing the duchess’s tone. “Of course. My mother had only taken in two adopted children. The first was a sickly boy… She adopted him mostly because he had a marvelous singing voice. He died four years before my mother. But Elisara she handpicked, raised, and taught for a reason.” The emperor’s eyes roved over Annika’s face.

  She knew she had gone very still.

  “What is it?” the emperor pressed, a fraction of his imperial tone returning.

  “Elisara is serving our household. She was sold to a Troivackian duke, but at some point during her time away from Zinfera she happened to endear herself to the Daxarian prince, Eric Reyes. Who is now king. So she is working with my son while King Eric works to grant her citizenship.”

  The emperor leaned forward eagerly. “Elisara lives?”

  “She does.”

  “And is now affiliated with the Daxarian crown…” The emperor looked away, his eyes bright and a slow smile climbing his wrinkled face as his right hand reached up and began stroking his long white beard.

  “She has no ambition to be empress, nor any proper support here in Zinfera.”

  “Bah. I have a year to give her some,” the emperor dismissed, his gaze still fixed on his red comforter, his mind reclaiming its former swiftness.

  “She does not want it,” Annika repeated, her voice a little louder. “And under our protection we will not let her be forced into a role she does not want.”

  The emperor’s fury directed itself at Annika, and she met his gaze head on without batting an eye.

  After a tense moment, the emperor’s shoulders slumped forward before he gradually leaned back onto the low wall of pillows behind himself. “I will speak with her and hear that for myself.”

  Annika said nothing.

  “First I will take care of Soo Hebin. Though her cousin Lord Yangban and that Captain Woo friend of hers is a problem—”

  “Lord Yangban has succumbed to madness. Along with one of his more affluent affiliates, Lord Guk. Both Lord Yangban and Lord Guk’s wives are claiming they are now the guardians of the estates. As for the pirate Captain Woo…” Annika cleared her throat and settled back in her seat. “My son killed him.”

  The emperor shot the duchess an incredulous look. “Goddess’s Pool. I go for a nap and the world has turned upside down.”

  “Your nap was several months long, and there is a dragon hovering over your capital that is controlled by the first witch and Soo Hebin. Though I imagine they cannot do much with the ancient beast while they also reside in Gondol.”

  The emperor swore. “And you say the covens are rebelling?”

  “The leaders are. I cannot speak for every member. But my husband, for example, has no inkling of this, and we have a few friends in the coven whom I can say with the utmost certainty are not a part of the rebellion.”

  The emperor’s expression betrayed his skepticism of Annika’s claim, but then his thoughts appeared to gradually sift through the rest of the information. “How many soldiers are still loyal to me?”

  Annika’s head tilted. “I cannot say for certain, two hundred at least. You might have even more that have simply fallen under Soo Hebin’s orders or one of the other concubines, but only because they had to go elsewhere until you awoke. You may still have loyal nobles who would lend you their men as well.”

  “Soo Hebin needs to be deposed, and I need it to send a message.” The emperor’s fingers flustered against his comforter as he fixed his attention back on Annika. “Jum’s birthday. I will have his mother executed, and he will be banished and stripped of his title.”

  “That will certainly grab everyone’s attention. Particularly if you keep it a secret that you are once again awake.”

  The emperor’s studious gaze returned to Annika’s face. “How was it the concubine was dosing me?”

  “She managed to have it mixed into one of your tincture’s and claimed it was for your health. Once you fell unconscious, I imagine she expected to simply wait until you passed.”

  The emperor made a noise of disgruntlement.

  Annika rose from her seat, and curtsied.

  The emperor raised an eyebrow. “Why is it you wear trousers, Duchess?”

  Giving a weary sigh, Annika clasped her hands in front of herself. “It is easier to climb in and out of windows in pants than it is a dress, Your Excellency.”

  The emperor balked, then his eyes darted to the four windows along the right wall of his room, and noticed one of them was slid open.

  He blinked then looked at the duchess without masking his bafflement. “Do all Daxarian noblewomen climb two stories and break in through the windows of monarchs?”

  “The helpful ones do.” The duchess smiled radiantly, then proceeded to head toward that very window.

  “If you weren’t already married, Duchess, I’d make an offer for your hand. Jiho Ryu was right to admire you,” he called to her back.

  Annika glanced over her shoulder. “You are too kind, Your Excellency. I will return later this evening with some food for you. Your physicians will come soon, so be sure to pretend to sleep. The prince’s birthday is only three days from now.”

  The emperor’s eyebrows twitched in somber understanding.

  And then, with a nimbleness that did not at all seem usual for a woman in her later fifties, she vaulted over the ledge of the window, and turned her attention to returning to her quarters where Kat, Luca, and Penelope awaited her.

  Even though it was a warm summer day, Annika could practically taste a coming storm in the air…

  Things were about to get rather exciting.