Page 8

As I left my rooms, Pito and Topi Bemishu were on me in an instant. The twins were two identical birds, each fluffing their feathers on either side of me. The fact that Asahi didn’t leap in front of them, sword at the ready, only meant that he was familiar with the twins.

“Consort Airón!” Pito said.

“We are so glad to see you. We were so worried after what happened.” Topi linked her arms through mine. “Although, we must admit, that was the first time we’ve seen the emperor so… Well. He seemed very protective.”

Pito looked at me, head cocked, before she took my free arm.

The twins were loyal to General Kacha, and after the morning meeting with the general, I was curious why they were here.

Kacha had left our meeting winning and losing at the same stroke.

Had he sent them in an attempt to turn the situation to his advantage?

“Now, we didn’t have the opportunity to invite you before the wedding,” Topi said brightly, “but we host a very exclusive tea and thought of you! How could we not invite the new consort?”

“I told Topi that we must include you now that all the legal technicalities were taken care of. And of course you’ll say yes, won’t you?” Pito squeezed my arm with hers. “I’m sure it will be overwhelming, all those names and positions, but we’ll be here, ready to help.”

“Ready to help,” Topi echoed. “And ready with anything you’ll need, you simply must agree.”

It was disorienting to be around another set of twins. It made me miss Eona? with a painful ache like my heart was breaking. But it was also familiar.

For a moment, I thought of digging in my heels and refusing, but what would be the point? They had something I needed: a ready flow of information and gossip. When I realized they were waiting for a response, I said, “Of course.”

“Of course,” Pito said sweetly.

“Of course.” Topi nodded.

Both chattered lightly, talking about everything except anything of value. Somehow, without dragging me, the two women guided me into a low hedge maze, the bushes going no higher than my shoulders. It had the odd effect of implying privacy while providing none.

“So?” Pito asked.

“How was he?” Topi asked. “In the marriage bed?”

“We used to play together as children, you know?” Pito smiled at her sister, and Topi brought a hand to her mouth, giggling.

“Our father, General Bemishu, had some idea of marrying one of us off to him. I think he thought that was the only way to gain favor with the emperor. The old emperor, that is. Emperor Millu.” Topi matched her sister’s laughter. “Can you imagine ?”

I wasn’t sure what to say, but when Pito answered, I realized the question had never even been for me. “I can’t ever see Emperor Tallu looking that fierce over me. I don’t even think he’s looked at me since I rubbed mud on his pants when we were both four and embarrassed him in front of court.”

“I’m sure he doesn’t hold childhood games against you.

If we all did that, we would form mortal enemies at no more than ten years old.

Wars would look much different if they were fought over teddy bears lost in the nursery room.

” I tried for a smile, and Topi answered it.

Looking over at her sister, I realized that they were mirror images of each other, down to the single birthmark in the corner of their eyes.

Then Topi smiled, and the light shifted, revealing the birthmark was painted on.

I have spent a long time in this court cultivating a reputation that makes them see me as invisible and silly, a trifle.

So they speak and whisper around me and think I do not understand , the air mage Velethuil had said .

It appeared that the twins had seen the same benefit to being underestimated.

Well, two could play the game of court. My mother led with a soft hand, and at her side, I’d learned the importance of forming relationships.

All the clans bowed to my mother’s leadership not because of the strength of her warriors but because of the relationships and alliances she formed, because of the way she could make everyone in a conversation feel as though they’d won.

“He was quite protective,” I said, which was an observable thing and didn’t tell them any more than they already knew.

“ Was he?” Pito smiled. It invited more. It invited gossip.

“What happened after?” I asked. “I was so sorry to ruin all the plans for dinner.”

“Oh, you ruined nothing. This is all the court is going to be talking about for weeks. Possibly months. It’s so good to see the emperor showing favor to anyone.

Everyone was so worried that perhaps he never would.

” Topi smiled at me, the painted birthmark falling into a crinkle next to her eyes.

“Everyone simply moved to private parties, and I’m sorry to say your wedding was the main topic of discussion. ”

I laughed, just verging on uncomfortable. “I suppose gossip does make dessert taste better.”

“Does it ever!” Pito tugged on my arm, leading me further into the maze.

“Although, all anyone could talk about was how handsome you looked,” Topi said.

“ So handsome,” Pito confirmed. “You simply must let us talk to the seamstress on your behalf. I had some wonderful ideas about how to make your clothes more presentable for court. And even some ideas if you want to be daring about how to declare your position at court.”

“Isn’t my position obvious?” I asked.

“Well, it is. In the sense that no one can deny you are married to the emperor.” Topi leaned over, dropping her voice to a whisper.

“But there’s a difference between married and on intimate terms with.

As Empress Koque found out. She was on intimate terms with the emperor, but the legality of their marriage… ”

“We had no idea Emperor Millu had married. My sister assumed she would be his only wife.” I widened my eyes.

When Eona? had prepared to marry Tallu’s father, she’d assumed that she would succeed Tallu’s mother, who had died only a couple of years before the war with the north.

But Eona? had been prepared to fight for her position, had made herself to Millu’s whims as a necessity but also to guarantee that whoever Millu had taken up with while waiting for his child bride would be forgotten by the time Eona?, full-grown, made her appearance.

Everyone in court was so careful not to talk about the dead emperor, as though mentioning him might invite Tallu’s wrath like a demon summoned with its name. Yet now the twins were bringing him up casually. Were they trying to tie me closer to them with our shared illicit conversation?

“No, no.” Pito shook her head sharply. “The empress was the daughter of one of the lords that used to sit on the Emperor’s Council.

She and the emperor had been having an affair, and I suppose she knew in advance, or perhaps Emperor Millu warned her, but either way, suddenly she was his ‘wife’—bringing her into House Atobe and out of House Zami—just before her father was exposed.

He was one of the first ones that Emperor Tallu revealed as a traitor to the empire. Before even Lord Fuyii.”

Topi sighed thoughtfully. “It might have been love, or it might have been practical. Powerful men share plenty of information between the sheets. Koque may have had information the emperor didn’t want to get out, and if she was going to be executed with her father, she’d have no reason to keep those secrets. ”

As we walked, the hedges rose above my head. The maze sloped downward, ending in a low-set garden at the center. Lounge chairs and tables had been set up, and people were already spread out on them, laughter swirling around like bubbles in the air.

With one glance, I took attendance of the party.

Mostly women. Eldest daughters and young wives of important people in court.

A few men dressed in the same style of finery showing them as the spouses of house patriarchs.

They all wore their sparkling paints and powders to make them look more like the precious metals and gems they strove to emulate.

“Well! Lady Dalimu! Lady Chaliko! How lovely to see you. Have you met Consort Airón?” Topi tugged me closer, subtly nudging me until I was sitting across from two women marked imperial traitors.