Page 6 of Four Ruined Realms (The Broken Blades #2)

Sora

City of Quu, Khitan

I put my fingers over my lips. Kingdom of Hells, Mikail is covered in blood.

At first, I thought it was water darkening his blue shirt, but then I noticed his pants. They were cream-colored this morning. They are crimson now.

“Oh good, you’re all here,” he says, looking at the four of us in turn. “I’m going to bathe and change. Do keep the door guarded until I knock again.”

I sigh. He’s so cool and casual. The thing is, it’s not even an act. I scan his face for a tell, but being soaked in blood truly doesn’t bother him.

Mikail turns to leave, and I take a step closer. “Wait, are you hurt?”

He shakes his head. “Only my feelings. I thought I was on better terms with the spymaster general of Khitan.”

The side of his shirt is torn, but I don’t think he’s injured. He isn’t favoring a leg or holding any wounds. On second thought, I don’t think any of the blood is his. It’s not a surprise, of course—we’ve all seen him fight—but that much blood is shocking.

My stomach twists, and I grip the back of the chair as Mikail leaves. I knew this mission would be dangerous, but I didn’t think we’d be attacked the second we stepped foot in this realm.

“We should order food,” Aeri says. The three of us stare at her. She lowers her gaze to the floor. “Euyn, you haven’t eaten in days, and we’ll have to wait on Mikail. Also, it’s lunchtime.”

I suppose it is.

Aeri being the king’s daughter makes a certain amount of sense. She is younger than she claimed—just about Daysum’s age—which explains some oddities about her. It also explains her disappearance in Capricia, how she was able to escape in Oosant, and the murder of the assassin in Aseyo. The palace assassin must have been protecting her and mistook my window for hers. And then she killed him to keep the secret.

Of course, there are still things that don’t quite add up. I don’t understand how she is such an experienced thief when she is a princess. And why, in the end, did she betray her father?

Mikail, Euyn, and Royo continue to stiffen in her presence, hands moving toward weapons whether they realize it or not. They distrust her for setting us up, but I can’t be too angry about that. I would’ve betrayed everyone if it had helped Daysum. But the men aren’t as forgiving of the binds put on women. Ty would understand, but he’s…not here. My shoulders sag, and my breath catches. He is in Idle Prison. I hope. At least that would mean he’s still alive.

I inhale and push him from my thoughts. It doesn’t do me any favors to think about what must be happening to him—or to worry that he’s dead. But I can’t seem to help myself. I thought about him every day aboard the ship and doubly so since we arrived in Khitan.

I force myself to shrug. “Lunch would be good,” I say.

Aeri’s lips turn up in a small, grateful smile.

“I’ll get a boy to fetch it.” Royo finally unfolds his arms, and he begins to lumber toward the door. He must be hungry, too. That or he wants to get away from Aeri.

“Here, tip him well.” She holds out a silver mun. They use paper money here, but gold and silver always translate.

Aeri’s fingers brush Royo’s palm as he takes the coin from her. He stares at their hands for a second too long, then recoils and leaves without a word. Aeri visibly wilts, and my chest tightens. She must truly care for him.

Around half a bell later, there’s a knock at the door. We all exchange glances. Royo returned a while ago, and Mikail’s signal is two knocks close together, so it’s not anyone we know. There’s another knock. And then again, louder. Euyn carefully takes the traps down, creeping toward the door with a loaded crossbow in his right hand. I shift the dagger hidden up my sleeve to my palm.

“Who is it?” Euyn asks in Khitanese.

“Your lunch, sir,” a boy’s voice answers.

Royo’s broad shoulders fall away from his ears; Aeri takes her hand away from her cloak. I return my dagger to the hidden compartment in my dress.

The boy comes in, puts the food out on the table, then leaves. Euyn immediately begins to help himself.

“Wait,” I say. “Let me check for poison.”

He drops his hand so fast his knuckles smack the table. Aeri and Royo pause, blinking at me.

I wouldn’t normally suspect poisoning, but someone already attacked Mikail, so I take small bites of each dish in between sips of water. Although I wouldn’t be devastated if Euyn died right now, the others will be eating the food as well. We can’t be too careful in a foreign land.

The noodles, steamed pork buns, chicken thighs, and soup dumplings all seem fine, but some toxins are slower acting, so I wait for aftertastes, running through my recollection of dozens and dozens of poisons. I roll my tongue, but there is nothing—just traces of soy, peanut, and honey.

“Lunch is clean,” I say.

“But…wouldn’t you be all right no matter what?” Royo asks. His brow is lined as he waits with his empty plate.

“I wouldn’t die,” I say. “But there are still effects from the stronger toxins no one can escape. Plus, nearly all poisons have tastes or smells that give them away.”

Hence poisoned, perfumed lipstick being most effective.

They all fill their plates. I suppose my ability with poisons is the unique skill King Joon was after. I just don’t understand how it’s needed in Khitan—not when there’s a Rule of Distance that doesn’t allow anyone within a hundred feet of the throne. I won’t be able to get close enough to have a private conversation with Queen Quilimar, much less kiss her. So why have Aeri bring me in? Why involve the southern count?

We’ve just started eating when Mikail knocks twice. Euyn’s face brightens as he removes the traps, and Mikail saunters inside. He’s freshly bathed and clad in gray slacks and a fur-collared shirt. With his new clothes, he looks like a local. I admire how he always blends in. I never have that luxury.

“Oh good, there’s lunch.” He grabs a plate and sits, straddling a chair. “I would be careful with picking my lock in the future. I didn’t have time to set up traps, but I will.”

I look at Aeri and Royo. How did he know we broke in? I made sure not to touch anything, and Royo locked the door as we left.

“What happened to you?” Euyn asks as Mikail selects a pork bun.

“Nothing I couldn’t handle,” he says.

Royo’s eyes track him. “Why were spies after you?”

Mikail shrugs and spoons soup dumplings into a bowl. “I’m one of the most wanted men in the world. It was due to any number of crimes, I suppose. But in fairness, they wanted to take me in for questioning, not kill me. I just had other plans.”

I take a sip of water, both glad he is here and disturbed by how casual he is about slaughter. We are both killers, but the lives I take weigh on my soul. Mikail doesn’t seem to have that guilt. And guilt creates balance and limits.

Aeri studies him, her eyes sharp. “But how did the spies know you were in Quu?”

Mikail smiles. “That’s the better question. Someone tipped them off. Or they’ve gotten much better under Quilimar’s reign. Based on their tailing skills, I suspect it’s the former.”

He doesn’t seem to be accusing anyone in the room, but without trust, conversation doesn’t exactly flow.

Euyn keeps glancing at him as if he’s trying to piece together a puzzle. “Who did you go see?”

Mikail washes his bite down with some ale. He chews slowly, stalling. My stomach sinks—he’s hiding something again.

“A source. I was hoping they would have a lead on how to get close to Quilimar.”

“And?” Royo asks.

“Nothing yet, but I’m working on it. The new complication is that there was an attempt on the queen’s life a week ago. No one is allowed to see her now.”

Forks drop, and we all stop eating.

I shift my weight in my chair. How does this mission keep getting worse? The Rule of Distance was one thing, but the palace being closed to outsiders makes our plan impossible. I put my spoon down and sigh as I try to regroup.

“So, what do we do now?” Aeri asks. “We only have four weeks.”

The meal sours in my stomach. Four weeks. King Joon gave us until the end of monsoon season to return with the ring, or he would torture and kill our loved ones. A month does not seem like enough time to figure out how to get into the palace, arrange an audience with Queen Quilimar, convince her to start a war, mobilize troops, and defeat the immortal king.

But Daysum hangs in the balance. Tiyung, too. The likelihood is slim, yet a small chance is still a chance. I’ll take it. I have to.

My heart pounds in my chest as I work through all that needs to be done. I try to slow it down and think through one step at a time.

As soon as we arrived in Quu, I sent eagle post to Count Seok informing him that the plan failed and Tiyung was captured, but I can’t be sure if the messenger birds will land or be shot down, especially when crossing the border. All eagles fly to Tamneki, and then new birds are sent to farther cities like Gain. The whole process would take weeks on horseback, but with eagle post it takes less than two days. Which is why a two-eagle post costs ten silver mun.

I also sent a message to the Countess as a backup, but I had to guess at her location. It was probably all money wasted, but I will try anything and everything to save my sister and help Ty.

“Our first order of business is paying a visit to General Vikal,” Mikail says.

Euyn raises an eyebrow. “Vikal is not your biggest fan.”

Mikail wipes his mouth. “Nor yours. That’s why we’ll send Sora and Aeri.”

I’m not sure I like the sound of that. What does “pay a visit” mean? Do they expect me to poison the general? For Aeri to kill her?

“I don’t think—” Royo starts. All eyes turn to him. He closes his mouth and colors red.

He still cares about Aeri, no matter what he says. Beneath his hard exterior is a soft, gentle heart.

Royo shoves food in his mouth as if no one noticed. Everyone did. The same way I saw him patrolling while we were aboard the fleet ship. The only reason to be walking the passageways was to protect Aeri. Everyone knew that.

I dab a soft napkin against my lips. “Why would we see General Vikal?” I ask.

“To get information,” Mikail says. “Perhaps build a connection to bring us close to Quilimar.”

I exhale. It’s not poisoning or stealing something. He wants me to charm the general, which is also a unique skill set I have, I suppose. Women are typically harder to win over than men, but anyone can be seduced.

“All right,” Aeri says, “and what if we’re captured?”

“There’s no reason to capture you as long as you don’t reveal that you are Princess Naerium. And you kept that secret well.” Mikail pauses and stares at her, anger flashing in his eyes. “Sora is an indentured servant who is now free. You were and are free.”

Aeri seems to accept that, twirling and slurping her noodles.

Mikail turns to Royo. “I don’t imagine your blood work brought you across the border, correct?”

Royo continues chewing but shakes his head. His thick black hair is an improvement over the shaved look he had when we first met—it softens him a touch.

“Then you can go with them if you want to keep them safe.”

Royo’s amber-colored eyes dart to the side. I hope he does come with us. It would be nice to have his protection.

“What’ll you be doing, Mikail?” Royo asks.

“Meeting with the Yusanian Ambassador. There has to be a way to get close to the throne. Something I’m not considering. I’m hoping Zeolin will know.”

“And Euyn?” Aeri asks.

Mikail barely glances at him, despite Euyn giving him his full attention from the moment he stepped inside. “Euyn has a bounty on his head. He should stay as hidden as possible.”

Aeri’s eyebrows come together. “I thought Quilimar hates the king. Wouldn’t she want to help Euyn?”

“Her reign is new and tenuous,” Mikail says. “She is not of Khitanese royal blood or Khitanese at all, and ostensibly, she is only a regent. It is hard to say whether she’d give Euyn’s head to Joon to broker better terms with Yusan, especially after the attempt on her life.” He shifts his gaze to Euyn’s, and one corner of his mouth tips up. “And she’s not exactly a fan of Euyn.”

I wish Ty were here. The politics goes above my head, but he would be asking the right questions. He understands power and the nobility.

I close my eyes, reliving how he said he’d wait for anything in the throne room, how he bravely stood knowing he’d be hauled away to a sunless dungeon. Tears prick my eyes, but I push them back. I don’t have the luxury of giving in to emotion right now.

“We should check their Temple of Knowledge,” Euyn says. “If the Rule of Distance was put in place fifteen years ago, their Yoksa will have a record of it, and they will also have documented any exceptions. Even with Quilimar seeing no one now, the exceptions should hold.”

“The Yoksa?” Royo asks.

“Priests of knowledge,” Euyn answers. “Historical records of all kings are kept in the Temple of Knowledge by independent priests called the Yoksa. There is a temple in each kingdom, and they are always in hidden locations. That is how they stay true…for the most part.”

I roll the idea around in my mind. An exception to the Rule of Distance is exactly what we need. A little spark of hope lights inside me.

Mikail sighs.

“What?” Euyn asks, his gaze searching him. “You don’t agree?”

“No, I do. But the Temple of Knowledge in Khitan is under a frozen lake this time of year.”

I tilt my head so my good ear is toward Mikail. I’m not sure I heard him correctly.

Royo’s eyebrows shoot up. “Under?”

“It’s surrounded by a glass dome, but yes.” Mikail speaks as though it’s nothing unusual. When we all just continue to blink at him, he chuckles and adds, “It was built by the gods.”

Another impossible riddle. How do we get inside an underwater temple?

I sit back in my chair and run my hands over my hair. I spin the long, thick strands. There’s yet another complication. There’s always another. Too many. Every time I think I have my head wrapped around something, I don’t.

Euyn wipes his mouth with a napkin and then tosses it down. “Are we going to talk about the person who betrayed all of us, or are we planning to just let it go?”

I’m…honestly not sure if he means Mikail or Aeri, the latter of whom has paused with her fork halfway to the kimchi.

Mikail finishes his ale, then says, “You’re awfully bold now that your secrets are out.”

Euyn pales but lifts his chin. “Why did you try to destroy the crown?”

All of us are silent as we wait for the spymaster to respond. I’ve wondered the same thing since I saw him slice the replica crown in half in the arena.

“You didn’t need it to be king,” Mikail says, waving his hand.

It’s not really an answer.

“But why try to break it?” Euyn presses. “Joon said you destroyed the decoy.”

Mikail stares into his lover’s eyes. “Because no person should be immortal. Even you. Especially not you. The power of the crown allows your brother to hide behind the walls of Qali without a care for how his rule affects the people of Yusan, the people of Gaya, or Khitan, or Wei. And you once felt invincible, as did Omin. What did the two of you do? You hunted and murdered for your own amusement, while he assaulted young girls. Nothing good comes from the Baejkins having unlimited power.”

The tension in this room is so thick, it’s suffocating. There’s not a sound until a chair scrapes the floor.

“We’ll see Vikal tomorrow,” Aeri says, and then she rushes out of the room.

I’m not sure what has upset her, but it’s enough to know she’s near tears. I know exactly what it feels like when your chin quivers because you’re fighting so hard not to cry out. I push my chair back and follow her, not only to check on her, but because I need to leave the room as well. I’m aching to wring Euyn’s neck at the mention of him hunting people like my father.

As I reach the door, I have a moment of clarity. Euyn won’t be any better than King Joon, and I refuse to trade tyrants. Someone else will have to sit on the black serpent throne, and I have an idea.