Descendant of the Crane(25)

She’d seen her father carry Rou on his shoulders, just like he carried her. She’d noticed the occasional wisteria sprig from the Southern Palace caught in the collar of his hanfu. Whether she wanted to or not, she’d witnessed his love for Consort Fei. It was a truth no court or representative could ever find.

“Lilian is right,” Hesina finally said. “Consort Fei had no reason to kill my father.”

Caiyan paced another lap. “Assume many reasons until proven otherwise.”

“I’m with Na-Na on this one,” said Lilian. “But the commoners hate war. They won’t mobilize for it just because the king’s killer has some distant connection to Kendi’a. Whoever framed Consort Fei must realize that.”

Or, thought Hesina darkly, whoever framed the consort had realized that the people despised sooths far more than war and was capitalizing on what had happened at her coronation.

“Anyway, clearing Consort Fei will be easy.” Lilian tossed aside her cat’s cradle and sat up. “We’ll secure an alibi.”

“No.” Akira scooted off the window ledge and padded to the lower half of the study. Hesina took a step back as he passed. One stolen item was enough for her.

Lilian arched a brow. “No?”

“This Consort Fei seems secluded. If her only companions are her son, her personal maids, and her guards, then who,” Akira said calmly, walking to her father’s desk, “would think her witnesses’ accounts unbiased?”

“Akira’s right,” said Hesina as he circled the desk, running a finger along its carved edge. The gesture seemed casual enough, but she never knew what was mindless and what was intentional with Akira. “You saw how the director rejected Rou as a witness.”

Lilian groaned. “So what do we do?”

Hesina waited for Akira’s answer. Just by being here, the ex-convict had proven himself trustworthy. But trustworthiness wasn’t enough. Even with Caiyan and Lilian at her side, Hesina felt like she was staring into the dark maw of a snake she had summoned, the truth obscured by venom and fangs.

Akira’s finger came to a rest on the corner of the desk. “We wait.”

Lilian crossed her arms. “That’s it?”

“Wait.” He lifted his finger. “See if the evidence is fabricated, or if the other representative doesn’t try very hard. One of those things is bound to happen if the consort really is a scapegoat.”

“And if both happen?” asked Caiyan.

For the first time since that day in the dungeons, Akira looked to Hesina, his expression probing like a thread at a needle. “I’ll defend the suspect, if you want me to.”

Slowly, Hesina released the shelf she’d been gripping. Her shoulders squared. “I want you to.”

Caiyan paced by, brow furrowed. “The plaintiff’s representative defending the suspect is unprecedented.”

Hesina’s stomach sank.

Lilian rolled her eyes. “But it’s not against the law, is it?”

“It’s never been done before,” argued Caiyan.

“In other words, no,” said Lilian. “For the love of the Eleven, stop picking at fish bones.”

Caiyan stopped midstep and turned on Akira. “You’re betting on the evidence having holes.”

“Fish bones!” cried Lilian, but the corner of Akira’s mouth had already knifed up, and Hesina saw something of a robber’s deviousness in his eyes as he answered Caiyan.

“I’ve bet on worse before.”





EIGHT





PLAINTIFF AND DEFENDANT SHALL EACH HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE, DRAWN FROM A POOL OF RISING SCHOLARS.

ONE OF THE ELEVEN ON TRIALS


THE MINISTER OF RITES WILL MAKE SURE THAT THE REPRESENTATIVES ARE SELECTED AT RANDOM.

TWO OF THE ELEVEN ON TRIALS

Akira was betting on the evidence having holes. Hesina was betting on the Silver Iris’s Sight being true. A whole lot of gambling was going on, and she wasn’t sure she liked that.

But what could she do? Nothing, other than show up for court the next day to find a pale-faced, bruise-eyed Rou still standing in his mother’s place. Evidently, she wasn’t the only one who hadn’t slept.

The director presented the court with a complete list of evidence and witnesses the Investigation Bureau had compiled against Consort Fei. Hesina’s jaw stiffened, and when the director invited the consort’s representative to present his defense, she caught herself grinding her teeth.

The scholar dawdled, fluffing out his sleeves and clearing his throat, only to then say, “The defense has nothing to present. The evidence is sound.”

“Bleeding emperors,” muttered Lilian, taking Hesina’s hand.

Hesina closed her eyes, dizzy. Sanjing had known this was coming, and she hadn’t listened. She could almost hear his voice, berating her for being so naive when she, as the eldest, was supposed to be the wisest.

“Then Consort Fei accepts the charges of regicide?” asked the director.

Two voices sounded at once.

“No!” cried Rou, with anguish so sharp it pierced Hesina’s heart.

“Yes,” said the representative.

“You understand that this means you forfeit the case?” asked the director.