Circle of Shadows (Circle of Shadows, #1)(67)

When they rose, Fairy said, “We’re sorry for the, uh, intrusion.”

“I suppose it’s all right,” Empress Aki said, as she returned to her seat. Her Imperial Guard remained close by. It almost made Fairy laugh out loud. As if I’m a threat the Imperial Guard needs to protect her from.

“We wanted to speak to you because we have an idea,” Broomstick said.

Bullfrog grumbled. “Normal people with ideas to present come in through doors, not floorboards.”

Fairy’s tongue tripped over itself.

But then Empress Aki said, “Normal isn’t working. You say you were part of the league of rogues who rigged the fireworks in my palace? Well then, I want to hear what you have to say. After all, we are dealing with my brother here. Some trickery is almost certainly afoot.”

League of Rogues! Despite the gravity of the matter at hand, a grin spread across Fairy’s face. Beside her, Broomstick did a better job of hiding his, although she could feel through their gemina bond his pleasure at being recognized by the empress as worth listening to.

“We heard you suggest a meeting with Prince Gin in Dassu Desert,” Broomstick said, “but as Glass Lady mentioned, if you get close to him, he can hypnotize you and make him your puppet.”

“That’s right,” Empress Aki said.

“But what’s the purpose of the meeting?” Broomstick asked. “Do you really expect him to agree to a cease-fire? I’m guessing not. I think this is just a stall tactic to allow the taigas from around Kichona to centralize here, so we can fight Prince Gin with a bigger army, right?”

The empress smiled. “You have quite a head for political strategy for someone so young. I’m impressed.”

Broomstick flushed. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

She nodded. “You’re correct. Gin has no incentive to actually agree to peace, even a temporary one, when momentum is on his side. But I do think asking him to meet with me will buy us time. If only because he’ll be tempted to stray from his current plans to try to hypnotize me. Or kill me.”

Fairy trembled a little, knowing what was next in her plan. But being stuck here at the Citadel, unable to do anything while Spirit and Wolf were out there, was like being caught in a pixie trap. Fairy had been rattling the cage bars for days, wanting to get free, but those who had captured her had forgotten her because she was too small. She didn’t want to be insignificant anymore.

She took a deep breath and said, “Which is where our idea comes in. You may have noticed a resemblance between us. Not that I would ever claim to be as radiantly beautiful or intelligent or poised as you, Your Majesty,” Fairy added hastily.

Empress Aki smiled gently. “There’s no need for flattery. But yes, I do see a resemblance. If your hair were gold, you could pass for a younger version of me to someone who didn’t know me well.”

“Exactly. Let me go to this meeting in your place. Your brother hasn’t seen you in ten years; it could work. And with enough Imperial Guards, maybe we have a chance of capturing your brother or . . .” Fairy stopped. She couldn’t suggest killing the prince. Even though he was a traitor, talking about assassinating a member of the royal family was treason.

“It’s all right,” Empress Aki said. “This is war, and in war, there is always the possibility that someone will die. However, I cannot allow you to sacrifice yourself to save me.”

Fairy walked all the way up to the edge of the Council table. “But Your Majesty, that is the purpose of the taigas. We serve you and the kingdom, whatever and however you need. You must stay alive and with your wits about you if Kichona is to survive Prince Gin’s attacks. As one of your soldiers, it would be my honor to do this for you and our kingdom.”

“Fairy . . .” Broomstick said.

“I won’t change my mind.” They had argued ferociously beneath the floorboards about this, muted by their moth spell. But she had prevailed then, and she would again now. Two of their best friends were out there, in danger. She wouldn’t sit here at the Citadel any longer, doing nothing.

Broomstick slid his hand down her arm to her hand and squeezed it. “Then of course I’m going with you. And I won’t change my mind either.”

She squeezed his hand back.

Glass Lady opened her mouth to object. But Empress Aki held up her hand to silence her.

The empress looked at Fairy and Broomstick with grief already in her eyes. “This could be a suicide mission.”

A quiver fluttered through Fairy’s chest. But then she held Empress Aki’s gaze for a moment, before laying herself prostrate again on the ground. “Like I said, Your Majesty. We serve you and Kichona. Whatever and however you need.”





Chapter Forty-Two


As soon as Broomstick had a moment alone, he snuck into the dispatcher’s office in Warrior Meeting Hall.

I can’t believe we’re doing this.

But of course he could. This was what they’d trained their whole lives for. Fairy had already been worried and itching to do something. And now the future of the kingdom was at stake. On top of that, their friends were out there. They knew from Wolf’s dragonfly that Spirit had been captured.

Still, Broomstick’s hands shook as he prepared the tiny scroll and composed a new message to Wolf. Hopefully he was still at Tiger’s Belly and would receive it.