The Heart Forger (The Bone Witch #2)(75)
He didn’t try to deny it. Not when the emperor is glued to her side all day, drooling like a little lapdog.
Do I have to do everything myself? I didn’t know if I was breaking Daanorian protocol by approaching the emperor, but I did it anyway. “Your Majesty?” My Daanorian was terrible, so I directed the words to Tansoong. “I’m sure you must have questions about the azi. Perhaps if you have time today…”
The emperor brightened at the mention of the azi. “But of course,” Tansoong said with some reluctance. “Perhaps after his majesty has shown Princess Inessa around the rest of the gardens—”
“Oh, that won’t be necessary,” Princess Inessa broke in cheerfully. “I’ve taken up far too much of His Majesty’s time today, and I’m quite tired. I think I shall retire to my rooms. I would appreciate it if he can keep Lady Tea company.”
Tansoong relayed this to the emperor, who nodded. “If you say so, Princess. Some of the other concubines shall accompany you back to—”
“That won’t be necessary either,” Princess Inessa said, shying away from the suggestion. “I—I…”
“I’ll escort her back,” Fox interrupted.
Tansoong looked scandalized, and Princess Inessa hurriedly added, “He’s my personal guard after all. I’m used to having him near.”
A muscle ticked in Fox’s jaw, but he said nothing else.
Emperor Shifang looked puzzled but nodded once her request was translated. He took Inessa’s hands in his and kissed them again. “Until we meet again, qin’ai,” he said in the common tongue, with only the slightest accent.
“Qin’ai, my ass,” Fox growled as he stomped after the Kion princess.
The emperor was inquisitive and not as oblivious or as simple as he first appeared. With Tansoong acting as translator, he asked me several questions about the azi, and I told him how instead of killing the daeva, I had found myself bonded to it, leaving Aenah’s role out of the tale.
“I am glad you did not,” he said. “Dragons have always been a symbol of prosperity in Daanoris. We have always considered the azi a noble beast. And you control it?”
“My influence is absolute, Your Majesty,” I lied, not wanting any suggestions of weakness. “It is a good companion to me.”
“I understand that Kion is quite different from the true kingdom. I have only been to Ankyo twice, and your customs are perplexing.”
“I can understand why. In Kion, for example, the practice of concubinage has fallen out of use.”
Emperor Shifang looked startled and laughed. “I thought asha were something of concubines themselves. Now I understand your surprise when I asked for Lady Likh. We did not mean to offend you.”
“Does this mean His Majesty will no longer pursue…ah, Lady Likh?”
The man shook his head. “As I have decreed, so it must be done. Lady Likh will be treated well. Royal concubines are highly respected here. Many would consider this an honor.”
So much for extricating Likh. “We are accustomed to taking only one wife or husband in Kion.”
The emperor shrugged. “I come from an unbroken line descended from gods and can take as many to wife as I wish. Some of my councilors do not like my choice of a Kion princess, but Inessa is different. Empress Alyx is wise to accede to my wish.”
“This is my first time in Daanoris, and everything is new to me,” I apologized, retreating from dangerous ground. “Our healer has finished his assessment of the princess, and he wants to know if anything unusual happened before her collapse.”
The emperor frowned, worried. “I do not think so. My cousin was quite the typical Daanorian noblewoman—quiet and refined for her age, though keen on attending parties, as girls are wont to do.”
I sensed his impatience and soon begged my leave. I caught up to Tansoong as he too left the king. “Our healer has questions about Princess Yansheo. Did anyone visit her in the days leading up to the party?”
“No, our women do not interact with foreigners beyond our social functions.”
“What about Princess Yansheo’s admirers?”
“Minor nobles, no one she should’ve treated seriously. Prince Mailen and Prince Feiwong come from good enough houses. And there was the young Shaoyun, an impulsive young man, prone to speaking before thinking. His family is of some minor importance in the outer provinces, and to set his sights on someone like the princess displays arrogance on his part. I have not seen him since she fell sick, and good riddance to that.”
I hid my distaste. “Did you invite foreign visitors to her party?”
“Yes, mostly from Tresea. Of course, we extended an invitation to the Kion express and the Odalian king, but they were unable to attend. But I do recall Odalia sending a representative.”
“A representative?”
“Yes. It came as a surprise, for we did not know he was coming until he was already at Miekong.” The official’s beard bristled. “But we learned he was a relative of the king’s, and he was quite contrite. Perhaps his messengers had gotten lost, and his missive failed to reach us.”
“Who was this relative?”
“The Duke of Holsrath, milady. Brother to the king himself. He was quite cordial to the young princess at her party, as I remember. We rarely have people from Odalia at important functions, and she was quite pleased that he had come all the way to make her acquaintance.”