“Do you know how long I was trapped here for?” I asked, and now I recognized this strange emotion, not strange in and of itself, but in its unexpected object. “Two days, Sky. Two days—with no food or water. I thought I was going to die—” I broke off, chest heaving.
Sky’s expression was dazed. Until it morphed into fury. He released me, his eyes turning cold and vicious. “You should never have been held in solitary confinement for longer than a day,” he said. “I’ll find out who’s responsible for this.”
“No.” I caught his sleeve, at once regretting my temper. “I don’t think it was the crown prince’s fault,” I clarified. “Someone must’ve bribed the guards to go against protocol. But, Sky, if you investigate the matter, it’ll only draw attention to the rumors of my punishment—and my crime.”
Sky clenched and unclenched his jaw; I doubted he’d heard half of what I’d said. “They can’t get away with this,” he insisted, breaking free of my grasp and striding for the door.
“Sky!” I cried out, feigning sudden weakness. Immediately, he was upon me, steadying me in his warm embrace.
“Let me take you to the physician,” he said, in a different sort of voice.
I shook my head. If he got rid of me now, he would only return to his quest for vengeance. The culprit was obvious—Prince Yuchen, who could easily claim innocence of the matter. Worse, if word of my supposed infidelity reached the Imperial Commander’s ears, he might choose to remove me for good. No, better not to draw attention to the matter. I would search for more substantial evidence to make my case.
“No,” I said, straightening. “I need fresh air. Would you take a walk with me?” At his reluctance, I added, “Please? It’s been so long since I’ve seen you.”
His eyes softened. “Of course,” he said at last, tucking my arm into his. “Wherever you wish to go.”
I started to lead him to the gardens, before my stomach gave a loud unbecoming grumble.
“I’m rather famished,” said Sky tactfully. “Should we take breakfast first?”
We ate until I wasfull to bursting, each dish better than the last. At this time of year it was common to serve winter melon soup, which I adored, but I’d never had it with dried dates, mushrooms, and rice noodles, which soaked up the savory broth deliciously. Moreover, there were pork and chive dumplings, both boiled and fried; tofu with ginger and spice; and baked sweet potato glazed with honey and sugar. When I wondered aloud how Sky knew all my favorite dishes, Lotus shot me a wink behind him.
“Do you need to rest?” he asked again, after breakfast.
“I’ve been resting ever since you left,” I said. “Why have you returned? Did you catch the alleged spirit summoner?”
To my astonishment, Sky nodded. “He’s to be executed at midday.”
“I want to see him.”
“It’s impossible,” said Sky. “He’s already awaiting his sentence at the Gate of Heavenly Peace.” And I was prohibited from leaving the Forbidden City, he did not add.
I could not go out, but…“We could watch,” I suggested. “From the palace walls.”
The Gate of Heavenly Peace stood directly outside the Forbidden City, and the square was visible from the outer palace walls. Though it was unconventional for a palace lady to be seen there, it was not technically banned.
Sky was hesitant, but I would not take no for an answer. And yet, once I’d gotten what I wanted, I did not know what I was looking for. As I watched the young man brought up to the chopping block, his burlap clothes marking him as a tenant farmer, I could see no signs of spirit power from him.
“What proof do you have of his black magic?” I asked Sky, who looked discomforted by the entire procedure. Below us, commoners were heckling the prisoner, throwing rotten fruit and vegetables at his back. The fruit and vegetables he bore, but the slurs wore him down as he shrank from the crowds and even tried to cover his ears.
“His neighbors ratted him out,” said Sky. “They spoke of how he’d made flowers bud in winter, and fruits grow in the most infertile of soils. His harvests were sweeter and more abundant than any others, and so he stirred the jealousy of many farmers in the province.”
“But that’s hardly a crime, is it? For skies’ sake, it sounds like a gift.”
“I argued on his behalf against Father, but…you know how he is.”
I did not, in fact, because Sky had been shielding me from him. I’d heard from the rumor mill that Sky had asked for my hand in marriage, but the Imperial Commander had refused him, claiming my reputation was too controversial and my health too unstable to warrant the risk. But most likely, he wanted something to hold over Sky, leverage to keep his youngest and most popular son in check.
“Father asked him to use his lixia, and the fool complied, growing a small seed into a sapling tree. And that was it.” As Sky spoke, I scanned his face and noticed new lines there I hadn’t seen before. Just as the times had not been kind to me, neither had they been kind to him.
“His power is nothing like yours,” said Sky, brows furrowing in thought. “His lixia didn’t feel the same either. Yours felt like…like…” He struggled for an appropriate comparison.
“An ocean?” I offered.
He nodded. “If yours felt like an ocean,” he said, still deep inthought, “then his was rather like a river creek. I could feel the bottom of it, its limitations, I suppose.”
I cut him a sidelong glance, but he was lost in his own memories. I had never questioned Sky’s spirit affinity before, but perhaps it was stronger than I’d first perceived.
