Qian’s gaze darted to me with a raised eyebrow, and Nix turned in my direction.
“MJ,” she said, her face pale. “I’m so sorry.”
“You’resorry?” I scoffed. “I thought you were being kidnapped. They’re the ones who should be sorry.” I glared at Qian.
Qian shifted in his chair and lowered the ice. His nose was red, some blood still smeared on his upper lip. “Is it kidnapping if my little sister is being held captive here?”
“Captive? What are you talking about?”
Qian waved his hand. “Why else would a princess of Jade Mountain be so hard to find?”
“Because I didn’twantto be found,” Nix snapped. “And if you’d asked me before your general snatched me up, you might have known that.”
“Heng was operating in your best interest,” Qian said, tipping his head to the man scowling behind him. “Now, can you please fix my nose before we go home?”
“No!” Nix straightened up and folded her arms over her chest. “I swore to do no harm when I became a healer, but you can sit with that pain until you start to listen to me.”
“ ‘Do no harm’?” Qian laughed. It surprised me. He seemed a lot more at ease now despite everything that had gone down, and his eyes sparkled. He and Nix looked so much alike. “Tell that to Heng.”
The general, Heng, stood behind Qian’s chair and massaged his lower back, the spot where Nix had seized up his muscles. He was older than us, probably in his twenties or so, but who really knew when it came to encantos? He could have been four hundred.Like Qian and the rest of the kidnapping party, Heng was dressed in all black, like a soldier, with combat boots and a tight T-shirt. Heng’s dark hair was cropped short, revealing pointed ears that looked as sharp as the line of his jaw. He didn’t look like someone I’d want to mess with, but then again, he had been no match against Nix. Something like pride warmed my chest. She had foiled their plan.
“Your Highness…” Heng started. He leaned down and spoke quietly in Qian’s ear, too low for me to hear, but Qian hardly moved to turn his head; he was still watching me. Heat rushed up my face.
If Qian and his guards really had been assassins, if they really had been here to kill Nix, she would be dead by now. My power still failed me at the worst possible time. It was only luck that no one had gotten seriously hurt. I glanced at Nix, but she couldn’t meet my gaze.
Qian said, “Heng seems to be of the opinion that Biringan has an odd method of diplomacy, and I can’t help but agree.” He dropped the ice on the table and sniffed, idly wiping away the remainder of blood that had dried on his lip. “Where does a queen learn such a right hook?”
“I could do much worse to protect my friend,” I said through my teeth.
Qian, to my surprise, lifted an eyebrow again, and I swore his eyes lit up. It was almost like he was pleased. My stomach felt like it swarmed with butterflies for some reason.
The double doors burst open, and Elias strode in, followed closely by two dwendes, who had to sprint to keep up. Elias lookedflustered but composed himself, one hand on his sword, standing equidistant between us.
Elias looked at Qian and then at me. Enunciating so I knew he was furious, he asked, “What. Happened.”
Qian and I stared at each other for a long moment, waiting for the other to speak. In doing so, I took in the rest of his appearance. The features of his face combined in a way that reminded me of a deer, in a handsome, sort of otherworldly way. He had a long face with soft, dark eyes that were surprisingly warm but keen at the same time, clear and penetrating. His straight, shiny hair flopped down the middle, just barely brushing the top of his pointed ears.
I knew I’d been staring at him for a little too long when his full lips quirked up into a smile before he addressed Elias.
“I am here to rescue my sister and bring her back to Jade Mountain,” Qian said. “We thought she was here against her will.”
Nix tensed up when Elias turned to her. This was news to him. “You’re from Jade Mountain?”
Nix’s eyes shone and her mouth set in a line, but all she could do was nod. I spoke up for her because I knew she would have a hard time. “Nix and I were in the astronomy tower when they swooped in out of nowhere,” I said. “They scared us. I fought back.”
Qian bowed his head, gesturing to his nose. “And fought back you did. This is a royal gift.”
I hated how hot my face felt, and I looked at Elias again. “I thought we were in danger,” I said, then glared at Qian. “I thought we were under attack.”
Elias asked me, “Why didn’t I know a member of the Jade Mountain royal family was in this palace?”
“Is that a problem?”
Elias huffed, shoulders sagging, but didn’t answer me.
“I’m not going home,” Nix said. “Iwon’t.”
“Unfortunately, you do not get a choice,” Qian said. For our sake, he addressed the rest of us. “We have very strict rules when it comes to the emperor’s daughters. They are not to leave the kingdom unless they are married. It is for their own protection and our people’s, should anyone try to use his daughters against him for political leverage.”
