Qian looked at Amador, hand in hand with Lucas, and he leaned forward. “I take it you understand the political importance of matrimony.”
“I do,” Amador said. “I’ve been betrothed to Lucas for most of my life, but we’ve known each other since birth.Lovedeach other since birth. Is there someone who has a similar history with Nix in Jade Mountain?”
Why did she want to know? What did she care?I thought bitterly.
“No,” Qian said. “Nothing like the love you two have. But love is not a requirement for marriage. Though it helps.” His gaze darted playfully to me, but I barely noticed.
Something ugly and boiling hot roiled inside my stomach, like I’d eaten a bowl of acid. Seeing Lucas and Amador together made my whole body feel too small to contain me. My heart drummed furiously against my rib cage, quickening with each passing second. The edges of my vision darkened, and what I could see turned red.
I wanted to kill Amador…
Then I snapped out of it, scared by how vicious my thoughts had turned. I let out a small gasp as cool air rushed into my lungs, and the darkness on the edges of my vision receded. Everyone looked at me, expecting me to say something, but a dull noise droned in my head like a hive, and I realized it was my blood roaring in my ears.
I’d never felt that angry before. I was clenching my fists so hard they were shaking, and the tips of my fingers had gone numb. When I looked down, I almost expected claws. Instead, I saw plain crescent shapes from my nails in my palms.
I stood up, bracing myself against the table, and took a momentto gather myself. Everyone was still staring at me, some glancing at one another as if they weren’t sure I was in my right mind, but I cleared my throat and looked at Qian.
“Would you join me for a walk?” I asked. “I would like to speak with you privately.”
Qian looked at me for a long second, eyes alight with interest, and nodded. “It would be my pleasure.”
6
Qian andIleft our respective parties behind and made our way outdoors. The garden in the afternoon was full of bees and hummingbirds flying among bright flowers and darting past our heads. Turquoise-colored petals from the flowering balafon trees flanking the path floated through the wind, littering the cobblestones beneath our feet like they were a carpet, making the air smell like cinnamon and peaches, summer and spice. It would have been a beautiful sight, but the angry droning in my ears remained for a few minutes even when we made our way down the garden steps and into the bright sunshine.
At least outside I felt normal again. My rage subsided like waves on the shore. It had come from the depths of my heart; it felt like I was drowning in it. I breathed deep, allowing myself to relax my shoulders.
Qian walked beside me, his arms clasped casually behind his back as I led him through the garden. At the edge was a private terrace with a pergola draped in sheer white curtains and two small chairs, which overlooked the blue water of Lake Reyna, the island, and the sea beyond. Gigantic thunderhead clouds loomedhigh in the distance, fluffy as cotton. Multicolored gulls cawed overhead and swooped through the air toward the Sirena village below. Qian went to the edge of the terrace and braced himself against the railing as the wind kicked up and made his hair flutter. It occurred to me how handsome he was, and in the wind, he looked especially regal and strong.
“Spectacular view,” he said. He looked at me with a hint of mischief in his eyes, and I realized he wasn’t just talking about the scenery.
“It’s my favorite place,” I said, tempering my blush with a distraction. “Nix and I come here often.”
“I see no guards, no defenses. What’s to stop a monster from lurking these grounds? Your borders aren’t safe. Any number of them could have come into your garden and snatched my sister in a heartbeat.”
“In these lands, creatures you’d deem monsters live among us, as equals and in peace,” I said, knowing full well the manananggal was anything but peaceful.
“I heard that your court was attacked by a witch who deals in the black arts—a mambabarang, right? It slipped right in, killed your father, and then almost killed you during your coronation.”
I shouldn’t have been surprised that word got out about the attack. Everyone in attendance, including Nix, almost died. Qian watched me, gauging my reaction, but I straightened my shoulders and lifted my chin. “I stopped them. I protect the ones I care about.” My heart hitched remembering that Lucas was included in that sentiment, and I cleared my throat. “I’m not weak.”
Qian nodded as I spoke, tracing a finger along the intricatedesigns carved into the wood of the pergola, and smiled. “That I know.” Was he flirting with me? Or was this just a way to play politics? I had to maintain my composure. Like Elias said, I couldn’t let him dictate the rules.
“Yesterday you said you were hapa,” I prompted.
Qian nodded again. “Nix and I are half siblings. My mother, my father’s first wife, whom he married early in his reign, was human. Inevitably, due to the nature of us…” He gestured to me and then to himself. “I’ve outlived her by some margin.”
Like humans, encantos could die, but they usually lived to be thousands of years old. The Jade Emperor himself was rumored to be nearly three thousand years old. I couldn’t help but be reminded that someday I would stop aging, too, but I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat, not wanting to think about how I could ever go on without my mom. “Nix and I bonded over being hapcantos when we first met. We became fast friends.”
“And you’ve been treating her well? My Nix?”
Anger rose up in me again, though less so than when we were at the table. “I’m offended you think I wouldn’t.”
“Not every ruler in this age is so benevolent.”
“Does that include yourself?”
Qian’s eyes crinkled slightly when he smiled, and he took my jab lightly, more lightly than I might have expected of a future emperor. “I have my bad days. I am only encanto, after all. But I find locking people away in dungeons too medieval. Leave that to the Avalonians.” I’d never met an Avalonian, but I think he meant it as a joke.
