“Akira Kioshi departed your territory as reported but did not make it past the foothills.”
I moved to the window, looking out at Yubi below, a conquered city, subdued but not broken, my first step toward the Jade Throne.
But only the first step.
Behind me, the shadow waited with the patience of Death himself.
“Akira Haru will become Emperor soon.” I kept my voice low, though we were alone. “His coronation must fail.”
“What is your wish,Daimyo?”
“I wish . . .” I turned to face the darkness. “I wish you to kill Akira Haru before he can take the throne. Before the ceremony. Before the—” I nearly said ‘tether,’ but the shadows didn’t need to know everything. “Before he might raise a banner for others to rally behind.”
Another pause, longer this time.
When the shadow spoke again, something had changed in that neutral voice. I didn’t think it was fear, exactly. Respect, maybe. Or understanding of the magnitude being requested.
“The third prince is in Bara, surrounded by the palace guard, protected by the remaining Imperial forces, watched by every soldier and servant loyal to the throne. The palace was once vulnerable, its security lax. Now, it is the most fortified location in the Empire. Even with the passes clear, infiltrating the palace itself would take weeks of preparation.”
“We both know you have infiltrated it.” I smiled without humor. “You killed the Emperor in his own bedchamber. Do not tell me the son is impossible when you already slaughtered the father.”
“Emperor Takashi was old and comfortable, surrounded by peace. Prince Haru knows his father was assassinated. He suspects the same of his brother. He will be paranoid and careful, protected in every way. The palace is on war footing now. Every shadow is suspect. Every stranger is presumed an enemy.”
“Then stop being strangers.” I moved closer until I could see my reflection in those empty eyes. “Isn’t that your specialty? Becoming the trusted servant, the loyal guard, the invisible hand that strikes from within?”
“That takes time—”
“We have no more time!” My voice rose despite my control, fury breaking through strategic calm. “Every day that passes, Haru grows more established. Every day, the court rallies around him, forgets that he is little more than a lost, drunk boy swimming in waters far too deep for his skill. Every day brings us closer to a coronation that will undo everything I’ve bled for.”
I took a breath, forcing composure back over rage.
“I do not care how you do it. Poison, blade, accident, or illness. End him before he takes the throne. Use whatever resources you have in the capital. Activate every agent. Call in every favor. This is not a request for a price we negotiate.” I pulled a scroll from within my robes—already prepared, already sealed. “This is a command with unlimited funding. Kill Akira Haru. Nothing matters more. Nothing else matters at all.”
The shadow took the scroll and tucked it into darkness that seemed to swallow substance.
“It will be difficult—”
“Everything is gods-damned difficult,” I cut through the excuse. “You killed one emperor. Now you will kill the Emperor-in-waiting. Or I’ll find shadows with sharper teeth.”
A bow, slight and mocking in its brevity. “It will be done,Daimyo.”
“See that it is.”
The figure melted back into shadow, disappearing so completely I might have imagined the entire conversation.
But the scroll was gone, and my hands were shaking.
Not from fear. Never from fear. From anticipation.
Because winter might cage my armies, might freeze my advance, might force patience I didn’t possess, but winter couldn’t stop a single blade or star in the right hands. It couldn’t prevent poison from finding lips.
It couldn’t hold back the darkness.
Chapter 21
Yoshi
Stars still littered the sky when Kaneko and I slipped from our chambers, moving through the palace corridors like thieves. In a way, I supposed we were—stealing time before the rest of the world woke to claim it.
