“But he just tried to kill us,” Yoshi said slowly. “He thought he was killing Haru.”
“I know.”
“Which means—”
“Yosh, I thought I was serving the Empire. I thought I was doing somethinggoodwith my life, with what little I had—”
I couldn’t finish, couldn’t say it out loud, couldn’t make it real.
But Yoshi said it for me, his voice at once gentle and terrible.
“You’ve been working for the rebels all along.”
Chapter 24
Haru
The Imperial library felt too small despite being one of the largest private rooms in the Emperor’s personal wing. I’d chosen it specifically because it had only two entrances, both of which were now guarded by soldiers I’d personally selected. The windows overlooking the eastern gardens were now shuttered and barred.
The palace was on lockdown.
Because someone had tried to kill me in my own audience hall.
Except they’d tried to kill Esumi while he wore my robe, which somehow made it worse.
Kaneko sat on his knees in the center of the room, his head bowed, hands clenched on his thighs. I’d told him twice he didn’t need to kneel. He’d done it anyway, like he was awaiting judgment.
I sat across from him in one of the reading chairs, leaning forward with my elbows on my knees. Esumi stood near the window, still pale, one hand unconsciously touching his throatwhere the throwing star had missed by mere inches. Yoshi hovered protectively nearby.
“Kaneko,” I said gently. “Look at me.”
He didn’t move.
“Brother. Look at me.”
That got through.
His head came up slowly, and the anguish in his eyes was almost too much to bear. They were red-rimmed, haunted . . . and terrified.
“Tell me everything,” I said. “From the beginning. But first”—I glanced at Esumi and Yoshi—“understand that whatever you say stays in this room and will remain between the four of us. You are not on trial here.”
“Haru”—Kaneko’s voice cracked—“I gave them information about you, about our travel plans, about the palace. I thought I was helping, but—”
“I know.” I cut him off before he could spiral. “Esumi told me what happened, what you said. Now I need you to tell me how it started. How did they recruit you?”
Kaneko drew a shaking breath. “At the House of Petals. I’d been there for months, being trained as a . . . you know what.” He swallowed hard. “Then one night, a man was assigned to assist with my training. At first, he taught only . . .” He glanced at Yoshi and winced. “The ways of pleasuring another man.”
Yoshi, to his credit, gave no reaction.
Kaneko went on, “His name was Sakurai. He said that I had potential for something greater, to actually be of service to more than other men’s cocks.”
Yoshi blanched at that, though he managed to rein in his composure quickly.
“What did he offer? What did he require?” I asked.
“Purpose.” The word came out bitter. “And training. He offered a way to be useful instead of just being used. He said herepresented an organization that protected the Empire from the shadows, one working directly for your father, for the Emperor. He said they needed people like me—people no one would suspect.”
I nodded, keeping my expression neutral. “And you believed him?”
