When Quilimar first arrived at Khitan, she, of course, met dignitaries, and Gambria was by Fallador’s side. Both direct, ambitious women, they became quick friends and more. Quilimar was long thought to only be attracted to women—something not allowed for royal women who must produce heirs. Gam was a favored lady of the court, but she left when Quilimar became pregnant with Prince Calstor. I never learned why, but I always suspected Gambria fell in love and was devastated when it turned out Quilimar was bedding her own husband. I highly doubt she had a choice, though, knowing the King of Khitan. It is equally likely that the king himself banished Gambria from Quu.
It’s worth mentioning that Gam sees no hypocrisy in falling for Joon’s sister, who is also a colonizer and criminal under her definition. To Gambria, however, Quilimar had no power because even though she was a princess, she was a girl in Yusan. It remains to be seen what she thinks a little boy could have done to prevent the Festival of Blood. But hate doesn’t have to follow logic.
I arrive at the messenger house after taking the outer loop. I give the woman at the desk my fake name, and there’s an envelope waiting for me. Zahara is almost excessively clever. I’m glad she is on my side…if she’s on my side. She doesn’t have a reason to help me—not one I can discern. Therefore, I need to be cautious with what I tell her and what I believe.
After I tip the woman, I decode Zahara’s message, and once again the seemingly long code translates to one word.
War
War. Yusan is about to declare war on Khitan. Not the other way around.
I grip the hilt of my sword as everything falls into place. I’d nearly had it figured out in the Temple of Knowledge. Kings leave the safety of Qali because of diplomacy or, more likely, war. That is why Joon left the palace, and that means we were sent here as a distraction for Quilimar and nothing more. We can’t wait any longer. We have to get to Quu and somehow arrange an audience with the queen. Even if we have to shout “war” from a hundred feet away.
Stars, I hope she still loves Gambria.
With no time to spare, I hurry back to the inn.
The Revelry Inn is a white, marble-faced building, stained partially gray with age. But the patina fits the five-hundred-year-old inn. It’s four stories tall in the gilded, ornate Khitanese style. Euyn, being used to luxury, loves this inn. I think it’s a little too conspicuous, but it doesn’t matter anymore. We need to leave now.
As I walk into the lobby, I spot two familiar faces. Relief floods my chest.
“You’re here?” I ask.
Aeri tilts her head. “Where else would we be?” Then her large eyes scan the painted, domed ceiling. “Well, I guess we could’ve been dead and eaten by amarth… But no, we made it back. Did you succeed?”
I shake my head. “There was a complication. Did you?”
“We got it,” Royo whispers.
Something is different about the two of them, but I’m not certain what. Maybe nothing is new. It could just be Euyn’s constant conspiracies altering how I view them.
The most important thing is that they have the egg, which will allow us to dine at a table with Quilimar. We will be able to tell her about the impending war and Joon’s plan to take her relic. Yusan attacking should only aid us in forming an alliance with the queen. Very simply, she won’t have a choice. And then we will organize a mission to ambush Joon and take his crown.
Energy and a little hope surge through me. This could all work.
“Come up,” I say, walking to the stairs. “There have been changes, and we need to leave immediately.”
“We have some…information as well…” Aeri hesitates.
I debate between asking what it is now and waiting. I decide anything they say will just have to be repeated to the group, so it’s better to wait.
We get to the third floor. I gather Gambria and Sora, then proceed to the fourth floor, and I knock on Euyn’s door. His room, of course, is a corner suite. I had to bribe the innkeeper with a hundred marks to move someone else’s reservation. Euyn was already on edge. I didn’t want to make it worse with him not receiving his preferred accommodation.
I knock twice, and then we wait for Euyn to take down all of his traps. Royo eyes Gambria, and she stares right back at him.
“Who’s this?” Royo asks, pointing a thumb at her.
“This is Gambria. She’s an…old friend of Quilimar’s.”
Gam knows much more Yusanian than I expected. Enough for her to comment on Sora’s unexpected mercy of sparing the guard as soon as we were alone and to arch an eyebrow now at me for my remark.
I suppress a smile.
The door opens, and Euyn’s eyes become as wide as tea saucers when he sees Aeri and Royo. He has the decency to look a little ashamed, which shows a shred of conscience. After all, he did spend the last few days railing against them, calling them traitors and disloyal. And that was a terribly unfair character assassination of Royo.
“Did you succeed?” Euyn asks, gesturing for us to take a seat.
Aeri and Royo look at each other and then both nod. She blushes, smiling at the ground. I was correct—there is something different about them. If I had to guess, they finally figured out they were in love.
