Mikail’s posture stiffens, his face full of hate. I’m not sure why he is so disgusted. He calls the people of Wei innocent, but they are not. They had no issue slaughtering untold numbers of civilians in Yusan and Khitan over the last thousand years, and no qualms about taking just as many back to their islands as slaves. Even the Yoksa don’t know how many people they’ve killed and tortured.
During the War of the Flaming Sword, they used Yusanian children and babies for arrow practice. They emptied the brothels in Tamneki and put the indentures aboard their ships to entertain their soldiers. Then they drowned them before they reached the shore. All of them. Noblewomen and first sons were brought back to Wei as prizes, treated as concubines or common pleasure slaves. Wei committed acts never heard of before once they arrived on our shore. Weians are many things, but they are not innocent. At best they are complicit, benefiting from atrocity for generations.
“You know how Joon thinks,” I say with a shrug.
Joon, like all the Baejkin kings, puts Yusan above all else. It is one thing I can say in defense of my family: they truly love our realm. Mikail seems to think there is an issue with not being shepherds of the entire world, when no nation does that. Each realm cares for its own. Each reign stops at the borders.
“And you?” he asks. “Do you believe it would solve our problems, too? To sink the three islands of Wei?”
Technically, it’s more than three. Wei is a hundred islands, but over ninety percent of the population lives on the three main isles. Without Illiyo, Song, and Wal, Wei wouldn’t have any power.
Mikail holds himself casually, relaxing his shoulders, but he stares at me out of the corner of his eyes.
I shrug. “I see his logic. We need to stop the tribute, and I doubt Wei will just agree to forfeit millions of mun. And without the sizable threat of Wei, we would be safe on our continent. As would Khitan.”
Mikail smiles. “I see.”
His gloved hands curl into tight fists, and his jaw ticks. He’s furious, but I don’t understand why.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
He doesn’t respond. I stare at him and wait, but he remains silent. Minutes pass and still nothing. I suppose that was all he wanted to say.
I hate how I wait on him. How desperate I am for him to talk to me. How much it throws me when he’s upset. It should be the other way around. I should be the one sought after. But that has never been the case with Mikail.
“Who is Ailor?” I ask after a few minutes.
More silence greets me.
He doesn’t speak another word. A bell later, I try again to get Mikail to talk, but he simply ignores me. The insult slaps my face harder than this biting wind. No one would have dared ignore me when I was a prince of Yusan. Servants could have been thrown into Idle Lake for that kind of offense. But I am not a prince anymore.
Unless I bring Joon the ring.
With the distance growing between me and Mikail, it seems more and more tempting to regain my old position than our old love.
Yet my skin prickles with an uneasy feeling. I truly don’t know why he is upset. I know he is angry with me for not telling him about Chul, but that doesn’t seem like enough to drive this large of a wedge between us. Plus, the distance started in Tamneki. It has to be something…orsomeoneelse. My stomach sours at the thought, and I swallow my conspiracies. Perhaps itisjust Chul. I soothe myself with the thought that Mikail is just being stubborn, even though that doesn’t seem quite right.
Either way, it’s going to be a long trip. I hope the girls are doing better than we are.
Chapter Fifteen
Aeri
City of Quu, Khitan
Tonight was a total failure. All I learned is that the ambassador thinks he is excellent at everything, beloved by everyone, and likes to ice fish. Not really the realm-shattering secrets we were hoping to uncover.
“But how do you keep from freezing?” Sora asked during dessert. No idea how she had questions when the ambassador spoke nonstop.
“There are warming huts by the shore,” he said. “Or you can make a fire right on the ice.”
“A fire on the ice?” Sora gasped. “How incredible.”
She looked at the ambassador as if she hung on his every word. I don’t know how she did it.
The meal ended without us getting a second chance to talk to the general. We’ll have to find another way. If Mikail can get ahold of the blueprints to her office, then I can sneak in. Or maybe they are doing better than we are. I hope so. It would be hard to do worse.
Dancing begins, and I wish Royo were here for the hundredth time tonight. Yes, he’d hate this whole thing, and he’d refuse to dance with me. He’d probably stand by the map on the wall with his arms folded, refusing to enjoy life. But I would try, and he would soften. And then eventually, maybe he’d hold me like the couples spinning around the floor.
