“You’re certain Euyn let my father go?” she asks.
Tears swim in her eyes, along with a little hope. It’s nice that I don’t have to lie to her this time.
“Absolutely certain. It was your father who told the palace that Euyn had been hunting convicts in Westward Forest.”
“Which you knew about,” she says.
She searches my face, and Royo eyes me, too. I want to lie, but it would only be to save face. In order to get through this new mission, I’ll have to start telling the truth—as much as I can, anyhow.
“I did,” I say.
She holds my stare. “Did you know he was my father?”
“No. I swear and I vow it. You look nothing alike.”
She sighs and looks down at her hands, at the nails that drew blood. We’ll have to spill a lot of it to save the people we love. I made my peace with that a long time ago, as did she.
“You really think Euyn’ll be a good king?” Royo asks.
I draw a breath. Do I?
“I think we’ve all done things we aren’t proud of,” I say. “I think a person is more than the strikes against them. At least I’d like to believe we are. I think Euyn has changed and continues to evolve. And if nothing else, he will be better than Joon.”
“Or maybe you just hope,” Royo says.
Both of them stare, waiting for a response, so I shrug. “All the same.”
Bells ring out on the ship. We’ve reached the capital of Khitan.
“Quu Harbor!” the captain calls out, walking the deck. “Quu Harbor!”
Just in time for me to forget Royo’s words.
I glance at Sora, her spine straightening again as she pulls herself back together once more. I forged papers for her because she has an indenture mark on her real ones. Although indentures and slaves are free once they cross into Khitan, the country has to at least pretend they snuck in. I also created papers for Aeri and Euyn, as they are both technically dead. And I, of course, never enter any foreign realm under my real name. I never use my real name at all.
It’s not an auspicious beginning, bringing dead liars into Khitan, but I will outsmart Joon. We lost the battle, but I will win the war.
First, I need to meet with another technically dead spirit—Fallador, the exiled Prince of Gaya—to see how we can get to the queen. And how we can finally free our homeland.
Chapter Three
Royo
City of Quu, Khitan
We got to Khitan without killing each other—so that’s something.
The capital sits right on the harbor like how Tamneki squats on the sea, but Quu looks nothing like Yusan. There’s a huge mountain towering over the city with villas carved into the sides and a golden palace at the top. The castle shines like a lighthouse, even in this rain.
I adjust my hood over my hair. I thought about shaving it on the ship, but I dunno, I’ve gotten used to it. We trudge through the soggy streets of Quu. Cobblestones wind in every direction, and the painted houses are stacked up next to each other. We pass homes painted apple red, evergreen, deep blue, or mustard yellow. It’s a mashup, and the people are, too. Some are Yusanian, a lot are Khitanese. There’s a few Weian, and some must be from the Outer Lands. It’s all a wet hodgepodge of familiar and foreign. Especially the women, who dress like men, with weapons on their belts and pants on their legs.
I knew we were going to another place, but I didn’t think Khitan would be this different.
It is.
We make it to the Gray Shore Inn after a confusing series of turns. We didn’t actually go that far, though. I can smell the salt of the harbor and see the ship sails from the lobby as Mikail checks us in. It’s a nice enough spot, despite Euyn bellyaching about it under his breath. It’s no palace, but it’s dry and warm. That’s all you need in a storm.
Mikail hands me my key. The girls went to the powder room as soon as we walked in, and they’re still in there. I think about waiting for Aeri even though I shouldn’t. I got nothing to say to her. Or too much. Sometimes, it’s all the same.
