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His compliment filled me with unexpected pleasure. Perhaps he was not as insufferable as I had thought.

“Would you like to sit with us?” he invited.

I accepted gladly. I had just caught a glimpse of Lady Meiling’s father and was as keen to keep my distance from him as he was from me.

Our table was in the front with a clear view of the dais. There, a rosewood table was set before the white jade thrones, flanked by smaller ones on each side. Tonight, the visiting royalty were honored by being seated alongside Their Celestial Majesties, though they had yet to make an appearance.

A hush fell over the room then. The air thrummed with power as the royal family entered, everyone scrambling to fall to their knees. I lifted my head an inch to catch a glimpse of the emperor who had imprisoned my mother. Even surrounded by the most powerful immortals of the realm, the Celestial Emperor dazzled. His aura blazed with impenetrable might; that of a stone mountain, an endless glacier. Scarlet and azure dragons were embroidered upon his brilliant yellow robes, darting through swirling clouds. The ornate gold frame of his crown was set into a jewel-encrusted base, from which strands of lustrous pearls cascaded. They swayed before his brow, catching the light with his every move. His face was ageless, even for an immortal, his smooth skin bearing neither the vitality of youth nor the cares of time. In the darkness of his pupils, I found a fragment of resemblance to his son—though their opaque depths were devoid of warmth. He did not look particularly terrifying, but something about him turned my insides to ice.

Liwei stopped before me, inclining his head in greeting. Yet his smile was guarded and his eyes, dulled. Did he wish himself back in his room? I wanted to ask him, but not here. Not now. Just by acknowledging my presence he had flouted the protocol that required him to greet the honored guests first. As he walked away, my pulse fluttered as I stared after him like some moon-eyed girl. He looked magnificent tonight, his coat of midnight brocade parted to reveal his silver-white robe, shining as though woven from starlight. His hair was pulled into a gold and sapphire crown, held in place by an ornate pin.

“The monarchs of the Four Seas.” General Jianyun nodded toward the dais, mistaking my keen interest. “It’s rare to see them together. Relations have been strained since the Western and Northern Sea’s support of the Demon Realm. However, that is in the past; perhaps this heralds a new beginning.”

Each of them wore flowing robes in varying shades of blue and green, but there the resemblance ended. The King of the Eastern Sea’s long hair glistened as spun silver against his dark skin, while the Queen of the Southern Sea’s green eyes gleamed from her pale face. The remaining two monarchs sat stiffly upon their chairs, one wearing a crown of coral, the other of turquoise and pearl.

“Who sits beside them?” I stared at the striking immortal with jeweled blossoms sparkling from the coils of her hair.

“The Flower Immortal. Our exquisite gardens are the results of her endeavors. I’ve seen her revive a withered garden with a flick of her wrist, although she’s not as powerful as her predecessor,” General Jianyun remarked.

“What happened to her predecessor?” It was rare for an immortal to surrender their position.

“Lady Hualing chose to live away from the Celestial Kingdom, in the Eternal Spring Forest. A place she cultivated to her liking.”

I waited for him to continue—curious about this immortal—but he fell silent, drumming his fingers on the table.

Captain Wenzhi spoke then. “The Celestials don’t like to speak of her. Perhaps it reminds them of what can happen to even the most powerful, should they lose the emperor’s favor.”

General Jianyun scowled. “Even such as you from the Four Seas would not wish to anger our emperor.”

I was about to ask Captain Wenzhi which of the Four Seas he was from, when he spoke again. “It was said Lady Hualing grew distracted and neglected her duties for decades, until the court petitioned His Celestial Majesty to take away her position. Since then, she has not been seen. Not for hundreds of years.”

I wondered, why did the emperor not remove Lady Hualing from her duties sooner, when he seemed not to tolerate the slightest disobedience in others? But then all heads swung to the entrance, eager whispers rustling through the crowd. I turned to see two immortals approaching the dais.

“Queen Fengjin and her daughter, Princess Fengmei, from the Phoenix Kingdom,” Captain Wenzhi told me.

Her name hit me like a blow. The princess rumored to have been betrothed to Liwei? Gleaming cloaks of gold feathers were clasped around their shoulders, over their long robes of crimson brocade studded with pearls. A crown of fire rubies glittered on the queen’s hair. When the princess lifted her head, something in my chest contracted. She was the girl I had met in the courtyard earlier, my partner in the inadvertent destruction of Liwei’s painting. The empress greeted them warmly, rising as she gestured to their seats. Something coiled tight around my heart when the princess took the chair beside Liwei, who sat there with a face carved from stone.

I breathed deeply, determined to keep my spirits high. Fortunately, General Jianyun knew plenty of interesting facts about the noble guests and did not hesitate to share them. For the most part, Captain Wenzhi was silent but solicitous of my needs, ensuring my wine cup was always full and placing the choicest delicacies on my plate.

Whenever I looked up, I found Liwei staring at me. As the night progressed, his expression grew darker than a moonless night, more thunderous than a spring storm. At this moment he appeared more fearsome than the Celestial Empress.

Captain Wenzhi leaned toward me. “Why is His Highness glowering at you?”

“You must be mistaken,” I said quickly, trying to conceal my discomfort.

The look he shot me was one of disbelief. But then he shrugged. “In that case, he must be staring at me.”

Perhaps it was the wine loosening my tongue or the informal way he spoke, as I replied, “Do you think your appearance so pleasing? Not everyone is struck with admiration at the sight of you.”

“I would be interested to hear what you think of me.” His brows were arched in a seeming challenge.

“Even if it does not please you?”

“Especially, if so,” he said, his voice deepening.

I laughed, a hollow sound—unable to banish this feeling of unease, that something was not quite right. Why was Liwei glowering at me? There was no other way to describe his clamped lips and his eyes, burning like coals into mine.

Unfortunately, the empress noticed it, too. She crooked her finger at me, the pointed gold sheath glinting in the light. Only now did I realize that these were no mere ornaments, but Phoenix Talons, said to be laced with a potent poison.