of mist and power

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN,

  "YOU BRING QUITE a surprise," the Empress murmured. Asteria had been invited for tea the day after they'd returned. As Ryan had expected, the two of them had been told to stay behind along with some of the other lords and ladies rather than return to their own residences. Part of it was for their own safety, the other was to make sure the other lords and ladies, the ones not particularly in their inner circle, would keep their mouths shut.

  Or at least make sure they wouldn't utter a word until they wanted them to.

  The cogs of the Scarlet Palace were already up to work. Rumours were already spreading from the very lowest class of the Palaces' inhabitants. Chambermaids and footmen were already whispering about the early return of the northern tour. Of mysterious captives being held in the northern part of the Palace (the captives were being held in the southern, just in case), and of the Prince looking battered and scared.

  They'd spread it themselves, of course. The Emperor and Empress had eyes and spies in every inch of their own Palace.

  "It was hardly my own work," Myrina demurred.

  "You've saved Ruge's life again," the Empress said, her lips quirking upwards. "Two times now, is it? Smart of Longyu, her foresight always impressed me."

  "I doubt this was her original intent, Your Imperial Majesty," Myrina said with a soft laugh, "but it has seemed to work out."

  "The assassins..."

  "We had a plan, and we were wondering if we could implement it."

  "The rumours. To weed out the agent amongst our midst. It might work, but it's unreliable and slow. We could use that, definitely, but it cannot be our only course of action. If we do not find this agent soon," the Empress warned, "it will make us seem weak."

  Besides her, her trusted maidservant fanned the great lady.

  Myrina rarely directly reported to the Empress. Not until recently. Every time she was in the Empress's presence alone, she couldn't help but be scared, be intimidated. The Empress was not a large woman. She was average height, perhaps slightly shorter than Myrina, possessing a voluminous figure and constantly covered in all manners of expensive garments. She was every inch the wife of the Emperor and an excellent politician in her own right. And she terrified Myrina to death.

  "I understand," Myrina replied. "Whatever your commands are, we will perform it."

  The Empress gave a nod. "I was thinking, you know, we should make it bigger."

  "Bigger?" Myrina asked, blinking.

  "Yes. Bigger. Rumours won't be enough. If they've been around us for so many years, they will not be deterred and scared by a few rumours. One of my people spoke to the girl assassin today. Pandi, yes?"

  "Yes. A pitiful name."

  "A pitiful girl," the Empress muttered. "She is a tricky one to deal with, especially once this whole affair is over. I'd feel quite bad if I ordered her execution." Yet, if the Empress thought it was the best choice, she'd do so without a moment's hesitation. "She is our best source of information. If I was more certain of her loyalty, I'd pretend to let her break out."

  Myrina glanced up. "But we could. Not with Pandi, she already knows too much. But the man, Chu An. He is loyal to the man behind this."

  The Empress tilted her head. "And he knows nothing. If we allow him to break out..."

  "And have him followed..."

  "Yes, that would work." The Empress offered a satisfied smile. "I do like how your brain works, Mai Zimi."