of mist and power

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE,

  "I AM ETERNALLY grateful for this opportunity," Ryan murmured as he regarded her. They were both dressed in far more ordinary clothes than their usual attire. Myrina donned something more similar to what she wore during her days as an acolyte of Hongyun, in light purple silk and only a few pieces of gold jewellery. Her hair was pulled up in a chignon with a plain Chinese rosewood hairpin. It had been her mother's.

  "Well, I could not decline," Myrina replied. Ryan was dressed far differently too, trading his usual expensive robes for a white and blue outfit more befitting of a regular scholar. His hair was tied up in a bun at the top of his head.

  But still, Myrina thought it was quite obvious that a simple scholar was anything but what Ryan was. It was in the way he walked and talked. He did not know how to hide it. He'd never needed to.

  Not that it would affect anything. People who looked at him would assume some young lordling out on a day's trip, and not associate the man before them with the Crown Prince of Sai.

  That was good, because there were no servants with them. Myrina had no idea how Ryan convinced his parents to agree to this. It was such a security risk. Perhaps it was because she was wiccai.

  They put far too much faith in her.

  They left in a simple carriage through the side door of the Scarlet Palace to avoid raising suspicion. It would be difficult to explain otherwise.

  "Where are we going?" Myrina asked patiently.

  "Around the city," Ryan replied earnestly. "I doubt you've had breakfast, so I thought we could start at a teahouse."

  "That would be quite nice," Myrina told him. She was never going to reject good tea, and there were some of the best teahouses in the country in Hong Cheng. Not that it would ever measure up to the tea she was served at the temple, but it was close enough.

  Her standards could not be too high.

  Myrina had a sense of what Ryan was trying to do within today. He was trying to convince her that this didn't have to be all political. It didn't have to be love either, but they could enjoy each other's company and presence, and perhaps start a family. While ruling the empire side by side.

  He was trying to show her that there were plenty of advantages to this. But he was also leaving the final choice up to her in the end.

  That was greatly appreciated.

  Ryan was treating her well. Extremely well. Far better than a few years ago, when he was barely able to speak to her. But those years were still something that was in between them. It was difficult for Myrina to just get over the lack of respect he showed her throughout those times, even if she did understand the reason behind it.

  At the same time, she saw the ways she was suitable for the role. Yet she was also frightened she'd tire of it after some time. She did not share any great and overwhelming loyalty towards Sai. She was not a political mastermind like he or Irina was, and she lacked the true passion for it. She was most definitely interested, the past few months had proven that she had talent in it too, but it was also not something she was sure she wanted to be tied to for the rest of her life.

  He interrupted her thoughts. "When is your brother going to return to Hong Cheng?"

  "He is still doing his studies."

  "Been quite a few years."

  "It is his choice, in the end. He likes the grit and business of Hong Cheng even less than I."

  "You do not seem to mind it much nowadays."

  "No," she agreed. "Not nearly as much as I did before. There is still silence within all the bustle, I just need to seek it often enough, that is all."