The Courtesy of Kings | ☑ Queenkiller, Kingmaker #2

09.2

'I will see you tomorrow.' She did not spare another second. Eshe darted immediately up the road and whisked away, her footsteps dampened in the mist into which she disappeared.

The guard stood frozen, uncertain whom he should follow.

'Your service is no longer required.'

They all jumped at the voice. A figure rose from the compound ahead of them, emerging from the recess sheltering its front gate.

Taeichi's residence.

Sure enough it was him, three guards at his shoulder, all armed to the teeth. 'You are dismissed. I will see the damesae to the gates.'

The general's man nodded. He saluted Taeichi and spun on his heels, fading back into the street from where they came. Should he not be escorting Eshe instead? Another cry rung through the air, but none of the men before her seemed perturbed in the slightest.

Isla would rather brave mist-monsters herself than face the truth-weaver a second time. 'Thank you, ah ... my lord ... but we would hate to inconvenience you. Tam Mai and I can see ourselves out.'

'The word you are looking for is seunghwan, but you can call me Jinsei.' The guards behind him exchanged a look that made Isla flush with heat. 'And I insist. It's easy to lose oneself in this mist.'

'Is that what that sound is?' Tam Mai softened her grip. 'Someone's lost?'

Taeichi turned to listen, his eyes dark. 'I suppose so, in a way. Now come, let us see you to the gates. You—you can stay here.'

The last he said to his guards, one of whom stepped forward. 'Seunghwan, you know we can't—'

'I will not hear it. I cannot step foot across the gates, so what have you to fear? I will return before the hour is over.'

'But—'

'Must you tail me wherever I go, that I cannot even spend an intimate afternoon with a woman? Shall I also keep my chamber open when I take one to bed?'

His men had no response to that, and when Taeichi motioned for Isla and Tam Mai to walk with him, the guards did not follow. Only once the fog closed in behind them did the truth-weaver speak again.

'I must thank you. I never get a moment of peace from those sword-shiners. I hope you did not mind my brazen words too much.'

'I've heard worse.'

'They say our Surikh neighbours are more direct when it comes to affairs of passion.'

Compared to the Tsun, even the great ape are quicker to mate. 'We have fewer ... rituals, that much is true. And none of your social tact.'

'That must be liberating.'

'Only if you're a man.'

'You say so, but you travelled here from across the sea. I could never dream of such freedom myself.'

Ah. The realisation hit her with a pitying force. The guards were not there to protect him, but to watch him. And evidently the Emperor spares no man to keep his truth-weaver in place. 'Then we are both exceptional cases, seunghwan.'

'I regret to hear that.' Taeichi smiled sourly, hands behind his back as they walked on. 'In truth, I have been watching you these past few weeks. You come twice every seven days, often escorted by the general, though that lately has been decreasing. I imagine he trusts you to find your own way by now.'

'I would blush if I thought your motives were amatory.'

'Oh? You would welcome such efforts?'

'More than its alternative.' When was he going to get to his point? The uncertainty lay heavy in Isla's stomach. For weeks now she slept with the knowledge that her lie could be at any time revealed, and woke with the dread that this day could be the day.