I bit my tongue. Father knew me too well.
“The soldiers there know of the Demon King’s plans for you. If they see you near the breach, they will assume that he has invaded your mind and taken you prisoner.”
My eyes flew up. “Is that necessary?”
“All precautions are necessary, Shiori. The people blame you for the demon’s attacks, and the council presses me to banish you from Kiata.”
So much for telling Father we were going to steal Bandur’s amulet and take him to Lapzur. My brothers had been right—there was no chance he would approve.
“There is some good to come out of your outburst today,” Father said. “People are confused by what happened, even those sitting closest to you and Lord Takkan. They will assume I’m sending you to a temple—to reflect upon your behavior.”
“In reality, I’ll go to Iro,” I said. It was a lie that I had practiced, but as I spoke it now, my voice grew hoarse with emotion. “Castle Bushian is well fortressed, and I condemned it enough during the ceremony that no one would expect me to go there. Not even Hawar.”
Father considered. “Take one of your brothers at least. I would feel more at ease if one accompanied you north. There are many who wish you harm, daughter.” His voice grew tight, and I knew he was thinking of Hawar and his mutinous hornets. “Leave as soon as you can.”
I gave a nod and said, “We’ll go tomorrow.”
It was a lie, of course, and I hated myself for it. For making him think he was sending me off to Iro—to a place of sanctuary—when really it couldn’t be further from the truth.
I was leaving tomorrow. Only I wasn’t running from danger—I was freewheeling straight into it.
* * *
It was a touch past dusk when I returned to the residential grounds. My stomach grumbled cantankerously, and I was more than ready to eat. I burst into the hall my brothers and I shared, ready to shout at their rooms and summon them all for dinner, when I saw Takkan in front of my door.
“Shiori—” He took my arm. “Hurry.”
My lips parted with surprise. I started to ask what was going on, but Kiki flew wildly out of my room, biting my hair and dragging me inside.
We have to hurry! she cried. Hawar took him!
“Who?” I said, blinking with confusion. “Kiki! Who did Hawar take?”
Without explanation, my paper bird dove between the cracks of my doors, still frantic.
Takkan and I followed her, and my heart nearly stopped.
Gen’s hawk lurked outside my latticed window, a mirror shard glinting in her arched talons. Her round yellow eyes blinked, and she made a loud cry as she dropped the shard into my grasp.
The glass was smeared with blood, and a heavy foreboding twisted in my gut.
“Gen,” I breathed. “They’ve arrested Gen.”
The hawk vaulted into the clouds, where crowds of birds had gathered. They thronged above the southwest gate—close to the imperial dungeons.
Gen really does have an affinity for my kind, Kiki remarked approvingly.
“Yes, and from the way they’re shrieking, it sounds like he’s in trouble,” I said as I tossed her out the window.
“Get my brothers,” I instructed her. “Find Benkai first.” My second brother was soon to be high commander, and every sentinel, soldier, and guard was under his authority. “Takkan, come with me.”
A large troop guarded the dungeons. An irritated muscle ticked in my jaw when I spied Chief Minister Hawar, surrounded by a handful of my father’s sentinels.
“Release the boy,” I demanded.
“My apologies, Princess Shiori,” said Hawar with a curt bow. “I assume you refer to the sorcerer? Regrettably, he is detained.”
“On what charge?”
“The boy was found casting dark magic over the breach,” replied Hawar. “For all we know, he could be colluding with the demons of the Holy Mountains—to harm you, Your Highness.”
My nostrils flared. “You know that’s a lie. Gen came here—he was invited here—to help. I’m the one who sent him to the breach.”
“Then that is most unfortunate,” Hawar said. “Your father and Prince Benkai have made it clear the area is restricted. If you wish to contest their orders—”
“My brother is already on his way,” I said angrily.
“I do hope he hurries. Sadly, I cannot guarantee the young sorcerer’s welfare.”
I balled my fists. “If you’ve hurt him…”
“We endeavored to treat him with the utmost kindness, Your Highness, but the boy put up quite a fight.”
Another lie. “What fight could a thirteen-year-old boy put up against a regiment of trained imperial guards?”
“Look above you,” said Hawar silkily. “Even now, he works potent magic.”
“They’re only birds!” I spat. I faced the sentinels scattered among the crowd. “Does Hawar have you all in his purse? What happened to your loyalty to the imperial family?”
“The sentinels are under oath to protect Kiata before all,” Hawar replied. “Kiata is under threat.”
Takkan grabbed the chief minister by the collar. “Let the princess into the dungeon. Now.”
Caught by surprise, Hawar flailed and swatted his fan at Takkan’s head. “Unhand me at once! At once, Bushi’an Takkan! How dare you? Your father will hear about this! I’ll have the entire court denounce your family—”
Takkan had had enough. He seized the minister’s fan and snapped it in half with one hand. “You’ve already made it clear what you think about my family,” he said icily. “The North is full of brutes and barbarians, you say?” He dropped the broken fan so he could unsheathe his dagger, and he prodded its blade against the wobbling bulge in the minister’s throat. “I’m happy to prove your point. Now let Shiori inside!”
It was the wisest thing I’d ever seen Hawar do: flick his fingers to bid the guards step aside. I barged into the dungeon.
“Where’s the sorcerer?” I demanded. One of the guards pointed to the stairs. I rushed down and found Gen in the first cell to my left.
The boy’s face was bruised and bloodied, his nose broken again. He lay on a bed of straw, his black hair a curly mess. When he saw me, he raised a hand and waved—a greeting and a reassurance that he was alive.
“Here everyone says I have a knack for getting into trouble,” I said, helping him up. “You’re not much better.”
“Trouble follows power,” he mumbled, touching his nose to assess the damage. He groaned. “Damn it, I didn’t get to finish healing, and now the bridge is going to be crooked forever.”