ã€ŠChild of the Poison Lotusã€‹


 Prologue

    The leaves were falling early this year, their vibrant displays of pale golds, oranges, and fiery reds painting an exhibition of contrast against the remaining evergreen trees in their midst. Autumn was making a dramatic entrance to chase away the heat of summer.

    Oh, to find the right number of syllables¡­

    Steam wafted from a single teacup placed at the top of the low table, the earthenware teapot keeping the remaining tea warm next to it. But the pale tea was currently being neglected by the one who poured it, as the occupant of the desk had yet to finish his writing. With a dip of the brush, Xian would carefully write out each character, making sure his sleeve did not fall into the wet ink. The last thing he wanted was to ruin the silk with ink stains.

    The door slid open with a near-silent whisper. Near, but not nearly silent enough to escape his notice.

    "You will need to work much harder if you wish to sneak up on me." He replied calmly, not pausing in his writing.

    Small feet moved across the wood floor, before stopping just on the other side of the table.

    Without glancing up from the line of calligraphy in progress, he nodded to the child, "Sit."

    The child knelt on the other side of the table, waiting patiently to be acknowledged.

    Finding a satisfactory stopping point in his writing, Xian carefully set his brush on the stand, bringing his full attention to the child before him, "I believe you are aware that you¡¯re not supposed to come into the office, correct?¡±

    From the other side of the table, the child nodded.

    ¡°So I trust that there is a good reason for you to interrupt me,¡± Xian continued, resting his hands in his lap as he waited for an answer.

    The child shifted under his gaze, struggling to sit still on her heels. She was still learning most of her basic manners, so Xian elected to forgo correcting her.

    Though when the only answer that Xian got for an answer was an incoherent mumble, Xian had to correct the behavior, "Speak clearly. You are answering me, not your knees."

    At once, the child was looking up at him, her shoulders set in a rigid square. "Zanzan said you did scary work."

    From the doorway, Xian could hear a sharp intake of breath.

    "Zhou Zan, come here."

    Reluctantly, another figure stepped into the office. The older boy took his place next to the girl without being told, though he couldn''t resist hissing under his breath, "Maelin, you blabbermouth..."

    "Name Calling is unbecoming," Xian replied out of reflex, leveling an even look towards Zhou Zan, "As is gossip."

    Zhou Zan started to squirm under the scrutinizing gaze, but stopped. Zhou Zan, unlike Maelin, knew better than to move so restlessly. He was at the very least that far in his studies.

    "Now," Xian grabbed his tea cup, holding his sleeve so it would not trail over his freshly written calligraphy, "Tell me what you have told Maelin. All of it."

    "Yes sir..." The boy nodded slightly, "I...I just told Maelin that you are a spy..."

    Xian raised an eyebrow, his gaze not wavering from the boy in front of him.

    Under Xian''s scrutiny, Zhou Zan wilted, "...and that you kill people."This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    Xian took a slow sip of his tea, not allowing his gaze to leave Zhou Zan or Maelin. As much as he would love to savor the sweet jasmine fragrance of the tea (especially considering just how expensive those particular tea leaves were), Xian knew his afternoon tea was secondary in this situation.

    "Ten laps through the agility course, for attempting to scare your junior," Xian finally decided, "Another five for your reluctance to speak the truth."

    Zhou Zan winced, but nodded, "Yes sir."

    Maelin looked between Zhou Zan and Xian, her brows furrowed in concentration, "So Zanzan lie?"

    Xian did not let his displeasure at the clumsily wording show, "Did Zanzan lie to me?" He corrected.

    Maelin pouted (Xian ignored it-- he had to pick his battles at this point), "Did Zanzan lie to me?" She repeated.

    "Very good," Xian nodded, taking another sip of tea, "In short, no, Zhou Zan did not lie to you."

    The little girl''s eyes widened at that. "Oh..."

    "That is our trade here," Xian continued. He hadn''t intended to explain this to Maelin quite yet, she was still too young, but Zhou Zan had forced his hand, "We work for the Crown, hunting down secrets and those who would use those secrets to bring harm to others."

    Maelin looked between Xian and Zhou Zan, "But...you kill people?"

    Xian wondered if perhaps he should have made Zhou Zan''s punishment harsher for his indiscretion. No doubt he would have a stern talk to the other children. Loose lips were a death sentence in their trade. "Yes, if necessary." He watched Maelin carefully, "Does that scare you?"

    The little girl stuck out her bottom lip in a stubborn pout, "Nu-huh!"

    "No, it doesn''t," Xian corrected blandly.

    "No, it doesn''t." Maelin repeated.

    "Then you are a fool," Xian replied, setting down his teacup, "But you are a child, it is expected that you are somewhat foolish of the ways of this world."

    "I''m not a fool!" Maelin''s cheeks turned red in indignation. Xian suspected that if she had been standing, she would have stomped her foot.

    "You are, but that is not something to be ashamed of at your age," Xian replied, "You are blessed to be allowed a foolish childhood. There are many who were not as lucky as you."

    Maelin frowned at that, clearly confused. Xian resisted the urge to sigh, of course Maelin wouldn''t understand until she was much, much older.

    "Like Ibiki..." Zhou Zan murmured.

    "Do not mumble...but you are correct." Xian allowed his mind to wander for a moment at the thought of the teen on the cusp of womanhood, "I was also not granted the luxury of being a foolish child."

    Zhou Zan couldn''t conceal the shock on his face, though Xian couldn''t bring himself to chastise him for the gobsmacked expression. When was the last time he spoke of his childhood?

    "I was just about your age when my training began."

    Xian wasn''t sure how long he had been standing, only that his feet hurt. But he didn''t dare move, afraid of what all the angry men would do to him if he fidgeted too much.

    Be good, Xian. A-die had told him. Xian was a filial son, he would obey his A-die''s command.

    Even if Xian was willing to disobey, the tight hand clamped his shoulder would have kept Xian from moving anyway. Xian didn''t know who the man was, he looked like one of the soldiers A-die would sometimes talk to or invite into their home, but Xian didn''t recognize his face under the fierce mask and helmet.

    The angry men were arguing, speaking faster than Xian could keep up with, even when he could catch bits and pieces of conversation, he couldn''t entirely understand the words.

    "Atonement" one said.

    "Dishonor," said another.

    Every so often, Xian would hear one of them say "the boy." They were talking about him. What they should do with him now.

    The arguing ceased when a single voice called for silence. At once, every man in the room turned their attention to the ornate throne situated at one end of the room. The throne was raised several steps above the rest of them, and the occupant of the throne was obscured by the gauzy curtain hanging from the throne canopy, but the silhouette was still visible in the lamplight.

    Xian didn''t like looking in the direction of the throne, because his eye would inevitably be drawn to the figure slumped at the base of the throne stairs, and the growing pool of red.

    As the silence rang throughout the room, Xian tried in vain to avoid the pool of red and the slumped body.

    Be good, Xian, A-die had said, but he had been crying. A-die never cried.

    A-die wasn''t moving, either. Xian didn''t think he would again.

    "Send the boy to the Jade Temple," Came the voice from behind the curtain, "He can be of use in the Lotus Pond."

 Lotus: Chapter 1

    The Jade Temple, Xian would learn, was the largest temple to Xuewen in Semetra. Every monk who wished for Xuewen¡¯s blessing while studying his teachings would study and meditate at the Jade Temple, many often making pilgrimages multiple times in their lives back to the temple.

    But Xian was not to serve Xuewen as a monk.

    He was too tainted to serve Xuewen, according to the monk who escorted him to the temple. He was so tainted with dishonor that if Xian were to seek the god¡¯s blessing, no doubt Xuewen would be so insulted he would be struck down where he stood.

    But there was another purpose for Xian in the Jade Temple.

    The Lotus Pond.

    From what Xian understood, those who went to the Lotus Pond were those who had more bad karma than they could hope to erase in one lifetime. Serving in the Lotus Pond meant pledging lifelong service to the Gilded Emperor and Semetra, but service to the Gilded Emperor was service to the gods¡¯ mortal vessel. If one could serve in the Lotus Pond well enough, Tanjoshi would be merciful to them in the next life.

    But only the strong could be permitted to the Lotus Pond. Xian had to prove he was strong. Strong in body and in mind.

    ¡°I am not hungry.¡±

    Even as the words left his mouth, Xian could feel his stomach churn and voice its protests. It was now impossible to ignore the twisting agony wreaking havoc on his body.

    The noise also had not escaped the notice of the men across from him.

    ¡°Come now, child,¡± One said calmly from behind his long, well-groomed mustache, ¡°It has been four days. How much longer do you expect to last?¡±

    ¡°All we need is your name.¡± The other added, a pale hand smoothing down the silk of his hanfu as if the act was more intriguing than Xian.

    Both men were finely dressed in lavishly dyed silk hanfus, with embroidery that glittered in the low light of the single lantern over their heads. In contrast, Xian wore only a threadbare shift of linen that barely covered his body.

    The only other item in the room was the tray situated between them on the tatami mat. A tray laden with a heaping bowl of rice, a plain tea pot, and a single cup.

    The tea was a new addition, the heavy perfume of jasmine wafting through the room and assaulting Xian¡¯s senses. He swallowed involuntarily, his throat dry from the effort.

    Xian wasn¡¯t quite sure how this test was supposed to prove he was strong. The only instructions he had been given was to not give his interrogators the information they wanted. Xian was sure the men already knew his name back when they first asked several days ago, so he didn¡¯t know why they kept asking him. Trying to bribe him with food felt like cheating, no matter how hungry he was.

    ¡°I am not hungry¡­¡± He repeated, his voice a dry rasp.

    ¡°There is no need to lie.¡±

    ¡°No one need find out. We aren''t asking for much, just your name.¡±

    Lie. Xian wasn''t even sure if four days had truly passed, or if it was an attempt to trick him.

    ¡°I¡­¡± Another growl from his traitorous stomach almost forced Xian to double over, ¡°...I am not hungry.¡± He had to prove he was strong enough to be permitted to enter the Lotus Pond. He needed Tanjoshi¡¯s blessing.

    A-die needed that blessing.

    ¡°At least have some tea. Something to quench your thirst.¡±

    Xian''s throat felt like it was on fire. Had it been four days since his last drink of water?

    ¡°I¡­¡± Xian''s vision swam, black spots dancing across his eyes, ¡°I¡­¡±

    The black became far more than spots, not that Xian had been aware either way.

    <hr>

    Four days. That was how long Xian had been questioned, how long he had gone without food or water. Apparently, after his collapse, he had to be force fed by the monks of the Jade Temple.

    But at least Xian had made it into the Jade Temple. He still wasn¡¯t sure how exactly that test was meant to show that he was strong, but he thought better of asking the monks who tended to him.

    He also knew better than to complain when they cut off all his hair, shaving it down until his head was completely naked. Xian didn¡¯t like having all his hair cut off, mama always loved combing his hair before bed. But mama wasn¡¯t here now, she wouldn¡¯t ever be coming back.

    When Xian followed the monk through the Jade Temple grounds, he couldn¡¯t help but look around at all the grand sights. With the Jade Temple being located in Xuyuan, it was no wonder that the temple looked almost as grand as what Xian imagined the Heavenly City must look like.A-die and mama had even brought him to the Jade Temple on one occasion when A-die''s work had brought him to the capital to discuss things with the Gilded Emperor himself. But Xian did not remember this part of the temple.

    "Stop gawking," said the monk, barely sparing Xian a second glance as he walked through one of the side courtyards, "I have no time to be chasing down misbehaving children."

    "Yes, sir," Xian immediately looked forward to the center of the monk''s back, "I was just looking for the Lotus Pond..." He didn''t remember a lotus pond the last time he had visited the temple with A-die and mama, but maybe it was just in a hidden part of the temple.

    "We are in the Lotus Pond now," The monk replied as they passed an archway that led into another courtyard. This courtyard wasn''t as lavishly decorated as the others Xian had seen. In fact, it was rather austere in comparison. Perhaps this was where the monks lived.

    But Xian couldn''t see any ponds, let alone a lotus pond. "Where are the lotuses?" He asked

    The monk stopped abruptly, causing Xian to walk directly into his back. When the monk turned to face Xian, there was a distinct look of disgust on his face, as if Xian had gotten something particularly vile on his clothes. "The Lotuses in this pond are not flowers. If you are capable and prove to not be a complete imbecile, you may hope to one day become a Lotus and make your life worthwhile."If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    It would take Xian almost a year to understand what exactly that meant.

    Lotuses grow from the muck at the bottom of ponds and lakes, only revealing their beauty upon breaking through the surface of the water and flourishing under the light of the sun. Likewise, Xian and the others brought to the Lotus Pond also came from muck, and the Pond was where they were meant to try to grow and bloom into something that could please the gods. At least, that was what Xian understood.

    Xian understood many things in those first few years.

    The first was that the man who led him into the Lotus Pond was not a monk. He was an official of the Gilded Emperor''s court, but one that never attended court sessions, and only seemed to answer to the Gilded Emperor himself. It would take Xian until his ninth birthday before he learned the man¡¯s real name, Akita Kunikage, and until his tenth birthday before he fully understood what it meant to be the Gardener of the Lotus Pond. He was the one in charge of making sure every sad soul who came to the Lotus Pond was properly trained and educated, the one who made sure that those who failed to flourish were properly pruned from the Pond.

    Xian was eleven when he understood what was meant by "pruned."

    Day in and day out, Xian would wake up before the sun rose and attend training with the Gardener with the other children his age. There had been a couple dozen when Xian had first joined the Lotus Pond. That number dropped every year. Xian was twelve when he understood that eventually, there would only be eight remaining, and that if Xian was to gain Tanjoshi''s blessing on his A-die''s behalf, he needed to be one of those eight.

    Xian was thirteen when he finally understood what the Lotuses of the Lotus Pond were.

    It had been what Xian had thought was a normal training session. Akita had instructed Xian to sneak into one of the fancy houses in Xuyuan, and to retrieve the contents of the desk in the second-story office. All without being seen.

    Xian hadn''t asked questions about who lived in the fancy house. Based on the house itself, as well as the fact the house appeared to be staffed with a dozen servants and guards, it was the home of a minor court official, or perhaps a second home for higher ranking officials. The reason it was important for Xian to take note of that was the number of people whom he would have to avoid as he made his infiltration.

    It was when Xian was inside the office that he was able to know for sure it was a minor official, given the fact the locks on all the doors and drawers took next to no effort to pick. The desk itself was a complete mess, no sense of order whatsoever, which explained why this particular official had failed to climb any ranks in office. The false bottom in the desk drawer was obvious and clumsy, but Xian was hardly going to complain about his job being easier.

    Akita had only instructed Xian to bring the contents of the drawer, but Xian knew better than to assume the Gardener meant every document. It was Xian''s task to sort out which documents were the ones Akita wanted. A quick perusal of the hidden documents revealed a large gambling debt, several letters written by different women, who seemed to all be under the assumption they were writing to a husband-to-be, and several detailed trade manifests of goods coming in from Mecadet.

    Trade manifests that held several inconsistencies.

    With his prize in hand, Xian made quick work of recreating the document, placing the forgery in the false drawer before setting the room back to exactly how he left it. He had spent far too many trainings with Akita or one of his underlings on the importance of attention to detail. He had been forced to memorize entire mosaics with only seconds to view them, instructed to recreate them perfectly to avoid punishment. Xian did his best to avoid punishment whenever possible.

    <i>Be good, Xian.</i>

    If Akita had been pleased with Xian''s work retrieving the trade manifest, he did not show it. Xian did not expect praise. The Gardener did not give praise, only an absence of punishment.

    But that night, Xian had been pulled from his bed by Akita''s men, and ordered to meet the Gardener in one of the many underground monastic cells in the temple. Xian knew better than to ask what was going on.

    When Xian arrived at the specified location, Akita was waiting.

    As was another man, finely dressed, bound to a chair. Based on the state of the fine clothes in disarray, Xian could hazard a guess that the man had not come willingly. It also wasn''t terribly hard to guess the connection the man had to that day''s training.

    Akita pointed to a table next to the man, drawing Xian''s gaze to the rows of bamboo needles of various widths.

    "Make him talk." That was the only command the Gardener gave before he moved to the other side of the room, took a seat, and ordered one of the guards to bring him a pot of tea.

    Xian made the man talk. It had gotten easier once he tuned out the sound of screaming. Every once in a while, Akita would ask a pointed question over his cup of tea (something about kickbacks and contraband, but Xian wasn''t being instructed to remember the conversation, so he didn''t worry too much about the conversation).

    When it appeared Akita was satisfied (and the bound man was reduced to a sobbing mess), the Gardener took something out of his sleeve and tossed it at Xian.

    Xian caught it, because it was not a good idea to drop anything the Gardener gave you. Once Xian was sure that he would not be reprimanded for being distracted, Xian examined the object in his hand. At first glance, it appeared to be a simple, if lovely, hair stick. Something Xian could not wear with his shaved head, so there must have been a secondary use. He found it quickly, at what appeared to be part of the engraving; a seam. It gave way easily under Xian''s thumb, the two halves of the hair stick coming apart without a sound. But rather than two completely separate parts, there was a thin wire that kept the two connected. A wire that Xian had seen used once before. Sigang thread, woven from the silk of the giant Bukiko spiders. Thin as a whisper, yet stronger than steel.

    When Xian turned his attention back to Akita, the man simply took another sip of his tea.

    "Get rid of him."

    It was as Xian was washing up the aftermath of the "lesson," that Xian understood that his purpose was to collect secrets, give them to his betters, and perform their dirty work so they did not have to sully their hands. He was a tool in the hands of the Gilded Emperor''s servants, a weapon to cut down Semetra''s enemies before they became a problem.

    The next morning, when Xian had reported to breakfast with the others in his cohort (there were three missing, but Xian had learned not to think too much about where they might be), the monks did not come around to shave their heads as they did every morning.

    "You lot have earned the right to allow your hair to grow to serf''s length," One of the guards had said when no one asked about the change in routine. "Count your blessings, and praise the gods for your chance to serve the Gilded Emperor and Semetra further."

    Later, while they were running their usual drills in agility and endurance, the whispers began.

    "This means we''re going to be the next Lotuses," One girl, Shimi, hissed as they climbed a wall, avoiding the spikes at the top. Xian wasn''t sure, there were still more than eight of them, after all.

    One of the other boys, a broad boy named U-jin, shook his head, "Nah, we''re too young still. We have to give up our faces first before we''re officially Lotuses."

    "He''s right, there''s a whole ceremony and everything," added Wei as they moved across the bamboo pillars serving as their way across the gap between buildings, "The Gardener has to decide where we will serve first."

    That was another thing Xian had come to understand. Oftentimes, Lotuses did not remain in Semetra for very long, instead traveling deep into the hearts of Semetras allies, neighbors, and enemies. There, they were to uncover their secrets and ensure that Semetra was always informed, always knowing, always one step ahead.

    Shimi huffed with the effort to clear the same distance as those with longer legs, but made no show of slowing down, "Any idea where you might be sent?" She asked.

    "It wouldn''t surprise me if they sent me into Zilynth or Uthwain," U-jin admitted, "Though I''d rather deal with Zilynth than the frigid cold of Uthwain."

    ''Better the hot than the cold," Wei nodded, "If I''m lucky, maybe the Haivai Islands, or maybe Mecadet."

    "Since when have any of us been lucky?" Shimi scoffed, ducking the swinging log before making another vault over the next obstacle, "I honestly don''t care where I get sent, as long as it isn''t Rathania."

    "That goes without saying," U-jin agreed, "Only the unlucky ones, or the ones with the worst karma, get sent to Rathania."

    Xian didn''t say anything, focusing on his movements through the set of exercises. But he would be lying to himself if he didn''t think about what the others were saying. Especially since he had a feeling which one in their group was most likely to be sent to Rathania.

 Lotus: Chapter 2

    Once Xian and the others had been permitted to grow their hair, even the modest length they had to adhere to, they were to integrate themselves more and more into the Jade Temple. If they had to be seen in public, they had to be seen as acolytes of the Jade Temple, preparing for a lifetime of worshiping Xuewen. Xian couldn''t exactly say that he liked wearing the acetic monks'' attire, but he followed orders regardless.

    The days were filled with lessons in subterfuge, right under the noses of the actual monks and priests of Xuewen. Xian privately thought it was amusing how ironic it was how ignorant the monks of the God of Knowledge were to what was happening in their temple, but perhaps that was why the Lotus Pond was located in this particular temple. If you were able to avoid detection from the monks, you deserved your place.

    At night, more lessons of agility, stamina, and stealth, not to mention a few lessons in interrogations. How to conduct them. How to withstand them. How to clean up after them.

    The years were a bit of a blur for Xian. He knew logically that he had grown: he was taller, he was broader, his voice had cracked and sufficiently found a new timbre, and that was to say nothing of all the subjects Xian had been instructed in besides his night lessons.

    The Gardener had all of them practice their Common until their enunciation and elocution were completely devoid of any Semetran inflection; then he had them learn how to include intonations and colloquialisms of various countries: adding a swooping lilt of Lanrutcan, using Aneian filler words in conversation, rolling their r''s like the Beleza, or use Uthwanese idioms. All tiny details meant to flavor their Common to sound like someone who was, if not local to the foreign kingdom, then had lived there for quite some time.

    Once their Common was deemed sufficient for the Gardener''s standards, then came the lessons in all the other languages. Several times, they would be tested by listening to a conversation in the target language, then instructed to transcribe it verbatim in the same language after only one listen. They''d be tested in the reverse as well: a document in a foreign script would be held in front of them for the slightest of moments before being burnt to ash and have to be recalled entirely from memory.

    Xian wished he could say he was flawless in all his lessons, but he simply couldn¡¯t grasp the intricacies of all the languages to the same mastery. His only comfort was that the others seemed to have similar struggles, and none of them had been pruned yet. Perhaps the Gardener would specifically assign each of them to the kingdoms whose languages they mastered best. He prayed to Jabidanche that he would not be sent to Beleza, he would be found out in less than a day.

    Though he highly doubted he''d have to worry about Beleza.

    When they were all in their sixteenth year, or as close as Xian could estimate, they all knew change was just on the horizon.

    It began when they were the other acolytes and monks for evening prayer. They recited the sutras of Xuewen alongside the others as if they had always devoted themselves to the god, but all the while, they were listening for the sound of a distant gong. Too far to be considered by the other monks as something concerning them, but close enough that those who knew could hear it.

    Eight gongs. They were to meet after prayers.

    Xian finished his sutras in time with the others, performing his kowtow in front of the statue of Xuewen with all the reverence the god of knowledge deserved. But while the other monks and acolytes rose from their kowtow, Xian did not move. Even as the temple began to empty as the others began to retire for the evening, Xian maintained the posture of an acolyte caught in reverent worship of the god.

    Before long, Xian could spot from his periphery that it was just him and the other seven that remained from his group. The eight imposter acolytes. Though, by morning, the rest of the temple would be told that they all had simply decided to go back to their home villages, never to be seen or heard from again.

    Their time masquerading was over.

    They stood at the same time, with far too much practice in silent movement, not saying a word to each other as they made their way to the room specified by the secret message in the ringing gong.

    The Gardener was waiting for them when they entered, but he wasn¡¯t alone. Not for tonight.

    ¡°Long live the Emperor!¡± He did not raise his voice, but the force of his words was no less felt by the rest of the occupants in the room.

    ¡°Vessel of heaven, divine ruler of earth!¡± Xian called back in unison with the others.

    ¡°Long live Semetra!¡±

    ¡°May her Horizons be endless and her enemies tremble!¡±If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    Satisfied with their response, Akita Kunikage nodded, slowly walking around the room as he inspected each of them. Xian could feel his skin prickle as the Gardener circled him, a chill running down his spine when he passed too close.

    ¡°You all came from the muck and mire of society,¡± Akita began, ¡°when you entered this temple, you had nothing, you were nothing¡­if not less than.¡±

    Xian had learned over the years that the others (both those who were standing beside him and those who had already been pruned) had come from poverty: living on the streets or in overcrowded orphanages. He had realized he was the only one among them who knew his family name; even if he were not permitted to use it.

    Xian might not have been permitted any of his belongings from his old home, but Xian had not come to the Lotus Pond with nothing. If nothing else, he had his family name.

    He had A-die¡¯s family name.

    "For the past ten years, you have trained," Akita spoke again, "Those ten years were spent attempting to grow beyond the muck you came from. You saw what happened to those among you who were unable to grow, but you persisted. The time has come for you to become Lotuses, to serve Semetra and her Emperor."

    Xian''s heart skipped a beat. He knew this was coming, but it was still surreal to know he had made it: he was one of the final eight, he was going to become a Lotus.

    But he also knew what was coming next.

    The Gardener walked back to the front table, picking up a single black bottle, "I''ve taken great care in assigning which of Semetra''s neighbors you will infiltrate. You have learned their language, but you will also learn everything possible about their rulers, their people, and their weaknesses." He set the bottle down on the table once more, "Tonight you will take the mark that will strip away the muck you came from, and bestow upon you the grand purpose your Emperor desires of you."

    Xian watched as the strangers in the room moved to the table, picking up small inking needles and receiving small portions of ink from the black bottle. That was when Xian understood Akita''s words.

    While Xian had never actually seen a bottle of Ryioshi ink before, he remembered enough from his studies to know its properties. Collected from the poisonous spines of the Ryioshi squid from the depths of Lake Xinyue, the ink contained a powerful camouflaging agent. For the squid, it made hiding from predators easy. But if a talented alchemist knew the correct method of distilling the ink from the poison of the squid, that same ink could be used to write invisible messages...or used to meld with a person''s flesh if mixed with enough blood.

    Growing up in the Lotus Pond, Xian had heard stories of previous Lotuses, and what happened in this room on nights like this. He had always heard that Lotuses had to surrender their faces and identities to the Emperor''s will to serve as his loyal tools. Lotuses, after all, did not have faces. Growing up, Xian hadn''t understood how exactly one could surrender their face without serious bodily harm and maiming.

    But if someone were to have enough Ryioshi ink embedded in their flesh, that camouflaging property that served the squid would also serve to permanently camouflage the individual as well. But instead of giving the illusion of invisibility, the camouflage came in the form of ambiguity. There would be no defining features; instead, they would have an appearance based entirely on perception, never the same from person to person. Impossible for anyone to identify.

    But that was if the ink was distilled correctly before application. If not...the poison would do its job quickly and efficiently. There was a reason the ink was far too expensive for the common folk to use.

    The Gilded Emperor, in all his wisdom, had deigned them all a reasonable expense.

    There wasn''t much to say after Akita had made his declaration. All eight of them stripped down to the waist before submitting to the strangers-- or rather, the ink masters-- and their needles. None of them spared each other a second glance. After all, there were no men or women in the Lotus Pond, only weapons to be wielded in service to their emperor.

    Weapons to defend, weapons to cut down the enemy. That was the adage drilled into them after their first kill. Their dirty work meant the good folk of Semetra did not suffer, they did the unspeakable so their Emperor would never need to know the atrocities the enemy planned.

    It was the adage that Xian kept repeating to himself, timing it with each breath to remain steady with each strike of the needle, and the sting of the ink in his flesh.

    Because of the amount of ink necessary to cause the change necessary for the Lotuses, the process took several hours. If Xian was accurate in his timekeeping, they were drawing close to sunrise. His back felt like it was on fire, and the slightest movement in any sort of direction sent jolts of pain directly to the base of his skull and the small of his back. But the pain was meant to be ignored, pain was a meaningless distraction, after all.

    It was only after the ink master permitted him to rise from his spot that Xian was afforded the chance to glance at his fellow acolytes and their own marks. After all, it was only when the ink was fresh and had yet to react with the blood and flesh of the bearer completely that Xian would ever be able to see the tattoo and the face of the bearer at the same time.

    Xian felt a vague sense of surprise when he saw the twisting Leviathan of Anaeia on U-jin''s back. On the other hand, seeing the delicate hibiscus and plumeria of the Haivai Islands on Shimi''s back was far less surprising.

    As Xian''s gaze moved from one to the other, he noticed that they were also doing the very same, taking this one chance to properly look at each other; one last chance to see each other''s faces.

    Inevitably, Xian realized that their gazes were lingering on his own back. He didn''t blame them; even if he hadn''t already suspected before tonight, the process of elimination would have told him what was on his back.

    But that hardly meant Xian could avoid confronting the issue with his own eyes. With a sigh, Xian picked up a polished piece of silver offered to him by the ink master, before the master moved a larger mirror behind Xian.

    And even though Xian was looking at a reflection of a reflection, it did not ease the sense of dread that curled and twisted in his gut as his eyes took in the winding ink that traveled down his spine. The complex, multi-petaled blooms, each one unique in size, shape, and number and layers; the stems and vines that twisted and turned wherever they damn well pleased, the thorns that reminded Xian all too well of the needle that had placed the image in Xian''s flesh.

    There was no mistaking the wild roses of Rathania.

 Lotus: Chapter 3

    Xian hadn''t known the full story behind why he had been sent to the Lotus Pond, only that his parents were no longer around to care for him, and the Gilded Emperor, in all his divine wisdom, had decreed he would go to the Lotus Pond.

    He was thirteen when he finally gathered all the pieces of the story, and finally understood why he would ultimately be doomed to be sent to Rathania.

    Xian had known his a-die had been a general in the Emperor''s army, a decorated war hero who always had stories of adventure to tell Xian, and who often traveled to the capital to report to the Emperor personally. He remembered his mother with less detail: the scent of jasmine oil and the melancholy chords of the guzheng she liked to play in the evenings.

    Unlike the other children in the Lotus Pond, Xian had a happy, loving childhood.

    But apparently, it had all been a lie.

    Xian would never know if he managed to stumble across the documents detailing his family''s demise, or if they had been purposely left in his path by the Gardener. It didn''t matter, the result was the same, and Xian had learned the truth.

    His mother had been a member of the Mei Dai, a rebellious faction that sought to overthrow the Gilded Emperor and topple the heavens. She wasn''t just a member, she had been a sleeper agent, sent to infiltrate the Emperor''s court by any means necessary.

    It had just happened that A-die had been that means. And whether Xian had been an accidental by-product of that cover, or an intentional act to maintain appearances, Xian would never be able to ask his mother. Not after she had attempted to assassinate the Emperor.

    If anything, Xian was impressed by how well the assassination attempt had been covered up by the Emperor''s court: there were no records of the event in any of the historical accounts available to the public or outer courts. In fact, Xian might have doubted such an event even occurred if he had not been present for the aftermath.

    Poor A-die. Burdened with so much dishonor, not just by being taken advantage of by an enemy agent, but being part of the reason why the Emperor''s safety had been compromised, to say nothing of if the assassination attempt succeeded and resulted in the Emperor''s death. There was no way one man could atone for that much shame, even in the taking of his own life.

    That was why Xian had to earn the gods'' blessing. A-die''s soul was most likely still wandering the Empyrean Citadel, lost in its twisting halls and doors to nowhere until it was time for him to begin his next life. Xian knew his A-die had always been a patient man, that wouldn''t change in death, so his soul wouldn''t rush the journey. Xian had time to earn as much blessing from Tanjoshi as possible, so A-die could live a happy life in the next cycle.

    But even though Xian knew why he needed to become a Lotus, that didn''t erase the fear of being condemned to infiltrate Rathania.

    There were inherent dangers to all of the kingdoms in the realm. Zilynth was a sultanate built on a foundation of war tribes that permeated their culture. Uthwain was a frozen tundra that punished any who were unprepared for the unforgiving climate. Lanrutcon was teeming with secrets, to say nothing to the literal blood drinkers. The Haivai Islands had their confederation spread over hundreds of thousands of miles of open ocean that were nearly impossible to navigate without a native''s guidance. Beleza and Aneia both had their dangers with their wildlife, to say nothing of the inherent dangers of their rainforests and deserts, respectively. Even Mecadet could be considered a major threat, given the number of advancements they made that nearly rivaled Semetra''s own, to say nothing of the wealth they garnered from the Lapis City.

    Each of those kingdoms had their secrets that could prove dangerous to Semetra and her Emperor, and by extension, her people. They also held information that could make Semetra stronger if given to the proper people. That was the purpose of the Lotuses, after all.

    But of all the neighbors Semetra had, the most dangerous one of all shared their western border. After all, all the other potential enemies of Semetra: Zilynth, Lanrutcon, Anaeia, the rest¡­ they all at the very least, understood the balance of the world. All of the other nations understood the land, its life, and the mathuat that connected everything in the realm.

    Except for Rathania.

    The day after receiving his tattoo of wild roses, Xian hadn¡¯t recognized himself in the mirror. He never would again.

    When he reported for his usual lessons, instead of the Gardener or one of the usual tutors, there was someone else.

    ¡°I will be your handler from now until the end,¡± The older woman said, ¡°If you must refer to me by a name, you may call me Jangmi.¡±

    Xian nodded. Rose, it was fitting.

    ¡°Now,¡± Jangmi grabbed several books from the table next to her, ¡°There is much to learn about Xiaoshide before you stand any sort of hope of surviving long enough to be of use to Semetra.¡± Without any ceremony, Jangmi dropped the books into Xian¡¯s waiting arms, and Xian¡¯s studies began in earnest.

    Xiaoshide, that was the Semetran name for Rathania. But, as Xian¡¯s studies would quickly reveal, that name had only been in use for the past forty years, a relatively modern change in title.

    Before that, Rathania was referred to as Hoangda by those in Semetra. Hoangda, the wild. Because that was Rathania at its heart; wild and unpredictable.

    Semetra had long ago perfected the art of understanding the world, of following the mathuat through the land and using the world¡¯s abundant resources to craft wonders that enriched the lives of the Semetran people: clothes woven from the silk from the Lizan spiders could stop an arrow; bamboo grown in the Vungchuc forests could only be cut with tools smelted from Zuanshi steel, but the resulting goods from said bamboo would be lighter than cotton, yet neigh unbreakable; any pigments mixed with eizoku ink would never fade, not from paper if painted, not from fabric if dyed.

    Because Semetrans knew the mathuat that flowed through the land, that connected all life. Because Xuewen had gifted them with knowledge and his son Zhiyin had gifted them with craft and taught their ancestors in the infancy of humanity how to create from the world¡¯s mathuat. Because Semetrans obeyed the teachings of the gods and the balance of life.

    Rathanians flouted the balance of life and mathuat, thriving in the chaos they created for themselves. Even in the earliest records of Rathania¡¯s history, written in an archaic form of language that took Xian ages to decipher, the mathuat of Rathania had been victim to madness. Rathanians pulled the mathuat wherever they pleased, forcing it to double back on itself and undo the very laws of nature and the design of the gods. Or Saints, as the Rathanians called them, though Xian failed to see what could possibly be holy about anything in Rathania.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    Especially the Four Thrones.

    Everyone in Semetra understood the role of the Gilded Emperor: he and his line were the mortal emissaries from heaven, the guidance of the Gods in the flesh. But Rathania... they were not content with one throne but instead insisted on four, one for each element: air, water, earth, and fire. As if having four thrones was not already an insult to life, the Rathanians didn''t even have all four thrones filled at any given time; yet even when there was only one king (or, more often than not in Rathania''s matrilineal society, queen) in any of the thrones, they insisted on being referred to as the Four Thrones. Even their line of succession did not follow the natural order: not by birthright of the eldest heir, not by the strongest surviving. It seemed at random which Rathanian prince or princess was declared heir. There were even times when a child of one throne would be declared heir to a completely different throne. And there was no record of any sort of protests against the line (or meandering scribble) of succession.

    Completely illogical, to say nothing of the perversions those kings and queens committed against the world''s mathuat. Unraveling the very fabric of life to stop the flow of rivers, reshape the land itself, call hellfire from the ether, and even change the direction of the winds. In a way, it was as if Jabidanche herself granted mercy upon the realm by only having one or two thrones filled throughout most of history; having all four thrones filled at once would surely cause Rathania to destroy the very fabric of reality through their own hubris and madness.

    And that was just the ancient history that Xian had studied. He already had a basic understanding of more recent history.

    Starting when Rathania had managed to make itself completely vanish from the face of the realm.

    It was bound to happen eventually, the gods could only abide by such arrogance for so long before divine punishment would have to be rendered. In the fifteenth year of Queen Gaae li Aveline, Crown of Water, Semetran intelligence had only been able to make note that there had been some minor instances of unrest throughout the kingdom. Enough to worry the pregnant queen.

    But apparently, one day, towns and cities around the Rathanian border began to report a vast wall of nothingness where Rathania had once been. No one could even see beyond the black miasma, let alone penetrate it.

    The Shadow Wall, as it would later be called, brought chaos upon the realm. Rathania, for all their transgressions against nature, had been blessed with a very central location within the realm, and had many trade routes through its borders. With Rathania gone from the map, trade routes had to be completely redrawn; land routes were almost useless for longer routes, and more and more trade was done via sailing. Anaeia''s navy and the wayfaring Haivaians had benefited the most from this change in trade. But while there had been suspicions that Anaeia, a longtime ally of Rathania, had been in cahoots with the vanishing kingdom, even the Anaeian''s were unable to predict just how long this new normal would last.

    Twenty years, as it turned out.

    For twenty years, Rathania did not exist to the rest of the realm. The land of wild roses was nothing by a wall of darkness. That was when the name for Rathania changed from Hoangda to Xiaoshide. From the wild to the vanished.

    Then, two years before Xian was born, as suddenly as it appeared, the Shadow Wall fell, revealing Rathania once more to the realm as if it had never vanished to begin with.

    Of course, the moment the wall fell, every kingdom in the realm organized expeditions into Rathania to investigate, to try and make sense of the twenty-year mystery.

    Only to be confronted with a vastly different Rathania than the one that had vanished all those years ago.

    Queen Gaae had been dead for twenty years. Some sort of coup, according to reports, though the details left much to be desired.

    There had been a war within Rathania''s borders during those twenty years.

    And Rathania had not just one queen filling the Four Thrones. No, apparently Gaae had given birth to quadruplets (Xian suspected that could have been Gaae''s cause of death, but he had not been asked his opinion on the matter), and those quadruplets had then inherited each of the Four Thrones.

    Needless to say, having all four thrones filled was nothing short of chaos.

    Within the first year of the rule of the Daughters of Gaae, there had been reports of catastrophic wildfires, earthquakes, floods, and even hurricanes along the coast. That had actually been the year Xian had been born; his A-die had once told him that he had been stationed near the Rathanian border at the time, waiting for word from the Emperor on what they should do if Rathania''s chaos spread to Semetra.

    Thankfully, that had not happened. The natural disasters stopped as suddenly as they started, and according to reports, the queens themselves traveled the kingdom repairing the damage left behind.

    Then there were recorded sightings of dragons within Rathania. Xian had been a year old, and enamored with images of dragons. Apparently, his mother had been horrified at that.

    Mercifully, after the return of what the realm had previously considered legendary (and very extinct) beasts, the reports of Rathania''s chaos had dwindled considerably. Not to nothing, of course, there was still the odd report that Xian would read that made him question the mental stability of the Lotuses who came before him when they wrote said reports, but for the most part the reign of the Four Thrones had been more or less peaceful for the past fifteen years.

    It was that last fifteen years that Xian had to become an expert on, as well as the current state of affairs within the land of the wild rose.

    Jangmi quizzed Xian daily on aspects of Rathanian life (how many provinces made up Rathania? Twelve. How many Saints make up their pantheon? Thirteen Saints comprise the main pantheon, from which the Rathanian calendar drew the names for the months.), and Xian was made to spend entire days conversing only in Common, specifically focused on incorporating more and more Rathanian idiosyncrasies into his dialect.

    It was only when Jangmi had decided that Xian had grasped the "basics" of Rathanian culture that his lessons turned to the structure of their government. Besides the Four Thrones, Rathania also utilized a secondary court of government called the House of Nobles. Said court was comprised of the Lords tasked with overseeing each of the twelve provinces, with said noble houses being named after the province rather than just the family name. Each province could have countless minor lords overseeing the smaller cities within a given province, though it appeared that the number varied depending on the landmass and population of a given province.

    When the House of Nobles met, at least one of the Four Thrones would be present, though intelligence could not identify a pattern of which throne would be present at any given time. If the report was to be believed, the Queens personally reviewed each and every law presented to them, and would only be passed if all four could agree.

    Xian wasn''t sure how much he trusted that particular report. It had been the last report given by that particular Lotus before she had vanished, the next document in that collection of files was Jangmi''s report of the Lotus exhibiting mental instability before ultimately disappearing, taking no belongings with her. The Lotus was declared Lost in the Line of Duty.

    That was only Lotus number three who had a similar report ending their files. From the time the reign of the Daughters of Gaae had begun, six Lotuses had ultimately suffered the same fate.

    Xian would be number seven.

    It was a poorly kept secret in the Lotus Pond, that Lotuses sent to Rathania did not return. Semetrans were people of order, of the natural world. Being immersed in Rathania''s chaos was taxing on the mind, even in the best of cases. For Lotuses, who had the daunting task of trying to collect information and decipher it enough to create order from the madness...it plucked at the fraying edges of sanity.

    The worst part, Xian had concluded, as he read the report logs, or even the private journals of the Lotuses who came before him, was the sense of euphoria that seemed to permeate the end stages of their madness. Some Lotuses had the mental wherewithal to try and conceal their delusions with neutrality, but others could not hide their crumbling sanity. They wrote of how alive they felt, how desperately they craved more of...something (perhaps the Rathanian magic, it was unclear). Whatever it was that corrupted the Lotuses, it was clearly addictive in nature.

    Xian made a note to not eat anything he had not prepared himself, but he knew that could not last forever. The chances of all six Lotus¡¯s before him becoming addicted to something they ate or drank were slim, but it made sense to limit his risk factors.

    The longest any of the Lotuses who came before him had served prior to Xian was five years. That had been the second Lotus. The time between each Lotus after that showed a pattern of decline. Lotus six had not lasted a year.

    Xian had to last at least a year, he had to show that he was stronger than the ones who came before him. Perhaps if he could prove he was dedicated enough to stave off the madness long enough, the gods would consider his service worthy of balancing out A-die¡¯s dishonor.

 Lotus: Chapter 4

    Xian studied under Jangmi for what felt like years, perfecting his knowledge of Rathanian politics and customs for when he inevitably would be deployed behind enemy lines. Why Xian hadn''t already been sent, he wasn''t sure, but he also wasn''t going to question Jabidanche''s mercy. These would most likely be his last few days of peace before the end, he would have to cherish them as much as possible.

    On occasion, Jangmi would deploy Xian to infiltrate the court as a servant, observing and learning what he could before reporting back to her. That was the first time Xian had gotten a glimpse of the Rathanians.

    He had known that there was to be a summit with Rathania to discuss their current trade deals and standing treaties. With how much trade occurred between Rathania and Semetra, the two largest kingdoms in the realm, it was natural that relations remained positive enough for the sake of trade. Even the Rathanians could understand the wisdom of economics, on occasion.

    However, that prior knowledge had not prepared Xian for seeing the Rathanian delegation for the first time. Xian had hidden himself in the crowd of servants, preparing the tables for the upcoming summit as the guests of honor made their entrance. He recognized the Rathanian style well enough from his studies, especially the overabundance of color they seemed to prefer. No doubt Semetra would stand to make a fortune if they could leavy the proper prices on pigments. Then the Rathanians seemed to part to make way for the head of their delegation.

    The woman was clearly of high rank, if the deference shown by the Rathanians present wasn''t enough indication, then the wealth in her attire would have been more than enough. The gown alone would have cost several years'' salaries for the average Semetran: The goldenrod silk was dyed with marigold orange in artistic representations of roses along the train, and even several similar motifs were embroidered with red and gold thread along the sleeves and her bodice. If the ensemble had been entirely red, Xian might have mistaken her for a princess on her way to her wedding. But that was a Semetran practice, Rathanians didn''t see red as a matrimonial color.

    But considering the bright red stone in the center of the woman''s golden diadem, Xian could quickly bring the pieces together.

    Queen Alexela li Gaae, the current Crown of Fire. The Throne of Fire was known for its representations in red, so it would not have been out of place for the queen to arrive entirely in red. Though it seemed the Rathanian queen had forgone her own traditional attire for the sake of the trade summit. Perhaps not wanting to give the wrong idea about her arrival? She was already married, after all.

    The Rathanian queen gave a respectful nod to the gathered governors on the Emperor''s behalf, taking her seat at the low table with little effort, kneeling with practiced ease.

    It was common courtesy for tea to be shared before business was discussed, and it just so happened that tea was one of the few things that both Semetrans and Rathanians seemed to both enjoy quite a bit. In fact, if Xian''s economic lessons were to be believed, Rathanians drank almost as much tea as Semetrans. Not as much, but almost, which was respectable in its own right. But as Xian glanced about the room, he realized that while the servants had rushed to serve the governors, there was quite a bit of hesitation to approach the Rathanian delegation.

    Fools and cowards, the lot of them. If they hesitated much longer, the Rathanians would notice they were being served last, which was bound to impact the upcoming trade talks. If those impacts were great enough, it could ripple outward to affect every Semetran who relied on Rathanian goods. To say nothing of the punishment they would receive for not doing their jobs.

    He knew his orders were to remain hidden, to gather information discreetly. But there could be no discretion if the situation became glaringly obvious. Xian bit back an annoyed sigh, turning to the servant next to him and taking the tea tray from his hands.

    "I''ll do it," He murmured to the servant, before turning and quickly making his way to the Rathanian tables.

    Even if Xian had not been trained extensively in court matters for the sake of blending in, it would have been shameful if he, as a Semetran, did not know how to pour a cup of tea. He knelt before the Rathanian tables, taking the plates and cups from his tray and placing them before each Rathanian, beginning with the foreign queen.

    With movements practiced a thousand times, Xian filled each cup to the precise fill line, not allowing a single drop to escape the porcelain spout and stain the silk table runner (memories of hot tea overturned on his head for such a mistake were still vivid in his mind, no matter how long ago they might have been). But before Xian could bow and take his leave, a hand rested on his, stopping his movement. Xian turned his attention to the hand, and more importantly, to the foreign queen to whom it was attached.

    He had assumed that a queen''s hands would be soft, free from the toil of common folk. The paleness of her skin would suggest such a thing. But Xian could feel the slightly hardened texture of calluses on Queen Alexela''s fingers, though he could also smell the faintest aroma of roses and orange oil. A hand cream, perhaps. But what sort of work could a queen possibly be doing that would cause calluses?

    But more curious than the feel of the queen''s hand on his was the fact that Queen Alexela seemed to be looking directly at him. Even as Xian tried to keep his gaze respectfully downcast, he tried his best to observe what he could. He had seen a few artistic representations of the Rathanian royal family, but it was still entirely different to see the queen''s pale blue eyes looking at him, sparkling with something Xian couldn''t quite identify.

    The queen''s cheeks were the same petal pink as some of the famed wild roses Rathania was known for, though Xian could not tell if that was from a natural flush or the work of luxury cosmetics. They seemed to grow rosier as her mouth pulled back into a smile.

    "Thank you for the tea," She said gently. "And thank you for the hospitality."

    Her Semetran sounded as if she had grown up her entire life in Xuyuan, but Xian refused to let himself be surprised by that. What he had read about Queen Alexela had claimed that the Crown of Fire was able to speak every known language in the realm. And while Xian was reluctant to believe such an outlandish claim, it would make sense for the queen to know Semetran after all; everyone should know Semetran.

    Xian didn''t reply to the queen. He was far below her station, even if he had been an actual servant. Instead, he hoped she would be placated with a bow of his head.

    The smile on the queen''s face dimmed slightly, but she nonetheless released his hand. Xian completed his duties as quickly as he could, performing a complete bow before taking the tea tray and vanishing once more into the anonymity of the crowd of attendants.<hr>

    A year had passed since the exchange with Rathanian royalty, and though Jangmi had scolded him for acting without orders, even she had concluded that his actions had been the most prudent given the circumstances.

    But Xian couldn''t help feeling that there was a great change on the horizon. He had been training in Semetra for too long, his days were numbered, and he had a feeling that that number was dwindling quickly.

    Sure enough, one morning when Xian went to meet with Jangmi to continue his studies on the inner workings of Rathania, he was instead met with a table full of traveling supplies.

    "Plans have changed," Jangmi said, anticipating his unspoken question, "It appears the Rathanians have started picking a fight with the Zilynthians."

    Xian raised an eyebrow at that. That was unusual, there was no evidence that Rathania had any ill relations with Zilynth. If anything, the Rathanians were annoyingly neutral towards everyone besides Aneia. "I take it something happened to spark this sudden aggression?"

    "According to the Lotuses in Zilynth, the Crown of Water made several accusations toward the Zilynthian Sultanate after several of the Rathanian heirs vanished during a royal coming-of-age ceremony." Jangmi handed Xian a collection of documents, "The heirs have since been returned, and there is no evidence to suggest that Zilynth had any part of the whole debacle. But Zilynth is not taking the insult lightly."

    "I imagine they wouldn''t," Xian admitted, reading over the documents provided to him, "Any formal declarations of war?"

    Jangmi shook her head, "None so far. The Rathanians are sending a delegation to Zilynth to issue a formal apology and discuss methods to repair diplomatic relations."

    This was the first time Rathania had made such a major misstep diplomatically in over a century. Zilynth was bound to try and take advantage of the situation if they were smart. Though, if the reports from the Zilythian Lotuses were to be believed, Zilynth was also facing some strife of its own. It was close to time for the Sultan to declare his heir, so there was a great deal of infighting occurring among the sultan''s older children. The Sultan would have to be very careful navigating this meeting with the Rathanians. And the Rathanians would have to tread carefully if they wanted to avoid a war.<hr>

    "We have to move up your deployment into Rathania," Jangmi stated, "We managed to get bits and pieces of the situation from our Zilynth Lotuses, but we missed out on valuable intelligence leading into this situation. We cannot afford to lose any more."

    Xian''s stomach dropped to the floor. It was finally time. His reprieve was over, and it would be time for him to venture into enemy lands.

    He nodded, "For the glory of Semetra, for the honor of her Emperor." His words felt empty as he began packing up his supplies for the journey into Rathania. "When do I leave?"

    "At sundown." Jangmi didn''t so much as spare Xian a second glance as she moved to peruse the rest of the intelligence that had been provided to them.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    Xian did his best to calm his racing heart. One more year. He just had to survive one more year; keep his sanity intact for one more year. Then...

    Then it wouldn''t matter.<hr>

    Xian watched the sun creep closer and closer to the horizon, knowing that this would very well be the last sunset he would ever see in Xuyuan. He would probably have only a handful more sunsets in Semetra at all before he crossed the Rathanian border. It was funny, he hadn''t paid much attention to things like sunsets before; perhaps it was knowing how finite things were that they suddenly became valuable.

    Jangmi met Xian outside the temple, leading a horse by the lead.

    "Trade this horse for a Rathanian horse once you cross the border," She instructed, before handing him a small wooden pendant on a chain, "keep this on your person if you are not actively infiltrating a location. This will be how my hawk will find you to give you further instructions and for you to report back."

    Xian nodded, taking the pendant and immediately placing it around his neck. The chances that he would receive further instructions while he was on the road were quite high, especially given how volatile the situation currently was.

    With how volatile Zilynth was, and how unpredictable Rathania could be, there was no telling what would happen before Xian even reached the border.

    Xian rode for three days, sleeping off the beaten path and only staying in inns when it was absolutely necessary. Jangmi had not exactly given him an excessive number of coins to spend, after all, and there was no telling when his next allowance would be given. Besides, skipping nights in an inn meant Xian would have more money to spend elsewhere.

    It was not strictly necessary for Xian to stop in Fenzhou, in fact, it was half a day''s journey off the direct road to Rathania. If Jangmi had been with him, she would have given him hell to pay, to say nothing of what the Gardener would have done to him if he ever learned of Xian''s indiscretion.

    But Xian had been taught to be secretive. If he kept secrets from those who taught him, they only had themselves to blame.

    As Xian walked his horse to the stables on the outskirts of Fenzhou, his gaze wandered to the towering structure that formed the center of the city.

    The Empyrean Citadel, the temple of Tanjoshi, and the mansion of the dead. Xian had only heard stories of the twisting, mismatched tower, but there was still something unsettling about seeing it in person. Then again, perhaps Xian was just uneasy about desecrating another holy place with his presence.

    The streets of Fenzhou were moderately busy, causing Xian to be especially cautious of his steps, doing his best to avoid bumping into anyone, when he heard the barkers for various shopkeepers that lined the central road. Fine incense, fresh fruits and baked goods, prayers for the departed, the list went on; everything a traveler might need last minute before they visited the dead. Xian limited himself to buying a small bundle of clove incense, two red bean buns, and a stick of tanghulu, which already made him glad he went without sleeping in an inn all those nights. It wasn''t much, but he hoped it would be enough.

    When a priest of Tanjoshi approached Xian, he declined the offer of prayers for the departed.

    "I merely came to pay my respects and share a meal," he said, keeping his voice calm, and unassuming. Unremarkable and unrememberable.

    Entering the Empyrean Citadel was a surreal experience, and Xian was glad for the crowds of bewildered pilgrims as they masked his amazement. If the Citadel was a marvel on the outside, then it was nothing short of a labyrinth on the inside. Finding a quiet corner within the twists and turns was a challenge in itself, but Xian was an expert on finding hidden places.

    He had no altar cloth, just a spare handkerchief from his pack, but he smoothed the small cotton square as best he could before placing the buns in the center. He lit three of the incense sticks, pausing for a moment to allow the incense to smolder, releasing their all too familiar aroma into the air.

    Closing his eyes, Xian held the incense before him, bowing deeply. "I''m so sorry I haven''t given you any offerings, A-die."

    His voice was a whisper, but even that much took more effort than Xian would care to admit. Slowly, Xian lowered himself into a kneel, then into a full kowtow, the three sticks of incense still perfectly fanned in his hands.

    "I promise you, A-die, I have not forgotten you. I did not mean to be unfilial... this was just the first chance I had to come visit you," Xian bit his lip as he spoke more to the floor than any lingering spirits, "This may also be my last chance to visit you, A-die... the Emperor has given me a task in Rathania...I am unlikely to survive my assignment, but I know it is for the good of Semetra and the will of the gods."

    There was a knot in his throat, one he defiantly tried to swallow down, and along with it the question he wanted to ask <i>"...were you ever afraid whenever you went to battle?</i>" Instead, he cleared his throat, "My work for the Emperor will bring you honor, A-die, I promise. Just...be patient while you are here. There is no need to hurry your journey through these halls... the next time I enter these halls, I hope it will be a sign that you can enter the next cycle."

    Xian left out the part that it would be very likely that the next time he entered the Empyrean Citadel, it would be as a spirit himself. Instead, he rose from his kowtow, placing the three incense in one of the buns, taking the other bun as he shared one last "meal" with his A-die.<hr>

    It was only three days later, when Xian had only just made camp outside the town of Tengchang that he received his first hawk from Jangmi. Seeing the bird of prey circle over his camp brought an ominous feeling, but there was no helping it. The moment the hawk landed on his arm, Xian unhooked the small canister fastened to his leg, allowing the bird to roost on a nearby branch while Xian read. But as Xian slowly pulled on the spool of paper, he almost couldn¡¯t believe the characters he was reading.

    <i>Sultan Gahiji has been killed by Prince Abioye and Abioye has seized the Sultanate for himself.</i>

    <i>The Crown of Fire was killed in the chaos. The Rathanians want blood,  and may have taken a Zilynthian princess hostage.</i>

    <i>Go to Traverse, find out what the Rathanians plan to do. If war is coming, Semetra must be prepared.</i>

    Xian stared down at the missive in his hands, reading and rereading the message in hopes it would make sense.

    A Daughter of Gaae had been killed. Whatever faux pas Rathania might have committed in unjustly accusing Zilynth of the abduction of their heirs, if Rathania chose to go to war against Zilynth, they would be completely justified.

    The last time Rathania had gone to war, it had been with itself.

    The last time Rathania had gone to war, the kingdom had vanished from the map for twenty years.<hr>

    The next week was little more than a blur to Xian: pushing his horse (and himself) to travel as far and as fast as possible, sleeping fitfully under the stars each night, and keeping his eyes on the sky for any updates from Jangmi about the situation.

    By the time Xian made it to the Rathanian border, he was so exhausted that he almost forgot that he was supposed to be uneasy about crossing the border. Almost, but not quite. But for all the dread Xian had been feeling leading up to the moment, it was rather anticlimactic. One morning, he left Juijing on the Semetran side of the border, and that evening, he arrived in Suihua, the first town on the Rathanian side of the border. There was no wall of shadows to pass through, no trial of mad magic, in fact, there had barely been a change in the maintenance of the roads.

    But the deeper into Rathania Xian traveled, the more he could feel the sense of wrongness that lingered in the air of Rathania.

    More and more towns hung white banners from windows, though some of the more modest homes seemed to make due with white table clothes if they could spare them. White, the color of mourning in Rathania. It was one of the few similarities in culture that Rathania shared with Semetra. Though Xian was amazed at how quickly the citizens of Rathania had learned of their queen''s death, let alone how quickly they were to put together their mourning displays. Perhaps news traveled fast in Rathania; bad news usually did.

    When Xian arrived at the capital city of Traverse, the uneasy feeling in his gut had twisted itself into a knot of unspeakable dread. In all of Xian''s studies, Traverse had always been described as a city bursting with color (Rathanians adored color in every aspect of their lives, to them, color was synonymous with life), with Traverse castle standing like a crown jewel at the center of its own island. But as Xian walked his horse through the Traverse streets, it was obvious that the signs of mourning he had seen before had been modest. Every window had a white flag billowing like a sail caught in the wind, several doors had splashed white paint, covering the previous bright color they sported before.

    Women walked the streets with white veils covering their faces. Men wore plain white tunics, while children had large white sashes tied around their waists or across their chests.

    Xian had been forced to duck into an alley and remove his outer garments. While walking around in his thin inner tunic felt terribly exposed, it was far better to blend in with the mourning Rathanians at this point. It had been shortly after Xian had begun walking down the main street with his white attire that he noticed the shift in the crowd. Where previously, the citizens were going about what business they had to do (there were little to no casual conversations of outings, it seemed), there seemed to be an air of anticipation lingering over each Rathanian that stood in the Traverse streets. More were exiting buildings to fill the streets. For a moment, Xian felt panic grip his heart. Had he been made? Was the madness even impacting Rathanians? Did that mean no one was safe?

    It was then that Xian noticed that every Rathanian was facing one direction. When Xian followed their gaze, he realized they were all facing the Traverse main gates.

    More importantly, what was approaching those gates.

    Xian could only stare, as dumbstruck as the Rathanians that stood around him. Even from a distance, it was clear to see that a royal procession was making its way into the city. There was no flag waving from any of the carriages, the soldiers in front did not call for a herald, but there was no mistaking who those carriages belonged to. He understood that he was supposed to make sure he was in Traverse before the Rathanian royal family returned from Zilynth, and while he was glad that his detour to Fenzhou had not cost him, he could not for the life of him understand how every Rathanian in the street had known the carriage would arrive when it did. He had heard no chatter of rumors, no suspicions of when the Rathanians would return, and yet every citizen had seemingly felt the arrival of their Queens and heirs and had responded without being ordered.

    It made a chill run down Xian''s spine to think about. But Xian was stuck standing where he was, lest he draw attention by being unaffected by the royal caravan. Instead, he found himself watching alongside the rest of the citizens as the royals made their way through the city streets to the castle.

    There was no seeing into any of the carriages, the curtains had been drawn shut to block out the outside world, but Xian knew well enough who from the royal family had made the trip to Zilynth. The Crowns of Water and Fire, Elreina and Alexela li Gaae, as well as heir apparent to the throne of Fire, Prince Naes di Alexela, the heir apparent for the throne of water, Prince Retniw di Elreina, and Prince Retniw''s twin sister, Princess Nevaeh li Elreina.

    Xian couldn''t help but wonder how they were transporting Queen Alexela''s body if they were not using a funeral procession. Though the more pressing matter Xian had to sort out was if the rumors regarding the Rathanians taking a Zilynthian princess hostage had any sort of validity. If the Rathanians had done something as brash as kidnapping a princess, something they themselves had accused Zilynth of doing at the beginning of the entire debacle... What did that mean for the rest of the realm?

    Whatever planning Xian had intended to make regarding his infiltration of Traverse castle was interrupted when the wailing began. No sooner had the carriages containing the returning royals, and possibly the body of Queen Alexela, passed through the streets than every citizen seemed to take this as an invitation to begin weeping in the streets. Tears flowed down seemingly every person''s face, even the men, and some had even taken to loudly sobbing in the middle of the streets.

    It made no sense. If this had been the funeral procession, Xian could understand the need for public displays of mourning. He knew in Mecadet, one could make a profession out of being a public mourner. Even some of the more wealthy families in Semetra would hire local widows to wail especially loud at funerals. But now, they were wailing for nothing but a couple of closed carriages and a procession of knights, there was no need for dramatics.

    Xian had to quickly duck his head, doing his best to hide the fact he was not weeping with the others. The madness had not reached him yet, but it was still only his first day in the city.

    There was still time.

 Part 2: Thorn

    "Keep your gaze focused on where you are going, not at your feet." Xian watched as Zhou Zan ran his laps through the agility course. The boy was still far too timid in his movements, constantly looking down at his feet whenever he got too high off the ground.

    "I''m trying!" Zhou Zan called back, leaping from one pillar to the next. He was still of the size where each jump was a complete action, landing with both feet before moving to the next step. When he got bigger, not to mention more sure of his movements, he would learn to take those pillars as steps.

    Once he was sure Zhou Zan would not fall and harm himself, Xian allowed his gaze to travel over the other children making their way through the course. Ibiki was moving a bit faster than her ability to balance, but Xian refrained from calling out and correcting her. That would only serve to spook her and cause the very thing Xian wished to avoid.

    "When do I get to run on the course?" Maelin asked, her hand grabbing a fistful of Xian''s sleeve.

    "When you can prove you can balance on the board," Xian replied, giving the neglected balance board a pointed look.

    Maelin pouted, "But it''s hard..."

    Xian nodded, "Of course it is, that is why you must prove you can do it before I send you through the agility course. I am not in the habit of maiming children."

    With a heavy thud, Ibiki made her landing from the end of the course back to the ground. Xian looked to the teen, then to the deer scare that sat in the nearby stream. As the water filled the bamboo once again, sending it tipping over in a hollow knock, Xian consulted the internal count he had been keeping.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    "A new time," Xian nodded to Ibiki, "Though perhaps next time, we shall work on a soundless landing."

    Ibiki''s fists clenched, but as she nodded, "Yes sir..." She muttered.

    "Do you know why I would like you to land without a sound?"

    "Yes sir, because agility and stealth mean nothing if I cannot be silent."

    "Very good," Xian nodded. He watched Ibiki for a moment more before continuing, "How are you feeling?"

    Ibiki shook her head, "I''m not hurt; the landing sounded worse than it was."

    "While I am glad for that, that was not what I meant," Xian said gently, "How are you adjusting?"

    At that, Ibiki stiffened, "I''m grateful for everything you''ve done for me--"

    "You''re allowed to say you''re still uncomfortable, Ibiki." Xian wished this was the first time he had this conversation, but he, unfortunately, couldn''t. "Even though it has been a few months, this is an entirely new way of life for you."

    Ibiki nodded, though she said nothing more. Xian hadn''t expected her to, but she would when she was ready.

    "Go wash up for supper," He said. No need to press the issue now, "I believe Verain was on kitchen duty tonight."

    Xian didn''t smirk at the wrinkled grimace on Ibiki''s face, he would never.

    "Why he is allowed in the kitchen, I don''t understand," She muttered, making her way from the agility course, "the spice cupboard is right there..."

    "Ibiki."

    At Xian''s call, Ibiki slowly turned once more to face him. He could see the stiffness of her posture, the twinge of regret in her expression. How many times had he worn that same expression growing up?

    Far too many times.

    "There is a jar of spicy kimchi in the root cellar. Red jar," Xian nodded, "If I recall correctly, it should be ready to eat today."

    If there was a bit more spring in Ibiki''s step as she retreated inside, Xian was not about to comment on it. No need to tease, after all. But as Ibiki walked inside, Xian¡¯s gaze was inevitably drawn to the greenery that had grown on that side of the house, and the flowers that framed the doorway.

    The roses were quite enthusiastic with their growth this year. Such a lovely red, too...

 Thorn: Chapter 1

    There were roses everywhere. Xian stared at the gate separating the city of Traverse and the bridge leading to the island of Traverse castle, and the sheer abundance of roses that had been left behind by the citizens of Traverse. It was all the guards could do to keep the roses out of the way of the gate itself, so the surrounding walkway had become a carpet of reds, yellows, peaches, burgundies, and pinks. Where the ground hadn''t been enough to satisfy the mourners, even more roses were woven into the gate and the arch leading to the bridge proper. If they had been permitted to, Xian suspected that they would have also covered the bridge itself with roses.

    All in honor of Queen Alexela''s funeral.

    The death of a royal was never something trivial, Xian expected that much. He just hadn''t expected something so... enthusiastic.

    But as much as Xian might wonder about the mourning practices of Rathanians, he had a job to do.

    First, he had to get into that castle.

    It took Xian a bit of planning to sort out just how to make his entry. The castle was most likely on high alert, given the recent events and the emotional state of the kingdom. But thankfully, Xian had managed to find a supply cart making regular visits. From there, it was just a matter of hanging on to the underbelly while the driver made idle chit-chat with the guards inspecting the goods.

    It was the perfect time to infiltrate the castle. Not because it was particularly vacant, if the number of servants and guards making their way around the ground was any indication, but because where most of the attention would be as far from Xian as possible. With everyone so single mindedly focused on the royal funeral, all Xian really had to do was steer clear of the overly lavish chapel on the castle grounds. If anything, it was the perfect opportunity to map the layout of the castle. Soon, the conversation between the walls of the castle would turn from the funeral, and to the possibility of war.

    Xian needed to find the most likely places for those conversations to happen and make sure he had an entry point for each of those locations.

    By the time Xian had found a secluded enough corner of the castle (it looked like some sort of storage room, and not a very well-trafficked one if the dust was any indication), the first thing Xian had to conclude was that the layout of the castle should have been impossible. Xian had plenty of experience mapping locations mentally, but no matter how he compared his explorations with what he saw on the outside, the two just simply didn''t match. Hallways were longer, ceilings taller, rooms that were not visible from the outside had large windows looking out.

    Of course, it was Rathania, after all. It only made sense that the castle itself was just as defiant to the balance of the world. Xian would have to make sure he remained on high alert, the last thing he needed was to become trapped within the castle walls.

    But Xian also managed to pick up another interesting bit of information as well. According to the chatter among the patrolling guards, the next order of business for the Rathanians would not be the discussion of war, as Xian had originally thought.

    Instead, their focus would instead be to hold the coronation of Crown Prince Naes di Alexela. Upon reflection, Xian could understand the Rathanians'' reasoning: Rathania was known for the Four Thrones, and they seemed to be at their strongest (or at the very least, at their most dangerous) when all four thrones were filled. If Rathania wanted to go to war with Zilynth, they would wait until they were at full strength.

    If the idle chatter of guards was to be believed. Xian was not about to report back to Jangmi mere gossip; he''d need to find evidence for himself.

    Xian couldn¡¯t find an office worth his time. Or, more specifically, find an office worth his time that didn''t also make his skin crawl. There had been one office that Xian was sure would have held everything he wanted to know. With the dark navy painted on the door and the silver four-fold shield, Xian immediately recognized it as the mark of the Guardians, the elite arcanists who dedicated their lives to the protection of the royal family. And if Xian''s research, and the reports of the Lotuses before him, were to be believed, then Guardian Nire held perhaps the most power in all of Rathania outside the royal family. If anyone were to know if there was going to be a coronation, it would be her. But the moment Xian reached his hand toward the door to feel for a weak point, he was overcome with a sense of wrongness. HIs hands trembled, the hair on the back of his neck stood on end, and Xian swore he could see his breath fog before him, every natural instinct screaming at him to back away from the door.

    The instant he took a step back, the feeling evaporated.

    That damned Rathanian mathuat, there was a curse put on the door, and Xian couldn''t pick a curse.

    But before Xian could think of an alternative, the sound of bells clamored through the air, signaling the end of the funeral and the end of Xian''s borderline free reign in the castle.

    He grit his teeth but retraced his steps back to where he had first entered the castle. The Rathanians might have won this particular battle, but Xian wasn''t leaving empty-handed. If anything, he had a more concrete goal for the next day.

    Because if Rathania was about to crown a new king, then Semetra would need to be properly prepared.<hr>

    Xian decided that the cover of the early morning would be the best option for him to make reentry into the castle. It gave Xian the time to restock on supplies, eat, and get an hour or two of sleep, but also to properly prepare for the stealth assignment. While he had been perfectly adequate for the previous day''s scouting mission, he knew that the castle would have more of their usual traffic, which meant he could take no risks of being detected.

    The cloak Xian had packed had cost him more favors and "special tasks" for Akita than he wanted to think about, but a cloak woven with the wool of the Meinai goats should have cost him a small fortune. The goats were famous for their ability to seemingly vanish, due to their wool mimicking the world around it. When woven into a fabric, the wool made any garment nearly invisible if the wearer remained still.

    And Xian knew how to be still.

    Which was how he found himself nestled quite nicely amid the rafters of the cabinet room he had scouted out the previous day. He couldn''t help but feel a bit pleased with himself, thanks to his foresight, he had managed to pick out the perfect spot in the rafters: away from most direct sunlight, but still within reach of a window should the worst happen, not to mention at the perfect cross joint between rafters. Xian felt a bit like a bird coming home to roost, but if it meant he wouldn''t get stiff by holding an awkward position, he was more than content with that.

    Not worrying about his comfort meant that he could focus more on the eight figures below.

    Xian made quick work of sorting out the three women in the room; even if he hadn''t studied the Rathanian royal family extensively, it was rather obvious that he was looking down at Queen Maelee of the Throne of Air, Elreina of the Throne of Water, and Jessaia of the Throne of Earth. Of the sisters, Xian noted that only Elreina shared Alexela''s fairer hair, though her skin looked tanned from too much time in the sun.

    The Queen General, Xian''s mind supplied. If Rathania went to war, then Queen Elreina would be the one making decisions. And there were already reports of the Crown of Water flying off the handle when provoked, if her hasty accusation toward Zilynth was any indication. That could prove to be a dangerous factor¡­ though not entirely unmanageable, once the proper triggers were discovered.

    The three queens each had a man seated to her right, which Xian took to mean he was looking at the King Consorts.

    <i>Dniw di Ria is married to Queen Maeleen, Revir di Ocard is married to Queen Elreina, and Fael di Kao is married to Queen Jessaia,</i> Xian mentally recited, looking over each of them in turn to commit their faces to memory.

    From what he read, Dniw di Ria was completely mute from a wound during the war Rathania had during their time shut off from the realm. If he relied solely on written communication, that could give Xian a plethora of potential information.

    Which left the remaining two men. Both of them had vibrant red curls, and both wore especially somber expressions. Based on process of elimination, Xian could determine that the older of the two was Emalf...of the Star Clan. Apparently from the nomadic people, it was his marriage to Queen Alexela that caused quite a stir in Rathania, which was understandable. To marry someone so far beneath one''s station...how Queen Alexela had not been affected with such dishonor, Xian hadn''t figured out yet.

    But that meant the remaining man had to be Crown Prince Naes di Alexela.

    <i>He''s younger than I am</i>, Xian thought idly, taking stock of the prince''s slender build, the dark circles under his eyes, and the tired slope of his shoulders. Clearly, the crown prince was not in the most stable of conditions.

    Something to ponder, clearly.

    "We have to invite representatives from every nation, no exception," Queen Maeleen''s voice was soft, and Xian thanked the gods for the acoustics of the cabinet hall, or else the words might not have reached him.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Queen Elreina leaned back in her chair, displeasure written on her face, "We would have to be monumentally stupid to invite people who intentionally want to cause us harm. And since we''re not monumentally stupid, there''s no way we can invite Semetra or Zylinth to Naes'' coronation."

    Xian raised an eyebrow at that. Did Rathania harbor ill will towards Semetra, to the point that the General of their army held them in the same regard as the kingdom that had murdered one of their own?

    If that was the case, then Semetra would need to be prepared. If Rathania went to war with Zylinth...would they turn their attention to Semetra? The thought made Xian''s blood run cold.

    Below, the topic of conversation turned to the proposed guest lists some ambassadors had already sent forth to Rathania (did other kingdoms already know about the coronation, had Semetra been left out of the conversation?). There were some attempts at jokes when it was clear that there was an abundance of women among the envoys, an obvious attempt to catch the still-unmarried king-to-be''s eye.

    Prince Naes, however, took no delight in the attention given to him, "Do we have to accept all these attendees? Couldn''t we just have a small coronation, given the circumstances?"

    A reluctant prince. Was it the spectacle he wanted to avoid, or was he reluctant to accept the throne at all? Would he be likely to abdicate if given the correct pressure?

    There were more words effectively telling Prince Naes that the coronation would have to continue as planned, even if Queen Elreina had some choice words about the new Sultan of Zylinth and his request to attend the coronation. Xian reluctantly found himself agreeing. Asking to attend the coronation of a prince whose mother they effectively murdered was shameless at best; a challenge at worst.

    But then Revir di Ocard spoke, gently contradicting his wife''s wishes. While that in itself seemed like a brave decision, it was the last few words that caught Xian''s attention.

    "We have Princess Samiya attend as a representative from her nation."

    So the Rathanians did have a Zylinthian princess in the castle somewhere. And now the major argument was whether or not she should be used as a pawn in the political game that was unfolding. It seemed this was a major point of contention between the Four Thrones and their spouses, one that ultimately ended in a stalemate, with Fael di Kao calling for a break.

    The cabinet room slowly emptied, each royal and their spouse going their separate way, until it was just the widowed consort and the crown prince left in the cabinet room. Unwilling to leave until he was sure he had heard everything he needed to in this room, Xian settled deeper in his perch.

    Emalf of the Star Clan looked at his son, "How are you doing? I know this is...a lot."

    Prince Naes was quick to vocalize his doubts and concerns to his father, about the coronation, about taking the throne, about everything. And the King Consort seemingly commiserated with his son, first by joking, then with soft words of encouragement.

    Something in Xian twisted, and it became difficult to continue watching the exchange. When the conversation shifted to the shared morning of both wife and mother, Xian could feel gooseflesh prickling under his stealth garments and cloak.

    It''s just like with the Guardian''s office door, Xian reminded himself. He hadn''t seen Guardian Nire enter the cabinet at all, but that didn''t mean she hadn''t cursed the place. Perhaps additional protection to deter would-be eavesdroppers?

    If that was the case, then Xian would simply have to endure. He had trained for this, after all; he could deal with the consequences after he had secured the intel he needed to send to Jangmi.

    By Jabidanche''s mercy, the conversation didn''t last much longer. Crown Prince reminded his father that he was an adult, to which the father reminded him that he would always be his son (Xian felt bile bubbling in his stomach at that point), before both men laughed and shared a tight embrace.

    "Now," Emalf of the Star Clan began as they released from their embrace, "I''m not hungry yet, but I could go for stretching my legs. Want to join me on some rounds around the castle?"

    A clear invitation for both of them to take their leave, which would also signal Xian''s exit.

    Sure enough, Prince Naes stood from his chair with a small laugh, "I could go for that. Who knows, maybe we''ll run into Lamaj and he''ll want to join us."

    Xian went through the list of names he had memorized regarding Rathanian politics, and by Xuewen, he remembered quickly. Lamaj di Alexela, second prince of the Throne of Fire, so even younger than the crown prince, though still a good number of years older than the third prince.

    The King Consort smiled, "I would like that, but who knows where your brother runs off to on a day-to-day basis?"

    The two made their way to the door, but as Xian followed their movement with his eyes, he saw Prince Naes look back over his shoulder.

    Directly up into the rafters.

    Xian''s heart leapt up into his throat. Had he been spotted? No, that was impossible, between his hiding spot and his cloak, no one should be able to see him.

    But since when did Rathanians care about what was possible and impossible? There was a very real chance that Rathanians could see through the camouflaging abilities of his cloak, or perhaps whatever curse was lingering in the chamber could undo any mathuat.

    <i>Jabidanche, if your power reaches this far, don¡¯t let this be the end of me. Not yet¡­</i>

    But then, Xian realized that Prince Naes¡¯s gaze was directed toward a completely different part of the ceiling, nowhere close to where Xian had hidden himself. And as quickly as the gaze had started, the prince had turned back to join his father in exiting the cabinet room.

    Xian allowed himself the luxury of a sigh of relief, sagging as the tension he had been holding suddenly left his body and offered his prayers to the goddess of mercy. The prince hadn¡¯t seen him at all; though that begged the question of just what¡ª

    There was the barest glint of light, and Xian¡¯s hand moved quicker than his mind, reaching out and snatching the small blade that had been sent his way.

    A blade. Xian glanced at the blade. Small, designed to be thrown short distances, but obviously Rathanian make.

    So Xian <i>had </i>been made! Had the prince been signaling his man to take Xian out? How could Xian have been so careless as to miss another presence? But he couldn¡¯t allow his anger at his own incompetence get the better of him now, as he followed the trajectory of the knife back to its source.

    The Rathanian was young, younger than Xian for certain, and while he wasn¡¯t wearing all black as Xian was, he was dressed in far plainer clothes than was casual Rathanian fare. The hand that was still outstretched  from throwing the knife was a golden amber, as was the rest of his skin. The dark shadows of the ceiling made the dark red of his hair almost oxblood in color.

    But the shadows could not disguise the bright jade of his eyes. Jade green eyes that were wide with surprise. Petal pink lips parted as his jaw grew slack.

    <i>He wasn¡¯t expecting to actually find me up here</i>. Xian realized. And, after a moment passed, and nothing happened, Xian¡¯s heart skipped a beat.

    The Rathanian had frozen. Xian was convinced that the other man was much younger than he was, this might even be the first enemy had ever faced. It might even be his last, if his master was as stern as the Gardener had been.

    <i>Never, ever freeze. Hesitation could mean death.</i>

    Xian couldn¡¯t help it, he felt the corner of his mouth turn up. He would get out of this after all.

    Without dropping the knife, Xian retraced his steps to the open window leading out of the cabinet room. His cloak was fluttering behind him, useless for its intended purpose with the movement Xian was making, but Xian could rely on his own skills from here.

    ¡°Wait!¡±

    If Xian hadn¡¯t been running along the steep gables of the castle, he might have laughed. How naive was the Rathanian, to think he would wait just because he asked?

    But over the sound of his own breathing and footsteps, Xian could hear a second set of footsteps following his path.

    <i>Not bad, Rathanian, </i>Xian mused, leaping to the next building with minor effort. He could have sworn it was closer the first time he had cleared that jump.

    It seemed the Rathanian didn¡¯t have any trouble clearing the jump either, but Xian was not about to allow him to gain any ground. The moment Xian saw his opening, he took it. Reaching with his free hand, Xian grabbed the spire of one of the lower towers, allowing his body¡¯s momentum to swing around to abruptly change directions. From there, Xian took one step, two steps, and then a large leap.

    Xian barely allowed his foot to make contact with the outer wall around the castle before he was making one last large leap over the side. He had to fight a grimace at the no doubt frigid water that lay below him, but better the water than potential capture.<hr>

    Hours later, after Xian had extricated himself from the moat and dried himself (and more importantly, his cloak) off enough to not appear suspicious to any casual observer, Xian returned to the inn where he was staying. Though to call it an inn would have been generous, considering it was little more than a tavern with an attic and an owner who wouldn¡¯t ask questions as long as money was exchanged.

    Xian stripped out of his wet clothes and laid them out to dry, and quickly took stock of his current situation.

    He now had confirmation, directly from royal lips, that not only was a royal coronation on the horizon, but that Rathania was considering shunning Semetra from the event. Even if the invitation did get sent, the fact it was done reluctantly would no doubt be important information for those more politically savvy than him.

    He also had confirmation that the Rathanians did in fact have a Zylinthian princess in their custody, and intended to use her as a stand-in for the Zylinthian delegation at the coronation. What they would do with her after the fact, Xian had yet to determine. He would need to return to the castle to try and get eyes on the captive princess to determine her wellbeing.

    Xian looked down at his right hand. A small dash of dark red showed where the blood had already begun to clot and scab, but the fact remained that his blood had been drawn at all, let alone by an enemy blade. If Xian had been a less experienced Lotus, or perhaps still in training, the knife could have easily found purchase in his throat or his heart. But because Xian had little familiarity with Rathanian blades, he had to remain cautious. The blade could still do damage even from such a minor wound.

    After all, Xian had a few vials of various toxins tucked away in his belongings specifically for the purpose of coating the edge of his blade, so even the smallest cut could cause paralysis, disorientation, or, if necessary, death. But during his time waiting to dry off, Xian had felt no lingering side effects outside the normal warm throb of flesh attempting to close an open wound. And while there was still the possibility of some form of Rathanian curse on the blade (there would always be the possibility of curses, it was impossible to predict what or how Rathanian magic worked), Xian also couldn''t allow himself to be paralyzed with fear.

    He had a job to do, and he intended to be the best at his job. So Xian retrieved his writing supplies from his pack, and went about preparing his report for Jangmi.

    When Xian received Jangmi''s hawk, he had to admit that he was somewhat surprised.

    <i>Semetran delegation arriving in Rathania for Coronation.</i>

    <i>Determine the status of Princess Samiya.</i>

    <i>Grow your hair to servant length.</i>

    Of all the things he could have received in Jangmi''s message, he was most befuddled by the order to grow his hair. He didn''t think he had provided information so crucial as to warrant the respect of growing his hair out. But then again, growing it to servant length...

    Ah, Xian understood now. He was to join the Semetran delegation. It made perfect sense: by becoming an aide or servant within the delegation, Xian would essentially have open access to Traverse castle. Not that it was terribly hard to make entry into the castle, but it was always prudent to eliminate as many risks as possible.

    Xian ran a hand over his short hair, wondering just how long he could get it to grow in the time it would take the Semetran delegation to arrive.

 Thorn: Chapter 2

    Xian filled his time waiting for the Semetran delegation by trying to gather as much intelligence as he could concerning the Rathanian royal family, and their current status. Even if he didn''t learn anything new, he could at the least confirm or refute any information that had been provided by previous Lotuses.

    He confirmed that Guardian Nire was still very much an influential member of the Rathanian court, despite being what historical records indicated was little more than a bodyguard and servant. He also confirmed that Guardian Nire had inducted her oldest son into the ranks of the fledgling Guardian Corps. Xian recalled that historically, a Guardian should only be tied to a single royal. But whatever war had caused the shadow wall to cut off Rathania from the realm had also wiped out the Guardian Corps, leaving Nire as the last survivor (a mystery that, while intriguing, was not one Xian had been tasked to investigate).

    But those limited numbers meant that the ratio of Guardian to royal was still woefully unbalanced. Like his mother before him, Dloc di Nire was trying to serve an entire generation of royals, though his job was much more difficult due to the number of charges under his care, as well as the age ranges of said charges.

    Which meant that Xian only had to worry about two fully-fledged Guardians wandering the castle. If a Guardian in person was half as unsettling as the curse on Guardian Nire''s office door then Xian would be more than happy to never cross paths with one.

    Xian also confirmed that Princess Samiya of Zylinth was not as captive as reports had originally suggested. She was being closely watched by the Rathanians, true; but considering the rather amorous exchange between her and the Crown Prince Retniw, she didn''t appear to be in much distress. Granted, he knew better than most how appearances could be deceiving. Prince Retniw could have taken a liking to the foreign princess and, left with no other means to defend herself in enemy lands, accepted the prince''s advances as a means to use his good graces to protect herself. It could also be a matter of Princess Samiya, after facing the horrors of her father''s murder and subsequent kidnapping by the Rathanians, had convinced herself that she had formed a bond with one of her captors.

    And those were just the options that didn''t factor in mathuat or magic. There was no telling what the prince might have done to the princess if Rathanian magic was involved.

    But whatever level of Princess Samiya¡¯s level of consent was, Xian had managed to ascertain the purpose for the Rathanians keeping her: the Rathanians intended to replace Sultan Aboiye with his sister. Perhaps that was the reason behind Prince Retniw¡¯s actions, to get Rathania¡¯s chosen candidate for the sultanate as compliant with Rathania as possible.

    It was what Xian would do, if he had the power and position to do so. It was a solid strategy.

    All this, he reported back to Jangmi. On occasion, she would send her hawk back with instructions for follow up information, or orders to learn some other detail  about the royal family.

    Xian wasn¡¯t sure why he needed to confirm the existence of an abandoned nursery, but it wasn¡¯t important for him to know, only to get the information Jangmi needed, so she could deliver it to her superiors.

    By the time Xian received instructions to meet the Semetra delegation outside Traverse,  Xian¡¯s hair was not nearly long enough to pass as anything above a newly indentured servant, let alone one with high enough ranking to accompany the delegation to an international event.But there was nothing for it. He wasn''t a Rathanian, he couldn''t make the flow of time go any faster or slower just because he willed it.<hr>

    So Xian made due by dressing in his nicest clothes and made his way to the inn where the Semetran delegation was staying the night prior to their arrival in Traverse. It was somewhat unsettling, walking into the inn and not having a clear objective laid out before him. Sure, he knew he was to infiltrate the delegation, but the how was the tricky part; this wasn''t a stealth mission, he couldn''t hide from them, and the members of the delegation would surely know if one of their ranks wasn''t familiar.

    "Ah, zhizi, there you are!"

    Xian blinked as he realized that not only was he being the one addressed, but that it was Jangmi who was crossing through the inn to greet him.

    Jangmi was all smiles as she reached up and pinched his cheeks, "Oh you have gotten so tall! You don''t eat nearly enough!" Xian found himself awkwardly hunched over as Jangmi pulled him into a smothering embrace. As Jangmi turned her head to presumably press a kiss to his cheek, her breath ghosted against his neck, "Your name is Tian Fengxian, the youngest son of my brother. You were getting into mischief and running with a bad sort, so your father apprenticed you to a sailor, where you''ve been traveling the past year. You happen to be docked in Traverse bringing supplies to the coronation."

    Xian nodded, committing the cover story to memory as he returned the embrace, "I eat plenty, aunty. Don''t believe everything mother tells you."

    "I only need to believe half," Jangmi patted his cheek, "Come, we''re about to enjoy supper. You can tell me all about your journey!"

    It felt all too easy to allow himself to drift within the persona Jangmi had given him. He answered questions from the other delegation members about ships he had never been on, the cost of trade goods that Xian only knew through studies, places he had never been, and the captain and crew who never existed outside of Xian''s imagination. He laughed at the stories the older men told, he accepted the good-natured ribbing about the state of his hair and when he planned to settle down and become an honest man.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    Tian Fengxian was dreadfully dull, but he served his purpose well enough.

    "Well, before you head back to the city, you should go up and greet your uncle," Jangmi patted his hand, and Xian felt his blood run cold. Who could possibly be playing the role of uncle if Jangmi was his aunt?

    Xian only knew a few candidates, and he dreaded the possibility of him being right.

    "Of course, aunty," Xian nodded, standing slowly and offering a small bow.

    Jangmi nodded in turn, "Second floor, last door on the right."

    Xian nodded again, his feet carrying to the staircase while his mind was already trying to resurface from Tian Fengxian. Did Jangmi plan to have him maintain this cover to infiltrate the delegation? A nephew ruffian-turned-sailor hardly seemed like the most credible addition to a diplomatic envoy, but perhaps Xian should leave those decisions to those who knew better than he.

    When he got to the door in question, Xian rapped his knuckles in the rhythm that had been drilled into him from a young age.

    "Enter."

    Xian closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He could not show any signs of weakness. He slowly opened his eyes once more as he opened the door once more.

    Akita Kurekage sat near the room''s desk, his elbows braced against the arms of the chair while his fingers remained steepled.

    "Shut the door behind you," The Gardener instructed, his dark eyes looking through Xian.

    Xian nodded, closing the door behind him without a sound. Then, Xian crossed the room, instinctively kneeling in front of Akita as he awaited orders.

    "I have read your reports," The man began, eyes never leaving Xian, "But I want to hear it once more, from your lips."

    "Yes, sir," Xian replied. He recounted everything he had learned from Traverse: the cabinet meeting between the remaining queens and their consorts regarding the coronation and the debate regarding inviting Semetra or Zilynth, the status of Princess Samiya within the castle walls and her somewhat questionable relationship between her and Prince Retniw, to say nothing of Xian¡¯s suspicions.

    "Do not be so arrogant as to assume to know what these Rathanians are planning," The Gardener interrupted Xian, and Xian felt like he was eight years old again trying to recite his Common lesson without stuttering. "They do not follow logic as Semetrans do. They are wild, chaotic, and impulsive. Do not discount the possibility that the Heir of Water took the Zilynthian princess simply because he wanted her."

    Xian grit his teeth. He had thought of that possibility, but he was also trying to consider the possibilities that would impact Semetra most.

    "Forgive my impudence, master," he said instead, bowing with his face nearly to the floor. He held the bow, knowing better than to rise without permission.

    A moment passed. Then another. Xian could hear Akita shift in his chair, the creak of the wood of him standing.

    Something flat and cool pressed down on Xian''s right hand, the grit of dirt rubbing into his skin. Akita''s boot. The boot pressed down harder, and Xian fought every instinct screaming at him to extricate his hand. If the Gardener crushed Xian''s hand under his boot, he would be all but useless as a Lotus, and Xian knew what Akita did to those he deemed useless.

    But Xian also knew what Akita did with those he found cowardly.  So Xian did not move, not even as he felt the bones in his hand grind against each other.

    Finally, the pressure abated, and the foot was removed from Xian''s hand.

    "Don''t let it happen again," Came the Gardener''s voice, "Sit up."

    Xian obeyed, ignoring the desire to flex his sore hand and keeping his eyes on the floor, even if that meant staring at Akita''s boots.

    A hand ran through Xian''s hair, and Xian repressed a shudder. "Still woefully short," The Gardener muttered, "But serviceable for the task."

    The hand was mercifully gone as Akita moved to pick up something from the table. When the hand was back on Xian''s head, he could also feel cool strands brush against his shoulders.

    A wig, he realized.

    "This should be more than long enough for you to pass as an aide," Akita mused, "And your hair is barely long enough to fasten it in place."

    Xian bit back a wince as he felt the sharp, teeth-like clasps bite into the roots of his hair, as well as his scalp. If the Gardener was aware of Xian''s discomfort, he showed no sign of caring. By the time he was done, Xian could feel the beginning of a headache forming at his temples.

    "There. You should be able to put it up into a scholar''s knot now."

    "Thank you, sir," Xian murmured, though his voice was little more than an over-glorified whisper.

    Akita continued to stare at Xian as if he were a rather unimpressive piece of poetry, "Those clothes will be far too plain for you to be a member of the delegation. Take them off."

    Xian knew his clothes were too plain for the delegation, but he hadn''t exactly packed his fine silks. If he had owned any. But there was no arguing with Akita when he gave an order, so Xian went about shrugging out of his outer layer of clothes. By the time he stood in only his inner garments, the Gardener had brought out a simple hanfu of dove gray.

    "This will at least pass as respectable travel attire of one of your presumed station," he explained, handing the robe to Xian for him to dress himself.

    Xian didn''t bother asking how many clothes were brought for him to carry out his role in the delegation, or how anyone in the Lotus Pond knew his measurements. There was just some things that it was better off not knowing the answer to.

    But even after he had dressed himself, Xian couldn''t bring himself to look at his reflection in the vanity mirror. On one hand, he was wearing finer clothes than he had ever worn since he was a child, wearing his hair in a scholar''s knot; respectable and honorable. But on the other hand, the body wearing those things would not match the face looking back at him in the mirror. It was foolish, and if Xian ever voiced such such feelings within earshot of Akita, he would have had the notion beaten out of him thoroughly.

    The Gardener hummed, as if appraising Xian like an art piece, "That should satisfy any curious minds," He nodded, "You''re to play the role of my aide. As far as the rest of the delegation knows, you were delayed in traveling with  the rest of the delegation because you were caring for your ailing grandmother, but you made your own journey here so as not to miss the coronation."

    "Understood, sir," Xian said calmly, gently rubbing his thumb and forefinger against the soft fabric. Not silk, but certainly soft...though, if he were honest with himself, the action was more of a distraction from thinking too much about just how much time he would be spending with Akita and Jangmi.

    <i>Jabidanche, may my troubles be few these in next few days.</i>

    But Xian knew that there were limits to what even a goddess could do.

 Thorn: Chapter 3

    It felt surreal, traveling by carriage, let alone in an imperial carriage as a member of the Semetran delegation. Xian knew that the blue silk hanfu he wore now was of some of the finest material someone of his assumed position could ever hope to afford, but he couldn''t shake the feeling that the fine material was chafing against his skin. How long had it been since he wore silk?

    <i>Oh a-Xian, you shouldn''t run about so, you''ll rumple your clothes.</i>

    <i>Let him run, Suming, while he is still a child to do so.</i>

    Xian''s heart squeezed tightly in his chest, but he refused to let his discomfort show on his face. Not when Akita was so close.

    <i>Look at me now, A-die. I''m attending a royal coronation</i>. Xian couldn''t help but muse as their carriage crossed the bridge into Traverse castle. While he knew his A-die would have wanted him to reach such a position of honor honestly... Xian had to cling to the fact he had reached this point meant something.

    The Rathanian guards didn''t pay him any mind as they escorted the Semetran delegation through the castle halls that Xian was already familiar with. In fact, Xian knew that none of them would ever even remember seeing him; that was the point, after all.

    But while the Semetran delegation all clamored about the decisions the Rathanians had made regarding the coronation, and the Prime Minister gave his opinion on the current state of Rathania, Xian allowed his focus to drift and encompass the room as a whole. Which delegations were seated where, which countries had sent representatives, which ones had sent actual royalty. He had expected Anaeia to send a member of the royal family, given the sultan''s advanced age, so he wasn''t surprised to see the second prince seated among the front few rows. He was, however, surprised to see just how many princesses had accompanied him.

    But then Xian remembered the conversation he had spied on in the cabinet room. The Four Thrones and their consorts had joked about how much of the delegations were comprised of women, despite not following Rathania''s matrilineal culture. Xian allowed his gaze to drift over each delegation with this piece of information in mind. Besides the Anaeian princesses, Xian spied several members of Lanrutcon''s Day and Night Court accompanied by what appeared to be several female relatives, Mecadet had sent a number of their priestesses to accompany their ambassador (unless one of those was actually a princess, Xian would be the first to admit Mecadet was a weak point in his education). One by one, each kingdom had some excuse to bring along more women than was usually acceptable. Even the Semetran delegation had a generous number of "maids" to wait on them, as if Xian didn''t recognize them as his juniors from the Lotus Pond. Most likely, these girls wouldn''t make the cut to become a Lotus, and the Gardener had found another chance for them to be useful.

    All to try and catch the eye of the soon-to-be, and very much unwed, King of Fire.

    Xian thought it would all be a wasted effort. Nothing about Prince Naes suggested he would be easily swayed by a pretty face; even if he were not preoccupied by his duties and the threat of war on the horizon, the prince seemed far too...chaste to allow baser desires to cloud his judgment. The plan could have worked on Prince Retniw, he supposed, but he wasn''t entirely sure.

    But then again, Xian''s opinion had not been asked for, so he knew better than to give it.

    All too soon, the sound of trumpets cut through the air, heralding the beginning of the event they had gathered to witness.

    The Four Thrones entered with far more finery and decorum than Xian had seen them in during his other visits. Whereas before, the queens had dressed modestly, if plainly; now they wore their full regalia of Throne colors, gems that caught the sun and dazzled in its light, billowing brocades and trains of fabric that must have taken seamstresses months to complete. And yet, Xian couldn''t help but wonder if they were truly dressed in their best; he couldn''t shake the feeling that somehow, the Four Thrones were holding back. Holding back what, Xian couldn''t name, but the feeling was still there.

    When Prince Naes entered, the entire room stood to greet him. While the prince was clearly putting on a brave face, Xian could see the traces of that scared young man he first spied on. Time would tell if the prince had found his courage to become king, or if he would simply become a better actor. No doubt Xian''s next orders would depend on that information.

    Xian barely paid any mind as the guests took their seats once Prince Naes reached the raised dias, and Guardian Nire began the ceremony. He kept his attention wide open, trying to take in every detail of the busy chamber. What exactly he was looking for, he didn''t know, but surely Akita would demand a report from him after the coronation was over.

    It was as his eyes scanned through the crowd, then back to the front of the throne room, that Xian saw him.

    Dark red hair, golden amber skin, a jaw carved from granite. Even seeing him in profile, Xian recognized the young man who had almost caught him during his first adventure spying on the royal family. But this time, he wasn''t wearing plain clothes. On the contrary, now he wore fine Rathanian regalia, his tabard a deep red embroidered with golden motifs of roses. And flames.

    Xian''s heart leapt into his throat as his gaze flicked from the mystery man to the crown prince, then back to the mystery man. No, not mystery man. Prince.

    Second Prince Lamaj di Alexela of the Throne of Fire.

    It didn''t make any sense, but Xian trusted his eyes to recognize that he was looking at the same face that had thrown a knife at him and chased him across the rooftops of Traverse. But why was a prince spying on the royal family? There were far too many possibilities: a spare prince growing envious of his brother''s birthright, a rebellious teen wanting to test his limits.

    No, those would not explain the skill in which Prince Lamaj had thrown that knife. That was a trained skill. For whatever insane reason that only made sense to the Rathanians, the second prince of the Throne of Fire was training to spy, and perhaps kill.

    Had Xian stumbled upon some dark Rathanian secret? Was this the fate of all spare heirs, once the next heir to the throne was decided and they were no longer needed for the continuation of the dynasty? Xian momentarily glanced at the only other spare heir within the royal family. Could the Rathanians have actually turned such a delicate looking princess into their own version of a Lotus (but wasn''t that her title? The True Rathanian Rose? Was it a hidden threat?)?

    Xian couldn''t allow his mind to explore the possibilities now, he would only get lost in them. Right now, he had to focus on Prince Lamaj, and just what that meant for his mission in Traverse. He hadn''t told the Gardener about being spotted and pursued by the Rathanian, and while Xian wanted to tell himself it was a strategic withholding of unnecessary information, he knew deep down he was afraid of what might have happened if Akita found out he had been made. But Xian could cover up that secret: he hadn''t been captured, and even if the prince had seen him, it wasn''t as if he could ever identify--

    As if summoned by Xian''s thoughts of him, Prince Lamaj''s head turned.

    And looked directly at Xian.

    No, that was impossible. It was just a coincidence, the prince was simply scanning the room, looking at all the people at his brother''s coronation. His attention would move on soon enough...

    But no, the prince''s gaze did not move, his jade green eyes fixed on Xian, and Xian found himself unable to look away, unable to banish the slowly growing feeling of dread coiling in his gut.

    <i>He recognizes me. </i>

    The realization brought a new wave of horror to Xian. Not only had he been made, he had been made by a member of the royal family. But how? Xian had surrendered his face years ago, there should be nothing distinctive about his appearance for the prince to recognize. Could the Rathanians see through the Ryoishi ink that was embedded in his skin? If that was true, was that what had happened to all the Lotuses before him? Had the Rathanians found them out instantly and inflicted their madness on them as punishment?

    What would Prince Lamaj do now? Would he call the guards to apprehend Xian now?

    No, he wouldn''t. No matter how Prince Lamaj recognized Xian, no matter what he may know, they were still in the middle of the coronation of his brother. This was the event of the decade, there was no way the prince would cause a spectacle during such a public event. And even if he were so audacious, Xian was still a Semetran citizen, not a Rathanian. There was no way the Semetran delegation would simply hand him over based on the prince''s word.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    <i>Right?</i>

    Everyone was standing now, the day''s celebrations were beginning. Xian momentarily lost sight of Prince Lamaj as the crowd began their retreat from the throne room to join the Rathanians in their celebrations. His heart skipped a beat when a hand grabbed his wrist, squeezing hard.

    "Why was the second prince of Fire staring at you?" Akita''s voice was barely audible over the murmur of the crowd, but it cut through Xian more than any shout could have.

    Xian opened his mouth, his mind frantically trying to piece together a story explaining his encounter with the prince, and why he hadn''t reported it sooner.

    "I don''t know." The lie tumbled from his lips before he could stop it, even as his wits screamed at him for his foolishness. Why would he try to lie to the Gardener of the Lotus Pond? But it was too late now to recant and tell the truth, not without punishment, "During my observations of the castle, I have seen Prince Lamaj engage in flirtations with several women who either have a degree of Semetran blood, or at least share enough similarities."

    The lie felt vile on his tongue, even if it was by far not the worst lie he had spread during his training in the Lotus Pond.

    Akita looked him over, scrutinizing everything about Xian. It took every ounce of will to stand his ground, to not flinch under his master''s gaze. Finally, the Gardener gave an unimpressed scoff, "You''re far too sharp and lean to convincingly pass for a woman. But Rathanians hardly seem to care about looks."

    Xian didn''t even pay the dismissal of his appearance, too relieved that the lie hadn''t been called out. However, the implication of Akita''s next possible order did leave a strange sensation battering about his chest.

    Without realizing it, Xian''s gaze had once more traveled over the crowds before they once more locked with jade. There was no mistaking the fact that Prince Lamaj was focused solely on Xian, and now the prince was making his way through the crowds to close the distance between them. Xian''s only means of defense was the current crowd, and his position within the delegation, so he followed the same movements they did as they made their exit from the throne room. Xian''s feet carried him even as his gaze was focused on the prince.

    There was steel within those jade-green eyes, determination. But something else was sparkling within those green depths, something Xian was far too uneducated to identify.

    By the time Xian reached the large double doors of the throneroom with the delegation, Prince Lamaj was within arms'' reach. He could reach out and grab Xian; reach out, grab him, and--

    <i>And what?</i>

    But the prince did nothing but stare at Xian.

    So Xian had been right in his assessment. The prince would not make a scene with so many witnesses. He couldn''t help but smirk slightly at that; he was safe for now.

    Then Prince Lamaj smirked back.

    Xian walked past the prince, through the double doors. The prince did not follow. Whatever dangerous game Xian had found himself in, he couldn''t begin to focus on just how he was going to play it. All he could think about was the sheer warmth that seemed to radiate off the prince, how much his touch might burn.

    And how Xian now felt shivers running up his spine.<hr>

    Xian couldn''t believe how quickly he had fallen asleep. When Akita had shown him the small room he would be staying in as part of the delegation, Xian had never seen a bed chamber so fine. Sure, he had grown somewhat accustomed to the western-style beds during the short time he had stayed in Rathania, but there was a big difference between the cot set up in a tavern attic, and the lush down tick that made up the guest room designated as his.

    Perhaps it was the luxury that Xian was unused to. Perhaps it was exhaustion catching up with him. Regardless, Xian was lost to the waking world the moment his head touched the pillow.

    It must have been a deep sleep indeed if dreams began to fill his thoughts. Xian hated sleeping too deeply, if only to avoid any visions of his A-die slumped at the base of the Gilded Emperor''s throne.

    But perhaps the strangeness of Rathania made the dreams so different.

    Xian felt his eyes opening, the moon still visible from his window acting as the source of illumination. But it was enough for Xian to see the fox perched on the window sill.

    But that was impossible, Xian thought, his wits still clinging to him as he fell deeper into the dream. His bedroom was on the sixth story, there was no way for a fox to climb that height. There was no reason for a fox to want to climb that high.

    Unless it was not a fox at all. Xian thought of the stories of all the animal spirits that rebelled against the goddess Tuzai when her husband Zhiyin guided her from the wilds to cultivate agriculture, and how those wild spirits still wandered, preying on the unsuspecting.

    As Xian watched the fox, watching the unnatural calmness that dictated its movements: the gentle sway of its tail, the unblinking stare that never moved from Xian. A stare that cut right through Xian with their far-too-human gaze.

    Xian didn''t want to think about what the goddess Tianxin would divine from the jade green of the fox''s eyes.

    He wished he could claim that his continued thoughts about Prince Lamaj were based solely on his concerns for his cover as a spy, his mission to uncover as many Rathanian secrets as possible. But in the dark recesses of his mind and his heart, there was something twisted and broken within him that craved--

    It was starting, wasn''t it? The madness.

    The fox''s eyes never left Xian as it walked the length of the sill. Its tail only gave a single slow sway before it leaped from the window sill, landing on the foot of Xian''s bed without a sound.

    <i>Please, Jabidanche, Xuewen, whoever can hear my prayers, do not let the madness take me yet.</i> Xian''s heart was in his throat as he spoke, "Spirit, be at peace and leave me be," He whispered, "I have nothing to offer."

    The fox was not appeased by Xian''s feeble attempt to placate it, if the narrowing of its eyes were anything to go by. But Xian could not afford to be spirited away by whatever demon this fox spirit served.

    "Do not be angry, spirit," He hated himself for being so frightened by a dream. Had he not faced worse horrors in his waking hours? Did he not survive years of training in the Lotus Pond? And yet he trembled at the presence of a fox spirit...

    Because a fox spirit could take what Akita and all his cruelty could not.

    "What can I offer you so you will leave me in peace?" Xian''s voice was barely a whisper.

    "You."

    The fox''s voice rang through Xian''s mind as the spirit continued to walk up Xian''s bed. With every step, the fox''s shape began to change: limbs growing, tail vanishing, fur receding to reveal golden amber skin.

    All too soon, Xian was staring up at the image of Prince Lamaj crawling on all fours until he was looming over Xian. This version of the prince wore dark linens, doing his best to blend in with the darkness of the night.

    The prince gave him the same damn smirk they had shared earlier that evening, "If you wish to give an offering, give yourself."

    It was the first time Xian had heard the prince''s voice speak more than a single word, in the same smooth canter that so many Rathanians spoke their Common with. So warm, so inviting...

    Xian resisted. He could not afford to give himself. The Gilded Emperor may own his body, but Xian had to hold on to whatever remained of his mind to continue his work. Just a little while longer...

    Warm fingers touched Xian''s scalp, and Xian flinched as the heat brushed one of the tender spots left behind by the clamps of the wig.

    "That looks so painful..." The prince''s voice murmured, far too close to Xian''s ear.

    The prince then moved, pressing his lips to the irritated flesh of his scalp. And oh, how the touch burned, but Xian could not find the strength to pull away.

    Not when the prince''s lips were against his scalp.

    Or his ear.

    Or his cheek.

    "It''s alright, I''ve got you now," There was a faint rasp to the prince''s voice as their noses brushed against each other. He was too close, too close...

    Xian could feel the heat hovering just above his lips. If he so much as moved, he would be set ablaze.

    "I''m never going to let you go," Prince Lamaj breathed against Xian''s lips, then chased the words with his own lips.

    Despite every effort Xian made to pray for strength, for protection, for his own sanity, the only thing his thoughts could focus on was the sheer heat that came from the prince''s touch, and the fire that came from his kisses.<hr>

    Xian woke with the sun shining through his window, and knew instantly that something was terribly wrong. For as long as he could remember, Xian had always woken at dawn or before. To sleep in so long...had the fox spirit stolen some of his energy, was that why he felt so exhausted?

    To add to Xian''s growing horror, he realized belatedly that he was not alone in his bedroom. Akita stood by Xian''s bed, staring intently down at him.

    "So good of you to finally join the ranks of the living." The disdain in the Gardener''s voice was enough to turn Xian''s stomach.

    At once, Xian bolted upright, "Forgive my insolence, sir--"

    The rest of his apology was instantly lost as the blankets fell away from his body revealing his unclothed torso. Which was not the state of undress that he had gone to bed.

    Shame instantly filled Xian as he hurriedly tried to grab the blankets to cover himself before Akita, "I...I..."

    Normally, the Gardener took offense to the slow-witted and tongue-tied, and Xian could have expected a slap for his inability to speak. Instead, Akita grabbed Xian by his short hair, tilting his head to the side. Xian tamped down the impulse to wince at the flash of pain resonating from his tender scalp.

    "Consider your next words carefully, Lotus," Akita''s gaze brokered no quarter, " and tell me how you got these lovebites."

    Xian could barely contain a gasp at the new information. Lovebites? But Xian hadn''t--

    <i>A strong, callused hand grasped both of Xian''s wrists, pinning them over Xian''s head.</i>

    <i>Fiery lips kissing down his neck, "You have no idea how long I''ve waited for this..."</i>

    <i>The cool brush of teeth against the column of his throat, sending shivers down his entire body.</i>

    <i>"I won''t let you get away again," The threat (the promise?) murmured between bites and kisses.</i>

    Xian felt his entire body grow cold at the realization. The dream, the fox spirit, the illusion of the prince...

    It had all been real.

    The world was still spinning as the words tumbled from his lips, "Second Prince Lamaj..." he whispered.

    Akita raised an eyebrow, "The Second Prince of Fire came to your room for a tryst?"

    Xian couldn''t even nod at the Gardener''s words, still struggling to come to terms with the truth of his situation. "Yes, sir..."

    "And you welcomed his advances?"

    Bile gathered in Xian''s mouth. He knew it was true, but something recoiled to hear Akita say it so dismissively, "...yes, sir."

    Akita scoffed, "So it really is true that Rathanians have no shame," He released his hold on Xian''s hair, "But the prince''s strange tastes will serve Semetra well. Men''s lips are loosest in bed, and if the prince chooses to frequent your bed, then you''ll be the one to hear all the secrets he might reveal."

    Xian was no stranger to seducing targets, or to sending the female Lotuses to seduce targets. Seduction granted access to a target''s inner sanctum, private information that could become blackmail material or reveal a target''s true allegiance.

    "I hear and I obey, Master Akita."

    So why did Xian feel so vile?

 Part 3: Briar

    Xian looked over the pile of missives that had found their way to his desk and closed his eyes. There should not be this many. Either someone was dying, or someone had far too much time on their hands.

    When he opened his eyes once more, he went about sorting each missive by its sender. When a majority of the missives went to the same stack, Xian couldn''t help but smirk.

    A knock sounded outside his office.

    "Enter." Xian took each stack and set them to one side of the desk. He would read them after business was finished here.

    The door slid open, and a young woman stepped inside. Her boots were already in her hand as she set them by the doorway, walking to Xian''s desk without a word. When Xian nodded, she knelt on the other side of the desk, sitting back on her heels.

    "You''re back early, Bytzel," Xian finally said, "I was not expecting you back for another fortnight. Why the change?"

    Bytzel clenched her fists, and Xian could see the dagger forming between her pale brows. Something had happened; the assignment was aborted, she was already upset about it.

    "I had to abandon the lead on Curth di Ede," She finally admitted, bowing her head.

    Xian hummed, "Tell me what happened."

    "I tracked him down to his operation in Magevault. He is using The Tipsy Goose as a front, he was meeting with several associates at a back table." Bytzel began, her fists clenching and unclenching over the fabric of her trousers.

    He nodded, not pressing her with questions. She would speak, she always did; there was always more to hear than just her words alone.

    When Bytzel continued, Xian could hear how her volume had decreased, her words unsteady. "I went in disguised as a patron traveling to visit family, and I took a seat at a table near Curth''s. But after a while, they all had several drinks, and they noticed me--"This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Xian bit his tongue, locking every muscle in his body to keep from showing any outward signs of distress. It would not help now.

    "It was just a couple of drunks, nothing I hadn''t dealt with before," Bytzel admitted, and Xian nodded. It was an unfortunate fact that Bytzel, with her golden curls, rosy cheeks, and ample build, had a tendency to attract attention whenever she allowed herself to be seen. She had become quite adept at remaining unseen, but there were times when it simply couldn''t be helped.

    "But then one of them grabbed me..." Bytzel trailed off, her hand vaguely moving over the vicinity of her chest as if to finish her sentence that way. "Asked me to join them for a nightcap..."

    Xian counted to ten in his mind. First in Common, then in Semetran, then in Beleza because it took him so damn long.

    Let her finish in her own time. If she needs help, she will let him know.

    Bytzel bit her lip, "I, uh... punched him in the throat, but Curth had seen me by that time. So I made my exit as soon as I could. I don''t know if I was made, but I know that Curth would recognize me if he saw me again."

    "I see." Xian said softly, standing from his desk, "Outside."

    The young woman followed Xian''s movement, trailing behind him as he stepped out onto the small veranda connected to his office. When both were outside, Xian slowly slid the office door shut behind them.

    "Are you alright?" He asked gently, allowing his shoulders to drop slightly. Business was business within the walls of the office, but this was not business.

    "Yeah, nothing happened," Bytzel murmured, "I didn''t let him take me anywhere, and I was able to extricate myself quickly."

    "That is not what I asked." Xian had far too much experience to allow Bytzel to skirt around the question, "Were you hurt?"

    Bytzel stiffened at that, "...just some bruising, sir. It''s all healed now."

    "You should have kneed him while you were at it," Xian muttered, "You made the right call."

    "But I could have gotten more information if I had gone along with it!"

    "You could have also ended up like the other trafficked girls," Xian shook his head, "I can send someone else to tail Curth. I''d much rather do that than send someone to fetch your body."

    Bytzel flinched at that, and Xian cursed whatever monsters had taught her how to flinch.

    Slowly, Xian raised both his arms, keeping them open enough to create the invitation. Almost instantly, his arms were full of the young woman, her face pressed against the side of his neck.

    "I thought I was going to be taken back," She whispered, "It was like I was back there, and the madam was negotiating prices with a client."

    "You''re not back in that dreadful place," Xian said gently, resting one hand between her shoulder blades, "You are back, you are safe; that is what matters."

    They remained like that for several minutes, and if Xian felt several wet spots forming on his hanfu, he made no mention of it.

 Briar: Chapter 1

    It fell into a routine far too easily for Xian. Any time he saw Prince Lamaj in passing, he would offer him a coy smile or smirk, since that seemed to be the expression that the prince seemed to enjoy the most. At night, the prince would sneak into Xian''s room; not always in the form of a fox, but always some form of animal. Xian wondered if perhaps the prince had some ability to change his shape at will, or if it was limited to simply animals.

    Each night they spent together, Xian would listen to the stories the prince would tell him about his childhood, about his family. It was surreal to hear him speak so candidly about the royal family that drew so much suspicion across the realm, but Xian did his best to soak up every piece of information he could.

    But even though he knew he had an assignment to carry out, it was difficult to report back to Akita. Xian would give him what information he could, but so much of it didn''t seem helpful at all to Semetra or the Emperor. Sure, Lamaj had confirmed that Prince Retniw seemed smitten with Princess Samiya, and that the royal family intended to put her on the throne of Zilynth, but other than that... It wasn''t like geopolitical strategy was acceptable pillow talk.

    And then there were the things that Xian kept to himself. He didn''t tell the Gardener that Lamaj loved spicy foods, or that he still wept when he talked about his mother too long. He didn''t report that the queens were prone to cursing like sailors when not acting within their royal duties, or that once a week, the kitchen staff were given the day off so the royal family would cook for themselves; he didn''t mention that Prince--no, King Naes hated olives, and would often times try to sneak them onto Lamaj''s plate when he wasn''t looking (Lamaj always noticed, but never said anything). He didn''t say how protective Lamaj was over his little brother and his baby sisters, or how often they had slept in his bed or their father''s bed since the death of their mother.

    It was like Xian was hoarding copper pieces, but he couldn''t bring himself to report any of those things. The Emperor didn''t need them, surely it would be no harm for Xian to keep them...

    "You''re holding back."

    Xian held his breath as he stood before Akita, hands clasped behind his back, "I apologize for the lack of viable information, sir," He demurred, head bowed, "I''m afraid the prince was feeling nostalgic last night, he only spoke of his family''s summer trips to Perpone and the sabbaticals spent there."Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    The Gardener raised an eyebrow, "A rather out-of-the-way place to summer, especially with the roads being the way they are designed."

    "Lamaj...Prince Lamaj said there was a more direct route that the royal family used. It made the trip much shorter, less winding." Xian added, hoping against hope that Akita would not notice his slip.

    Akita''s eyes narrowed, but he made no comment on the slip in name, "Show me the route." He said instead, moving to the map laid out on his desk.

    Xian frowned slightly at that, but did as he was told, tracing the path as his mind eye had conjured it when Lamaj had described it to him, "I doubt this will be of much use, it reveals nothing of either Zilynth''s or Rathania''s true motives for this war."

    Silence filled the room, and Xian realized he had made a terrible mistake.

    "It is not your place to doubt, Lotus," Akita''s voice was cold as ice.

    Xian swallowed, his eyes downcast, "Yes sir.  I forgot myself."

    The Gardener did not relent, one hand reaching out to wrap around Xian''s throat, "Indeed you have. Make no mistake about your position in this life, Lotus," A slight squeeze made it difficult for Xian to swallow, "You belong to Semetra, to the Gilded Emperor. Even if you are being rented out to the Rathanian prince for the time being, do not forget that he is paying for your body with information. Make sure he pays."

    This was hardly the first time Xian had been punished by the Gardener, this wasn''t even the fiercest of lectures or the harshest punishment. But every word from Akita''s mouth twisted with more agony than the knife the Gardener had used on him when Xian had failed to translate a document fast enough for his liking.

    Then Akita¡¯s eyes narrowed, his thumb pressing into the hollow of Xian¡¯s throat, ¡°I wonder, Lotus, if you are not already succumbing to the madness of Rathania.¡±

    Xian couldn¡¯t hide the tremor that shook his body. Not when Akita had him by the throat. Not when Xian had been harboring the same fears in the recesses of his heart.

    He thought back to all those journal entries of the Lotuses who came before him, the ones shortly before each of them vanished. The euphoria, the craving each of them described, how completely unbelievable it had all sounded when he had first read those entries. Now, when Xian looked back on his own entries in his journal, he saw more and more similarities. He was understanding it more and more.

    But he couldn''t lose himself to the madness yet. Just a little bit longer. If he could just hold on to his sanity just a bit longer...

    "No, sir, I am of sound mind," Xian whispered, his voice hindered by the Gardener''s hold, and for that he was grateful. Xian didn''t think he could have mustered anything louder than a whisper if he tried.

    "Are you sure?" Akita''s voice was low, and the older man''s face was mere inches from Xian''s. "Are you sure you are the one in control and not the enemy?"

    Xian opened his mouth again, only to shut it again. His first instinct had not been to answer Akita''s question, but to ask if Rathania was even Semetra''s enemy.

    He was running out of time.

    "I am in control, sir," Xian repeated, "I am of sound mind, and I have not lost myself to the Rathanian madness."

    For now.