after Bao, he quickly sealed the box and set it aside. When he had time later, he would set it into his hiding place in hopes that no one would find it.
By the time she turned around, the robe was safely out of sight. She looked about to say something, but a sound outside the door made her jump and she hurried instead to begin preparing the robe his aunt expected him to wear that night. Chien spared a moment of curiosity for what she might have said, but then his attention was torn once more between Bao and his plan.
After twenty minutes of bustling around, the woman turned and looked like she might speak once more. Whatever the problem, she seemed to think better of it. Instead, she bowed and left as quietly as she had arrived. Curious once more, Chien dressed quickly before taking advantage of the time alone to move to his hiding spot, the board he had pried loose years ago to hide his secrets beneath. Bao's gift went inside. Chien could not resist stroking his fingers against it once more before reaching further into the hole and pulling free a pouch.
Everbloody was a highly illegal substance. The base ingredients were found in the base of the mountains in the north, a perilous journey. Any shaman who dared to create the substance risked death, as some of the components were known to release a deadly air if combined incorrectly. The shaman who had sold him the vial had carried burn marks all over his arms, and Chien had seen a hint of the burn across his face. Some called it devils magic. Everbloody rendered the body incapable of stopping the flow of blood. The blood would continue to flow until there was none left. It was messy. It was painful. It was for making a point.
The sharp knock on the door made Chien jump, and he quickly secured his hiding place and hid the vial within his sleeve before the men entered, their faces impassable. Right now, they saw him as nothing more than an annoyance. His aunt's rather idiotic nephew. He wondered how many of them would turn on him if they knew the truth. How many would support him?
The banquet hall was nearly full by the time he entered. He made his bows to his aunt and she gave a small laugh, "You are quite late dear nephew."
"I apologize, Empress."
"It is no matter. Tonight is a night of relaxation, not one for apologies." Chien took his seat, one tier beneath his cousins as she continued, "Even in such sad times we must find time to relax and enjoy the small things. The revolution is nearly at an end, so my minister informs me."
Around them, the men attending the banquet muttered amongst themselves. Mai would only invite those she considered loyal to her, and they had long since learned the price of speaking against her, even if they did not believe her.
"Is your wine not to your taste, cousin?" Chien tore himself from his thoughts to focus on Minh. He wore the same gold as his mother, his superior smirk making Chien impatient to see the end of this all. When Minh would lie on the ground dying with the realization that he was not at all the smartest man. That he had been beaten.
Chien swallowed his feelings and gave Minh a vague smile, "I must admit, I've been unsettled since you told me of your plans. I worry the general may suspect."
"I had wondered why he paid you a visit." So Minh had known. Hardly surprising. He studied Chien with a critical eye, "He would not suspect you. He is far too distracted by his interest in you."
"Interest?" Perhaps Minh was more perceptive than he had given him credit for.
Minh shook his head. "Nevermind. You should not worry, cousin. No one will discover why Tuan has fallen. They will simply believe he has overworked himself." And even if they did discover the reason, Minh had arranged it so that Chien would be blamed instead. "You did bring what I asked, correct?" Only a simpleton would have been fooled by such a foolish plan.
"Of course." Chien's fingers brushed against the vial hidden within his sleeve. A reminder that no matter what part he played, he was still in control. There were days he feared he might find that he had lost himself completely. That in all the years leading to this moment, he might have forgotten why he fought. His biggest fear was that one day he might find forgiveness. That he might leave all the wrong his aunt had done unchallenged and learn to live with the loneliness his aunt had inflicted upon him.
"Then it will be simple. Wait until after the Empress has finished her welcome then offer him a glass for good luck tomorrow."
"Do you think he would accept such a thing from me?" Of course he would. Everyone believed Chien was dangerous only to himself.
"You will have to convince him, cousin. I believe in you." Smug pig. Chien turned his attention back to the mass of tables a few steps below them. The Empress had invited the highest ranking of her council and the ministries to celebrate this night.
As his eyes wandered the crowd, he caught sight of a shadow in the corner to the left of the Empress. No matter how much he tried to sink into the shadow, Bao would never be the type to face away. There was something about his manner that refused to be ignored or passed over.
The moment their eyes met, Bao's mouth quirked in a knowing grin. Irritated, Chien glared at him before turning his eyes purposefully forward. Yet another area where he feared he was losing control. He was thankfully distracted by the loud whispers of two women sitting at the table closest to him.
"If the two princes are fighting for the right to inherit, shouldn't Prince Chien take part as well?"
"Could you imagine him ruling the empire?" The second woman laughed, "The Throne of Swords recognizes strength, not stupidity. The best Prince Chien could ever hope to do is marry advantageously. If he gets a pretty enough wife, everyone will forget how empty his head is." She laughed at her own joke.
"But he should be fighting," the first woman continued to insist, "If it's to be fair and all. He is of the blood."
"I hear tale that he is not even his father's son. That his aunt did his mother a favor by taking him in."
"You think she had an affair?"
"She's from the eastern province, after all."
Chien turned then and the women seemed to realize that they had been overheard. The one on the left with her painted face and brightly colored robes was not the one who had spoken poorly of his mother. That belonged to the older one. She had not bothered with makeup which meant she was likely married to one of his aunt's court. He thought he recognized her. She was dressed fully in black, a widow then. In fact, looking at her, Chien was almost sure that her husband had been number eleven on his list.
She stared at him dismissively before registering that there was something different about him this time. Something not at all like the dunce prince she was accustomed to. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment and she inclined her head toward him. "The next time you speak ill of my mother will be the last you speak at all." His voice was low enough that his threat didn't carry much further than her and her friend and she gasped.
Fear lit in her eyes and she squirmed on her seating pillow, clearly wishing she could be as far from him as possible, but held by social dictates.
The room fell silent as the Empress began her welcome speech. Chien did not need to focus on her words.
It did not matter what she said now. By this time tomorrow, she would be dead. He would not hide in the night like she had but face her head on. Everything she had, everything she valued, would be destroyed. In that moment before her death she would understand what it felt like to be completely alone. And in that moment, he would know true success.
He played with the silk of his sleeve as he thought, running his fingers along it. With the Empress dead he would have success at last, but then would come the hardest part. Then he would have to see if the empire would follow his lead. His aunt had taken control of an army; Chien had but his sword and the right of his blood behind him.
"Cousin!" Minh once again pulled him from his thoughts, and Chien turned to him, his confusion working in his favor. Minh looked around before pointing to his cup.
Chien had barely turned forward before one of the servants delivered a full glass of wine with a sweet smile. Once she had turned to deli
ver elsewhere, Chien lifted his hand and uncorked the vial. The shaman had said that a few drops would do, but nearly half of the vial had spilled before he stopped it and slipped the vial back into his sleeve. He didn't have to turn to feel Minh's approving smile.
There was another stare on him, however, one with enough intensity to make him feel completely exposed. No one met his eyes though when he made a quick sweep of the lower tables. To his right, Tuan was fully and completely occupied by his food. A glance up to the upper platform reserved for the Empress showed that she was deep in discussion.
He was being paranoid. The one failing of treason was the fear that everyone was looking for you. Chien stood gracefully to his feet and walked to Tuan's table. Tuan barely acknowledged his presence as he knelt to sit beside him. "Cousin."
Tuan turned to face him at last, cold indifference upon his face. Unlike his brother, he had never seen the purpose in learning to deal with people. His strength had always scared off those who his position had not managed to. "Go back to your seat, Chien." He growled. Chien knew his mother had ordered them to present a polite image in front of others. Chien had his supporters as well and the belief that the son of the former emperor supported the current Empress kept more rebellions at bay.
"I have brought you a drink. A wish of good luck