Of course, I didn’t enjoy the party. Anyone who expected me to probably didn’t know me very well, although I assumed Mother knew that.

It occupied more than just the great hall of the city palace, but sprawled over most of the first floor, and probably to upper levels as well. I assumed a lot of politicking happened and deals were made in the side rooms while it lasted. And it was probably going to take hours.

I’d made my way through a few corridors and side rooms so far, and was now approaching the big one. Its pair of double doors stood wide open, connecting the party to the rest of the house. I took deep breath, tensing and then relaxing my muscles, before I stepped into the room. It was crowded. Along one wall, buffet tables were set up, laden with an array of food that I could smell from several rooms over. But not many people seemed to take advantage of it.

I put on a smile and started working my way through the room. Times like these, I appreciated my eidetic memory, which allowed me to place almost every guest. All of them wore ornate clothes that made the decorations of the room look cheap in comparison, which was saying something. The noise of the crowd seemed to bore into my head with each passing minute, but I managed.

I noticed Wei over at the opposite side of the room, and tried to make my way over to him.

But someone stepped into the way, introducing themselves with a bow and congratulating me on the victory. I gave a polite response, then disengaged. But during the interruption, Wei had disappeared. Great, where did he go?

The second I stood still to look for him cost me, as even more people pushed towards me. Everyone seemed to want my attention. Of course, I was the guest of honor.

So I grinned and bore it, greeting everyone politely and making small talk. They seemed to catch on that I didn’t like talking about the war, as questions about that topic came up less and less. But I tried my best to make connections or at least not alienate anyone. I wasn’t desperate to network, but it would be stupid to mess up this opportunity. It helped that everyone was respectful to a fault.

Well, almost everyone. A few times, I detected less respectful undercurrents to their words.

“Your Highness, how remarkable that someone with your low level of cultivation threw themselves into fighting like that. Even going out to meet the nomads yourself. Truly, the bravery!” The smile of the older woman with the elaborate hairdo and rings glittering on her fingers edged dangerously close to smirking.

It should be safe to ignore those kinds of insinuations instead of taking offense. They wouldn’t attack me too badly at my own victory party, no matter what rumors they had heard. Although I couldn’t help wondering if any of these people I talked to might be a traitor.

I forced a smile. This was annoying. “Oh, not as such. Any of my soldiers and the noble warriors accompanying me showed just as much bravery. An inspiration, aren’t they? Fighting for the Empire even though they could have chosen to hide and cower behind others.”

The smile on the lady’s face froze. I didn’t wait for her to answer, but turned to the next noble wanting my attention. I had more talking to do.

Although I did try to take notes of the relationships between the gathered people. I lacked much of the context, but I tried to pay attention to who talked to whom for longer than usual, or who avoided someone else. One thing I noticed was the elder of clan Lirta, who stuck to the edges. I didn’t plan on letting them off free for their screw-ups, though I’d confer with Mother on that sometime. But the nobles seemed to snub them already.

I didn’t catch sight of Mother anywhere. Or Kiyanu, he’d probably left after she returned. Al was nowhere to be seen as well, although I didn’t know if he actually attended.

Finally, I reached the buffet table and found a bit of empty space. I relaxed a little and grabbed a plate.

“You’re doing better than I thought, Inaris,” Tenira said.

I glanced over my shoulder, where she’d just come up. Looking at her, I didn’t see any sign that her relaxed attitude and good cheer was fake. “I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or not.”

She reached over to grab what looked like a muffin from a platter, coming closer to me in the process. “You’re putting up a good front,” she said, more quietly. “But there are a few tells. A hint of tension in your posture, a pause before speaking that’s a little too long. I’m sure some noticed, but it’s not enough to really remark on. Doesn’t mean I don’t know you actually just want to leave.”

I exhaled. I should have anticipated that; I knew Tenira was perceptive, and looked out for me. “So?”

“I think you’ve done enough that no one would be upset if you slipped away a little,” she said. “Maybe to a less occupied room.”

I put down the plate I’d been filling and smiled at her. “Thanks for the reassurance.”

Deciding she was right, I started leaving the room. Of course, I had to speak to a few more people on the way, but soon managed to escape into a back corridor that seemed pretty empty.

I took a deep breath and rolled my shoulders. Why do I find it more taxing to be at a party than marching to battle? Shaking my head, I walked down the corridor. But after a few steps, I paused, as I recognized the person stepping out of a side room.

We came to a stop and stared at each other for a brief moment. Tia Yarani wore clothes that wouldn’t have looked out of place on another party guest, embroidered cultivator’s robes with a cut that emphasized her figure, but the hesitation in her bearing showed how lost she probably felt.

She bowed. “My lady.”

I took another step closer and smiled. “Tia Yarani! It’s good to see you. How are you holding up?”

“I’m fine, thank you.”

I hesitated, feeling awkward about the whole situation. “I hope no one is making trouble for you?”

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She gave me a fleeting smile. “Not at all. I think people are curious, but no one has been hostile.”

Hm. They’re probably waiting to figure out what our relationship is exactly, and trying to butter her up.

“Great. And have you started to settle in?”

“Ah, not really. I’m unsure where I’m supposed to go, to be honest.” She gave me a nervous smile.

I ran a hand through my hair. “I think you’re getting accommodations in quarters close to mine. Someone is going to arrange that, and you should be able to offer input. But I have to admit I’m not sure who would be responsible for that. Maybe ask Tenira?”

She nodded. “Of course, my lady.”

She still seemed hesitant. Maybe they didn’t get along well? I considered asking, but decided not to. I wasn’t going to let her be bullied, but I wouldn’t meddle too much.

“Is there anything else, my lady?” she asked.

“You can call me Inaris when we’re in private,” I said.

She nodded.

A part of me wanted to just tell her to come to my rooms tonight. I knew she would. But I had resolved to take things slowly. I wanted to get to know her first, show her I was serious about not pressing, establish some trust. So I only smiled and said, “Enjoy the party.” Then I started walking again.

She stepped aside to let me pass, then after a moment I could sense her presence moving in the opposite direction. I glanced back and couldn’t help staring for a moment before I tore my gaze away. Those robes really showed off her curves.

Feeling a little better, I continued on. The next room over opened onto a large balcony. Most of the wall was sliding glass doors that had been opened all the way, letting the evening air in. I stopped and glanced around. A few guards had trailed behind me, standing at a respectful distance. One of them went out onto the balcony. The room looked pretty empty, its wide space not filled by a few small tables and chairs.

I walked to the other side of the room, until I had a good view of the city. They could probably see me if I stepped out onto the balcony, so I stopped here and gazed out. I could still hear the party behind me, and noise of other celebrations in the city drifted to me, too. Sounded like everyone had a good time.

The knowledge that one of them, at least, had to be a spy soured my mood. I hadn’t gotten any clues from watching the other guests at the party. But whoever it was wouldn’t be stupid enough to out themselves in any obvious manner.

I sighed and told the guards to fetch me a drink. It was a party, after all, and I felt like this view called for sipping from a glass. But my attention wasn’t really on it.

It might not be any of the people in here, I considered. Maybe just an officer or noble from the south who stayed there, but has good connections to the capital. It could even be someone from my retinue. Maybe some intra-family intrigue? Tenira would be the obvious candidate, but she could have done a lot better than that.

I took a sip from my newly arrived glass, only noting the bite in it dimly as I pondered those options.

I was so deep in thought that the sound of someone opening the door with energy just as I was taking another sip made me sputter in surprise. I put down the glass and quickly took a piece of cloth a guard handed me to wipe my face.

“There you are, Inaris!” Lei said cheerfully.

I turned around, shaking my head. “I didn’t sense you coming.”

“Oh, my bad.” His aura became more visible. “I was experimenting with darkness techniques and must have kept my presence suppressed. Sorry.”

I sighed and laid the handkerchief on the table. I really should pay more attention to my surroundings, especially now. He hadn’t been that stealthy, my guards probably assumed I’d sensed him. “No worries. Were you looking for me?”

He came closer and shook his head, smiling again. “Not really, I just hadn’t seen you in the other rooms. Are you hiding from the party, all alone here by yourself?”

I grimaced, then shrugged. What did it matter? “Sort of. I just wanted a moment to myself.”

“I know the feeling. Well, I was going to head out, back to the palace. If that’s alright with you?”

“Sure.” I had a thought. “If you’re going to check on our lab, let me know how things stand?”

“Of course.”

He didn’t bat an eye, which confirmed he’d planned to check on the lab. I was starting to understand what he was like.

“The telegraphs are a big success, and the others have already looked at plans for the radio,” Lei said, sounding more excited. “Plus they want to start a large-scale project for their agricultural plan.”

“I know, it sounds great. Get back safely.”

I watched him leave and picked up my glass again. I was looking forward to working on research and development again. Especially with the impact we’d have on the Empire. Although I should probably focus a little more on the social side.

I stepped closer to a window, gazing out over the city. How much might I change these people’s lives, with my knowledge from Earth? How much would I effect by using my status?

A silhouette on the balcony moved, which brought my thoughts back to the present. Namely, the traitor who was, apparently, working against me. Was this the reason? Did they fear the potential change I might bring?

But something else tickled at the corner of my mind, finally surfacing as I focused on my surroundings. Maybe I’d been too comfortable, drawn the subject pool of possible traitors I’d considered too narrow. After all, who was closer to me than the guards? One of the servants could be a spy, too. Do I really know they’re trustworthy? And the guards, as well. Sure, they’re vetted, but it’s not like that’s foolproof.

The guards were talking in the background, in low voices, but by the time I focused my attention on it, they’d fallen silent.

I couldn’t help but picture the praetorian guard, responsible for the downfall of more than one Roman emperor. I clenched my fists, feeling dizzy at that thought and its implications.

It took a second for me to realize the dizziness I felt was more substantial than imagining something bad. My hands had started to tremble a little, and the dizziness was intensifying, until the room seemed to sway around me just a little.

I lowered my gaze to the glass, which was almost empty. My hands clenched, but I forced myself not to throw it away, and instead put it on a nearby table before backing away.

I turned around, paused for a moment to adjust, and started walking.

I’m an idiot. I breathed out. The world around me seemed to fade farther away, like a layer of wool around my head isolated me from it. But I forced myself to keep moving, not to show anything.

Should I call Aston? I can probably trust him. But … I walked into the corridor, and realized that most of the guards around me had left, with only a few remaining. My pulse quickened even more, and I tried to take deep breaths. I need to call Mother. But we don’t have phones, and I don’t have the time to figure out where she is … Calling for help might just tip them off, whoever it is.

The corridor was still deserted. But I’d looked at the plans for this place, so I knew my way around. I hurried up a little, trying not to let the dizziness slow me down.

What happened here? I wrecked my brain, but didn’t remember anything noteworthy. That was one of the limits to the eidetic memory that I’d discovered. Something theoretically in range of my senses that I didn’t pay attention to wouldn’t be caught. Probably needs to enter working memory or something.

I shook my head, trying to focus on the situation. There still wasn’t anyone in sight, although I could sense a few guards. I was tempted to turn around and get a good look, maybe confront them, but didn’t want to let on that something was off. And where’s Mother, anyway?

I took a moment to focus on my qi senses, even though it made the dizziness worse. But I couldn’t sense her anywhere here. Probably left the party. She hasn’t reacted. Maybe it’s like with the memory thing? I didn’t know how her senses really worked. If she was distracted, and this wasn’t too much of a disturbance, she might not notice.

I took a deep breath and tried not to let anything show. I couldn’t risk trying to attract attention, could I? My guards were closer, one of them could probably kill me before anything else happened. If they were the traitor. If they felt threatened, exposed …

After what felt like an hour, I finally reached the door I was looking for — the bathroom. Ripping the door open, I stepped inside. The tremor in my hands was still there, and I slammed the door as I tried to close it. But I was alone now.

I could only hope I was in time to get most of the poison out.