Tyaniis let Dyni swim the aazh back into the city, leaving the small boat as soon as possible to take the streets back to her waiting ship. Thankfully, Ssiina had wanted to go with Phaeliisthia as well, which saved Tyaniis from trying to convince her own rebellious daughter, even if that meant letting her think it was her idea.

Without Phaeliisthia’s presence, Tyaniis almost blended into the crowd. Her size and bearing set her apart, as they always did, and the pair made it onto her ship without issue. Unloading had finished, and they set off quickly, on a course out the mouth of the Hssyri and right back up the main shipping channel.

Her course was to the city of Ess’Siijiil, the largest port in the Empire of Jii’Kalaga and the only one open to outsiders.

The city was also the likeliest place the item of origin for Issa’s curse came in through.

Ussyri Noksi staying behind for a week was certainly a setback. However, if she gained any amount of information from Phaeliisthia, that would be an undeniable boon for their plan. Tyaniis didn’t particularly like working with her anyway. But she has connections, and I need those right now.

The most important part was done: her daughters were safe for now.

Sseti—no, Issa—was returned to her, but with a vile curse attached. Undeniably powerful, it would nonetheless be a detriment to a hssen, where prestige was everything. And that was if she could control it without losing herself.

Tyaniis didn’t share the same fears of the Temple—not quite. Any advantage should be pressed. Every resource leveraged.

Right now, Hssen Tyaniis Ssyri’Jiilits was on a warpath.

She coiled at the prow of her ship as it exited the last of the wind-torn trees and into the brilliant dual blues of the ocean and sky. How far had I buried myself these last twelve years? Tyaniis inhaled deeply. I’m sorry, Hinssa. Now, maybe, I have another chance.

I may not be Jii’Hssen, but I am still hssen.

“Mistress?” a steady, but high voice interrupted Tyaniis’s musings.

Reintroducing Issa would mean not only admitting a mistake, but allowing for her name to be changed from Sseti would face severe backlash from some ussen and hssen. Assuming Tyaniis’s long-estranged daughter reached adulthood by the time she left Phaeliisthia’s care—a pang of regret lanced through the immense kelaniel at that thought—the decision could be made her own and thus accepted begrudgingly.

But her curse?

“Mistress,” Dyni repeated more firmly. “Is there something you would have me do?”

Tyaniis turned and regarded Dyni. “Perhaps.”

“I am… unsure what to do with the time granted me by my leave of duty guarding Hssen Ssiina.” Dyni lowered her head.

Tyaniis crossed her arms over her chest. “Dyni, what marks hssen as blessed by Jaezotl?”

Dyni’s eyes widened. “Ah… would you like an answer for all hssen, or specifics for traits among that most holy of classes outside the ranks of ssyri’ssen?”

Tyaniis smiled predatorily. “Astute as ever. Specifics, if you will.”

Dyni nodded, and began to answer unquestioningly. “Hssen are blessed by Jaezotl in the form of latent magical abilities, but the origin of, and strength of that blessing is dependent on more than just birthright. Many among hssen, Mistress included, show stronger ties to the bloodline of origin for the blessing that came to define our empire.

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“Kelaniel are a unification of lania’el and ke’lania, exemplifying all traits of both. Chief among those distinctions are those born ra’zhii, of both physical sexes. Like you and Hssen Issa, all ra’zhii demonstrate a unification of the patron father Jaezotl and the life granting mother of the indomitable Hssyri river. Whether they choose to identify more with one, the other, or neither, is of equal validity.

“Does this answer satisfy Mistress?” Dyni finished with a deep bow.

Tyaniis hummed low, deep in thought once again. “Why do you imagine I would ask you to explain such a thing, knowing full well your knowledge myself?”

Dyni raised her head from her bow to meet Tyaniis’s golden eyes. “The matter of Issa’s curse, perhaps?”

“Precisely. To be not only hssen, not only kelaniel, but ra’zhii and to be cursed so would admit the blessing to be fallible. I wonder: what manner of being has sunk hooks into Issa’s very soul?”

Dyni paled. “A being most terrible.”

“Indeed. Although, you are also aware I do not hold the blessing of Jaezotl as quite the shield against malady and malice the same way many others do. Our sire’s fervor for it left quite the distaste for such claims of immunity in my sister and I.”

“I am,” Dyni repeated carefully.

“You know then, that the source had been brought to Ess’Siijiil where my daughter was kept, and that the likely culprit is ussen, or potentially kss’kaa.”

“I… do, yes,” Dyni started to shake.

“You understand then, the importance of what I am about to ask of you.”

The bodyguard clenched her fists together and set her jaw. “Anything for you, Mistress.”

“I do not doubt your loyalty, Dyni. When we arrive in Ess’Siijiil to… investigate to orphanage that had ‘housed’ my daughter, and when we return to Ess’Sylantziis, I will trust you to be my eyes and ears in the places where my gaze alone would change what may be seen.”

Dyni almost choked. “Mistress…”

“I will not ask that of you, Dyni. An oath sworn by blood as I have given you is not something I will break. Not for fear of reprisal, but born of respect. Be my eyes and ears, and perhaps my mouth if needed, but you do not need to be my fangs.”

“Then…?”

“I will take action myself. Ignorance is no excuse for forcing such a miserable life upon my daughter—for not recognizing who and what she is.” Tyaniis realized she had splintered the railing under her grip and relaxed her hands. “You may rise, Dyni.”

Dyni was silent for a long while, and when she rose it was with a solemn look. “Do not go too far, Hssen Tyaniis. Do not debase yourself.”

“I will try.” Tyaniis turned back to the prow of the ship. “I need time with my thoughts, Dyni. You are dismissed. And… thank you.”

Dyni stiffened. “Of course, Mistress.”

Hssen Tyaniis listened as the former assassin slithered back down belowdecks. To think Hinssa’s kind words held both your blade and mine all those years ago. If only the second they’d hired had half the heart you do, Dyni.

Perhaps… perhaps the second assassin’s masters were not from the same faction as the first? Tyaniis shuddered, the memories of that night too harsh to revisit. The former Jii’Hssen candidate turned back to the ocean ahead, watching the shifting surface glitter in the afternoon light. She had a lot to think about.

Firstly, in the face of her sister’s planned reforms, a loss of faith in the absolute authority of the hssen would be disastrous. Combined with the considered-unthinkable act of adopting an ea to the class, there could be rebellion.

Second, there was the matter of the Temple’s position. Hssen and ussen authority was already limited de jure, and a loss of de facto power would cause many to seek guidance outside Jaezotl, to other, potentially darker powers.

Some ussen already had, clearly. Issa’s story and her curse were proof enough of that. Tyaniis just needed to find who was responsible: what branch of a family tree needed pruning.

Unlike many hssen, Tyaniis did not hold Jaezotl as the sole absolute authority in the celestial realm. Hinssa had taught her of elven deities, their worship long driven underground. Tyaniis had come to respect them as well as the Serpent God, if on a lower level.

Whatever had a connection to Issa was no god—at least not in the sense as she understood. No: it was far, far worse. That much she believed of Ussyri Noksi’s borderline-terrified confession to her nearly three weeks ago. All this made it even more important to ensure Issa could be cured or could control this power.

Not only were foreigners, mostly humans, increasingly arriving to the Empire from far-flung, war-torn shores, but they brought with them their own deities and ideas. The Temple was divided over how to proceed. Some welcomed these things—faith was not a limited resource. Others condemned them. In between were the mediators and those who had yet to choose a side—like the current Jii’Ssyri.

If a rumor began that a hssen was taken and then corrupted?

Tyaniis didn’t want to think about it. Fomenting a division of the Temple and full civil war between the already fractious ussen was not something the hssen planned to do.

Her daughters couldn’t well have the life they deserved if that happened, could they? So long as she could make up for her own failings and give them that life, however, Tyaniss would consider every option available to her. Every resource. Every potential source of leverage.

Tyaniis’s lips curled over extended fangs into a sardonic smile. Whatever it takes.