Soo Hebin lightly outlined the smooth slope of her neck with her finger tips, her oval face tilted in the mirror as she peered at her skin with satisfaction.

Despite being in her forties, she looked remarkably young, but that of course was thanks to all of her painstaking efforts. Frankincense, rose oils, creams… Only the best.

Lowering her eyes, she stood from the silk cushion of her stool causing her four ladies’ maids to rise behind herself.

“What word have we received from Lord Nam about the silk shipment?”

“He said that it is on time, Your Highness, and that there are even some other items on the vessel that will please you.”

Soo scoffed, but she smiled. “I’d say he was being impudent, but he does seem to know my taste.”

Lifting her chin despite the incredible weight of her bejeweled hair that was ladened with stiff gels and perfumes, the concubine glided toward the doors of her quarters, when a knock stopped her in place.

“Your Highness?” an unfamiliar voice called out. Not that Soo Hebin, mother to the next emperor, really took note of her servants. “A… A Mr. Julian is here to see you with two guests?”

The corners of Soo Hebin’s mouth curved upward. “Already? This day is full of good news. Tell them I will see them now.”

The two doors slid open, and in stepped a man with sandy brown hair, brown eyes, and pale skin. He wore Daxarian clothes of a dirty black coat that had four heavy buckles, and dulled black trousers and a tunic underneath that was faded. He bowed to her, and then stepped aside for the next man, another brunette, but one in his late thirties who wore a plum colored silk coat, with a fine cream vest embroidered in gold underneath. The material was without a doubt Zinferan, but the cut and style was also Daxarian.

“Your Highness, my name is Ansar,” he introduced calmly.

When he straightened, he met Soo’s gaze, and a trickle of coolness ekked out of her expression.

Those beneath her did not meet her eyes, but she would take it up with his mistress.

Speaking of the daughter of the Gods…

In swept the final guest, but she stood with her hood drawn, and did not say a word.

Soo raised an eyebrow, her displeasure growing as she lifted her left hand.

“Leave us.”

The serving maidens filed out without a word of protest, their slippered feet gently wooshing over the polished dark wooden planks. The doors slid shut once more.

Soo Hebin waited as the figure slowly lowered her hood.

A redheaded woman stood in front of her who was quite short, with wide hips and a slim torso in her early twenties, with steel, colorless eyes.

“Glad to see you have arrived without incident,” Soo greeted, her smile not quite meeting her gaze.

“I’m glad to see you succeeded in growing your power,” the first witch returned calmly.

“I confess your beasts were quite helpful. Particularly with convincing the coven to stay out of my affairs.”

Tilting her head, Aradia looked toward Ansar, but whatever the look was supposed to mean, Soo had no idea, and it was already grating on her nerves.

“I appreciate the lengths you went to to help me escape Troivack,” the first witch continued, though there was an air of superiority in her voice as her gaze roamed over the large room with its white walls, thick wooden beams, painted screens, plush red carpets, gilded mirrors, and exquisite Zinferan paintings.

“Yes, well, I would like your assistance in ensuring my son takes the throne. Daxaria has been far too quiet as of late, and I had a hunch that your escape would help keep them busy.”

Aradia didn’t respond as she moved farther into the room. “I made sure to change my appearance multiple times on my journey here so you will be free of suspicion.”

Soo scoffed. “I don’t fear Daxaria’s influence. They won’t want to risk a war, and I’ve ensured chaos is reigning here in Zinfera. Even if they wanted to, they would struggle to figure out who is the enemy, and who is innocent.”

The first witch continued to peruse the room, as though inspecting it.

Soo knew better than to lash out at the first witch, and instead looked sharply at the man called Mr. Julian.

“I don’t remember you.”

At least this one hadn’t made eye contact and had bowed as he should have when addressing her.

“I was recruited by the first witch in Troivack when I served the crown prince of Daxaria more than seven years ago,” he explained as though distant from the mention of his betrayal, but the stiffness that came into his shoulders made Soo’s eyes glitter.

“You mean Eric Reyes? The one who now sits on the Daxarian throne?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Soo strode over to the young man, and reached out to lift his chin with her index knuckle. His eyes seemed innocent, and yet there was a keenness to them… A shiftiness that betrayed his true nature.

“Interesting,” Soo whispered.

“I take it since you asked that there is more you believe I can do for you?” Aradia called out idly as she nearly finished her stroll around the concubine’s room.

Once again reminded that the daughter of the Gods was making herself far too comfortable in her quarters, Soo inclined her head regally and turned around.

“Yes. Take that dragon of yours and make it stop attacking my ships.”

Aradia’s eyebrows pulled together as her eyes lowered.

“Wixim has been sinking ships?”

The concubine couldn’t hide the twitch in her upper lip. She didn’t like repeating herself.

The first witch saw this and held the concubine’s eyes, looking entertained, then dragged her sights over to the corners of the room in thoughtful silence for a moment, then dared to laugh.

“I see. Well, I can help you with Wixim, of course. However, you will need to help me first.”

“I have already helped you.”

“Not quite. You paid your debt to me for the sirins and having access to Witch’s Brew both for profit and for consumption. I hear the emperor has been declining in health– Quite impressive that he lasted so long while being dosed,” Aradia noted as she rounded the concubine to stand before her with Ansar. “Now you want me to move the dragon, and I’m saying I will require your assistance, though to be perfectly honest, what I’m asking for is beneficial for you as well.”

Soo waited, feigning patience.

“The devil is in Zinfera. You will help me locate him, and I have no doubt that if we find him, we’ll happen to find an Ashowan or two nearby.”

Unable to hide her shock, the concubine widened her eyes, then looked away as her mind spun through the implications of arguably the most powerful family in Daxaria getting anywhere near her.

“The devil has not been found in years, however, amongst the sailors out there, they say a man who wields darkness that can swallow you whole was on a vessel.”

Soo composed herself. “Rumors.”

“Perhaps, but it is interesting that around the time of my escape that they started. And now you say ships are being attacked by an ancient beast… I’m inclined to think that all this chaos is starting to bring everyone, and everything, crashing together.”

Stolen novel; please report.

Wordlessly, the concubine turned and moved toward the short ornate wooden desk on the floor near a darkened window.

“I will contact my informants around Lord Jiho Ryu’s household and see if he has any visitors, or if he is traveling. That peasant playing dress up has been the Ashowan’s source of information for years,” Soo explained while lowering herself down to the white pillow and reaching for her ink well.

“I’ll need soldiers. Soldiers skilled in stealth and capture,” Aradia declared evenly.

Soo Hebin paused.

One day, she would make the daughter of the Gods bow before her and rue the day she ever thought she could dominate her.

“How many?”

… But for now, Soo needed to guarantee her son’s ascension to the throne. The first witch was the ticket, but who knew? Maybe if some Ashowans were lured to her, she’d find uses for them, too.

***

Tam stood quietly with his shoulder pressed against the door frame as he watched Luca with his tutor.

He could see by his son’s slumped shoulders and sway of his head that he wasn’t paying attention at all as the stern Zinferan man continued to explain the mathematical equation he had written down on the piece of slate in his hands.

“He’s the best tutor in Junya,” Eli informed Tam, almost startling her employer into physically jumping.

Tam he had grown used to getting caught off guard by her.

“I read your notes.” Tam nodded. “He’s smart, but… I think Luca hasn’t learned to focus while sitting down. It’ll take some time.”

The pair continued to watch the lesson for another while until Luca let out a long yawn and both Tam and Eli wordlessly decided that it was best if they moved back into the house before either of them felt the need to interrupt.

“Jeong and Bong say there is a boat launch ceremony in two days and both Lord Guk and Yangban will be there,” Tam started seriously. “Would you prefer to stay back?”

Eli sighed. “As much as I’d like to say no, it is too risky for me to go.”

Tam slid a discrete glance in her direction. “And your brother most likely will be attending.”

Eli stopped in her tracks and looked up at Tam, her expression hard as stone, until… it cracked.

The future duke hoped he hid his surprise quickly enough to prompt her to keep talking.

“I don’t know what he wants or why he’s looking for me. I was legally removed from the family. They owe me nothing, and I can ask for nothing.” A breath of annoyance rushed out of her nose.

“It’d also be problematic for you if I talked and acknowledged him.”

“It might be riskier not to at the rate he’s pursuing you,” Tam pointed out gently.

Eli fell quiet, her brown eyes in the light erring toward the color of light cocoa powder as her mind flit through the possible reasons for her younger brother’s presence and the solutions she could choose from…

When Haewon appeared.

“Mr and Mrs Voll, there is a young man who is here to see Mrs. Voll.”

Both Tam and Eli stared dumbfounded at the housekeeper.

“Did… Did he give a name?” Eli closed her eyes as though mentally kicking herself for stammering.

“He did not, but he did say he tried to speak with you at the party last evening?” Haewon supplied helpfully.

“Alright, thank you.” Eli tried to smile but she didn’t succeed, and her eyes were fixed on the ground and already filled with dread.

“Mrs. Voll, shall I tell him to come back another time, or…?”

“He can… He can come in for a cup of tea.”

Haewon nodded and smiled encouragingly at Eli. “I’ll prepare a pot of tea for the two of you.”

“My husband will be there as well,” Eli blurted in a rush.

Haewon froze, then, remembering herself, bowed respectfully and left.

Tam looked after the housekeeper and once he was certain she was no longer within ear shot shook his head. “Gods she really hates me.”

“I’m sorry.”

He turned, startled toward Eli.

“For making our time here more complicated, I–”

“I disappeared for three days thanks to my magic. You are the least problematic of anyone in this house.”

“Bong and Jeong aren’t problematic.”

“Bong when drunk is a bloody nuisance. He fell asleep in the tree when he got home last night. Jeong had to get him out and bruised his shoulder. And speaking of Jeong? Do I really need to elaborate on why he absolutely is a menace? A loveable one, of course, but… do I?”

The last comment rendered a small smile from the assistant.

“Besides,” Tam slipped his hands into his pockets and leaned on the wall behind himself staring with his eyes soft on his assistant who was wearing the powder blue shirt that he always felt she looked the most stunning in. “I’m your husband. I need to look out for you.”

Eli blushed, started to fidget, then stopped. “I… I thought you said you’d wait for me to say-”

“I’m just stating facts. It’s what a husband does.”

“W-While that may be… Technically, while we pretend… You… You are saying it while looking at me like that.”

“Like what?” Tam raised his eyebrows innocently.

“Like you… You really think of yourself as my…” she trailed off, evidently unable to find the words.

“Would you like me to act indifferently?” Tam’s voice lowered, but the question was sincere.

He watched Eli squirm and her cheeks flush. “Not… Really. Maybe?”

Tam smiled, and lowered his chin. “Message received. Now… We spoke of the devil, let’s go face him.”

All pretense of bashfulness fell away as Eli’s eyes snapped up in alarm, which in turn caught Tam off guard as well until he realized that during his subtle flirtation she had completely forgotten about their impromptu guest.

“Let’s go greet your brother,” he clarified, his smile lightening.

“Oh… Oh, right. Yes. Yes, let's do that! I promise I won’t reveal your identity, my lord.” Eli turned and hurried ahead of him as voices sounding down the hall drifted back toward them, signaling that Chul Nam was already in the house.

And while Tam was worried about how the exchange could affect Eli, he had to silently confess that his mood had been difficult to dampen, especially when he had noticed an ever so subtle smile when he had first referred to himself as ‘her husband’.

Who knows… Maybe if I’m patient, I can say it without it being a lie.