Saiyun stood in the reception line at Monja's mansion, doing his best to endure the storm of emotions battering him. For the first time in weeks, he was wearing his old robe, which didn't make any sense. They were the robes of a customs inspector, not a delegate of the Hangzai Dynasty. When the Empire sent a trade delegation, they certainly did not send a single man to do the job either, but Bill had overruled him.

He was to be a customs inspector sent to survey local conditions, not to make a deal. Saiyun was in no position to disagree, so he took his old robes out of storage and had been dealing with the consequences ever since.

He wasn't dressing up as a customs inspector, he WAS one. He still was, even if he had been dragged half across the world for something he had no part in by the people who had all but framed him. If they hadn't been so incompetent, he wouldn't even be here. He'd be back at home, sleeping in his bed instead of a hammock, not subjected to all the horrors the world could throw at him. If it weren't for-

Saiyun took a deep breath, forcing an end to his mental tirade. Complaining would do him no good. The way home would be long and difficult, and staying on it meant he had to keep going. It was time to focus on the present.

"Are you ready?" he asked Ji as the line moved a step forward.

"I am," she said with a sharp nod. Her outfit was new, consisting of a short black skirt and green top that bared her arms and back, as well as sandals. Her hair was tied in a top knot and make up was carefully applied. Saiyun had no idea where Cai picked up such skills, but they did come in handy. "I remember everything."

Saiyun frowned. He hadn't approved of the outfit, but Bill overruled him again. She was supposed to be the exotic servant of a master from a foreign land and needed to look the part. The story was that she was a fisherwoman whose boat had been caught in a storm and blown away. Saiyun had pity on her and took him into his service so she could earn enough money to sail back home. She was still learning Gray, which is why she didn't talk much. It was simple and believable. Hopefully it would work.

"Saiyun Li Enaoshi and his servant Ji," Saiyun said as they reached the front of the line. One of the guards by the door took his invitation and scrutinized it. After squinting at Ji, he handed the invitation back to Saiyun and waved the pair through the door. Saiyun's stomach felt a little better as they walked through the gate into the mansion's grounds.

One challenge cleared.

Once he passed the gate, Saiyun shaded his eyes and looked around, trying to spot Yazwa and Aven. Most people were gathered under the vine-covered lattice work that linked the two buildings. A few dozen were milling around and drinking out of tall glasses, while a few more were clustered around doors that led into the smaller building where the food was. Another group gathered by a water feature in front of the house. That's where the dragon was supposed to be.

"Why don't we go see this dragon first?" Saiyun asked aloud, jerking his head towards the garden.

Going to see the dragon first made sense. It's what someone coming to the mansion for the first time would do. Perhaps Aven and Yazwa were over there too. He had every reason to go over there.

He turned to Ji and raised an eyebrow. "See what all the excitement is about."

"Yes Sir," Ji said, staring at his feet just like she had practiced.

Giving her the barest nod of approval, Saiyun continued onward. Aven and Yazwa weren't among the people gathered around the pool, staring at the creature at the center.

"Wow," Saiyun mumbled.

It was just as Yazwa described, a cat-sized crocodile with bat wings growing out of its back. It stood atop its pile of shells and hissed with its wings flared. The people around the edge of the pool laughed and reached out to splash their fingers in the water. The dragon snarled and shot a gout of flame that sputtered out before the party goers. Someone on the other side splashed their fingers in the water, and the dragon spun around and shot fire at him as well.

"It's so small," Ji said quietly, putting her hands on the stone basin and leaning forward.

"I know," Saiyun said, forgetting his character for a moment as he watched the dragon spew fire. After all the terrors he had seen, it was nice to encounter one nowhere near as bad as the stories. "I knew they could be any size, but I didn't realize they could be that small."

"Fiery little thing, isn't it?" came a cheerful voice to his left. A young man, well-dressed man walked over to them and put his fist over his heart. "Vabay Elten."

Saiyun copied the gesture and nudged Ji with his elbow. She returned to her servant's pose, hands held in front of her, eyes on the ground. "Saiyun Li Enaoshi of Channan Harbor and servant of the Hagon. A pleasure to meet you."

"And you," Vabay said, leaning on the low wall that surrounded the pool. “Which Emperor is that again? It’s the one that runs Tsilen, right?”

Saiyun bristled. “No, the Tsilen Empire is run by the usurper Litzu. Haogon is the True Enduring Emperor.”

“Sorry, sorry,” Vabay said, holding up his hands. “With all the Emperors in Qisin I can’t keep track of who’s who. I meant no offense. Did you come to see the dragon?”

"If it were bigger, maybe," Saiyun said, defaulting to the fake laugh that had gotten him through so many parties back home. Even though he was leagues and leagues away from home, he was sure the rules were the same. Smile, laugh at everything meant to be a joke, and lay on the compliments. "I brought a shell along. Having something from a dragon's hoard is supposed to be lucky. Maybe adding something to it will be lucky too."

Vabay pointed at the tiny dragon protecting its pile of shells. "Whatever you do, don't let it see it."

"Oh?" Saiyun said, resting his hand over the pocket where he stored the shell. It was right above where the doll for Crawling Kotack was wrapped around his waist. Even though it was unlikely he'd need it, he felt better having it nearby. "Why's that?"

"If that thing catches sight of the shell it will fly over here and snatch it right out of your hand. Might take a finger with it," Vabay said.

"Thank you for the warning," Saiyun said, eyeing the dragon. It was small, but its teeth certainly looked sharp. So did its claws. "I'd hate to go home and have to say I lost a finger to the world's smallest dragon."

Vabay chuckled. "So, you didn't come to slay the terrible dragon of Adoti?"

"Nothing so exciting," Saiyun replied. "I'm here on a trade mission. My Emperor wants me to make an assessment of what Adoti can produce. If I remember right, the Elten family makes its money in the manufacture of machinery."

"Wow, wait until I tell my old man that the Haogon Emperor knows our wares," he said with a fake laugh that Saiyun returned. "We can send him a clock. That'll be something we can brag about."

Saiyun nodded along, trying to think of what to say next. He didn't want to linger too long, but there was a chance to learn something. The Akshi had been very interested in the Elten family and not for their clocks. They were one of the largest makers of flintlocks in Adoti, and their guns were sold all over the Raoin Sea. More than a few came through Channan Harbor to the Emperor's armies. "I'm sure the Emperor would adore a genuine Elten clock. But I think he'd be more interested in a few hundred of your flintlocks."

"Oh come on," Vabay scoffed. "It's too early in the day to talk business. Tell me, what's her story?"

Saiyun looked over his shoulder at Ji, who was holding her pose. He almost tripped up and introduced her, but Bill had told him the rules were the same here as Channan Harbor. A master never introduced their servant. "Oh, yes. She was a fisherwoman who was shipwrecked near Channan Harbor. I took her into my service so she can save up enough money to sail back home. Poor thing is still trying to pick up Gray," he said.

"That's lucky," Vabay nodded. "Can I touch it?"

Saiyun blinked. "I beg your pardon?"

"The tail," Vabay said, pointing at Ji's tail. "I've never seen one before. Does it feel like a leg, or is it fleshier?"

"Yes, well," Saiyun said with a laugh more forced than normal. "I'd rather you didn't. I had her bathed before we came here. Don't want to waste that expense."

"Oh don't be like that," Vabay said, taking a step closer. "When am I going to get another chance? Hey, is it true they can only breed with others of their kind?"

"I think I'm being a bad guest," Saiyun said, taking a giant step back. "I haven't paid my respects to the host yet. I need to get some advice on what to do with this shell too. Come along Ji."

"Greedy," Vabay huffed as they left.

Saiyun seethed as they made their way across the courtyard towards the shaded area. He had expected something like that, but not so blatant. "Sorry about that," he whispered to Ji.

"Hm," said Ji, glancing down at her tail. "I suppose it is natural to be curious about something you've never seen before. Oh, and that's not true. We can breed with people without tails."

"I see," Saiyun replied. Perhaps it would be good that Ji had the social awareness of a dead stump. They might make it through the party without her punching anyone. "Tell me if you spot Aven and Yazwa anywhere."

"Yes Sir," said Ji.

Saiyun stopped by the edge of the patio, peering into the crowd to see if he could spot anyone familiar. There were too many people milling around to see. If the other building was where the food was, then it was unlikely Yazwa was there. She'd be wary about venturing too close to a fire and snuffing it out, so unless she and Aven had already tried to break into the office on their own, they must be on the patio. Saiyun stood up on his tiptoes to see over the crowd and suddenly caught sight of a pair of glowing eyes.

"I think I found-" Saiyun said, biting his tongue when he realized they did not belong to Yazwa. It was Agori, one of the Achali who had helped them find the Akshi. He also knew that they were lying about who they were. "Let's get out of here.”

Saiyun tried to hurry away from him, but Agori wove his way through the crowd and cut them both off. "Hello," he said, holding his arm out to block their way. "Are you enjoying the party?"

"Why yes, thank you," Saiyun said, taking note that Agori's eyes were locked on Ji. "Are you?"

"I'm not a guest," he said, looking back at Saiyun. "I'm here working for the Monja family to guard against thieves.”

“Well I hope you have nothing to do. We must go greet your master,” Saiyun said, darting into the crowd before Agori could object with Ji right behind him. After weaving through a few people Saiyun glanced behind him. He didn't see Agori anywhere, they had either lost him or he hadn't bothered to follow. Either one was fine with Saiyun. Now that they were on the patio, it was time they found Aven and Yazwa.

"Good to see you made it, Sir," said Aven.

Saiyun jumped, twisting around to see Aven standing right next to him, holding a glass with a colorful drink in it.

"Lady Yazwa is looking for you," Aven said, deftly side stepping someone who almost bumped into him. "Shall I bring you to her?"

"Why yes, thank you," replied Saiyun, falling into step behind Aven and following him through the crowd. He led them to a quiet area on the edge of the patio with a few pieces of wicker furniture.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Yazwa sat on a small couch, staring up at the vine-covered lattice with despair in her eyes. When Saiyun approached, she looked down and smiled. "Finally."

"No wonder we couldn't find you all the way back here," Saiyun said, taking a seat next to her. Aven handed Yazwa her drink and stood beside her while Ji took up the same position on his side of the couch. "Any luck?"

"None," Yazwa said, draining half the glass in one gulp. "I forgot how much I hated parties like these back home. It's just like those except ten times worse. I've been propositioned three times already!"

"Shhhh," Aven whispered from beside her.

Saiyun glanced out into the nearby crowd. They were noisy, which would hopefully cover up a whispered conversation. "We spotted Agori. He's definitely using his Sight to watch over things. What should we do?"

"Don't know," Yazwa said, lowering her voice. "He walks the same path over and over. Around the pool, through the patio, into the other building and then back again. What's worse, Aven saw another one inside."

"What do you mean another one?" Saiyun asked. Out in the crowd a few eyes were lingering on them. A few people pointed excitedly at Ji. Their quiet little alcove probably wouldn't stay quiet for very long.

Yazwa glanced up at the crowd and leaned in closer. "Remember the Achali that was keeping an eye on the Akshi, Dyona? She's here in another building. Aven says she's not using her sight at all, just hanging around and talking to people. We hoped she and Agori might stop to chat, but he just keeps pacing his rounds. Doesn't talk to anyone."

"Except for us," Saiyun replied. "He came out of the crowd to say hello to me. Must be because he's seen us before."

"No," Yazwa said, frowning. "He's seen us too but hasn't said anything to me. Maybe I could ask him to escort me somewhere?”

Aven shook his head slightly. "I doubt that would take long enough. I need more time and I think I know how to get it. But it's all up to you Saiyun."

"What do you need?" Saiyun asked as Aven walked around in front of him.

"Go to Donsou Monja. He's on the other side of the patio," Aven said in a voice so low Saiyun could barely hear him. "Talk about Agori and ask Monja for a demonstration of his abilities."

Saiyun blinked, certain he had misheard. "You want me to have him get Agori to do tricks for me?"

"Everyone at this party is focused on Ji because they've never seen anyone with a tail before," Aven said, glancing at her for a moment. "You're from far away, and you've never seen an Achali in action. He can show off and please his guest at the same time. Once he's distracted, I'll go, but you’ll need to keep him here as long as you can."

"I can do that," Saiyun said as he rose from his seat.

It was easier said than done. The knot of people surrounding Monja was dense and very reluctant to move. It was his party, after all, and Saiyun was certain more than a few people were trying to impress him. After five 'pardon me's' and six 'I just need to pay my respects to the host' Saiyun managed to squirm his way through the wall of people.

Monja sat on a throne-like chair, flanked by servants on either side. In front of him was a low table with a man kneeling at it, shuffling around four upside down cups. The crowd surrounding the table was silent, either watching the cups or watching Monja. He was staring intently at the cups, eyes darting back and forth as they whirled around.

The man stopped and pressed his hands on the table. "Now, find the bead."

"Under your left palm," Monja said with a triumphant grin.

The man lifted his hand to reveal a blue bead, and the crowd cheered.

"Still got it! In my younger days I'd hang out down by the docks and piss off the shell gamers."

Saiyun took advantage of the cheers and pushed his way to the edge of the table. "I've heard stories about this, but I didn't believe they were true! May I introduce myself?"

Monja stared at Saiyun for a moment and then pointed at him. "Ah, you're the one Imala wanted me to invite, aren't you?"

"Saiyun Li Enaoshi of Channan Harbor and servant of the Haogin," he said, placing his fist over his heart. "Thank you for inviting me."

"I almost thought Agori was joking. But I guess he doesn't have a sense of humor after all," he said, crooking his finger. "Let me see her."

Saiyun paused before he realized he was talking about Ji. "Come forward, right here," he said, guiding Ji up beside him.

"I always regret not traveling more when I was younger. There's much to see in the world," Monja said, reaching out and grabbing a hold of the tip of Ji's tail. He yanked Ji closer and grabbed her tail with his other hand. "I didn't know what to expect, but I'm still surprised! It almost feels like a leg, but it doesn't."

It took all of Saiyun’s self control not yank Ji’s tail away from him. He clenched his hands into fists at his side, releasing them when he felt like he could trust his tongue. “So many things to see out in the world. Is it true that your servant is an Achali?”

“He is," Monja nodded, inspecting Ji’s tail. "He's the one who told me about you two."

"I've never seen one before, at least not in action." Saiyun nodded. "Could you have him do a demonstration for me?"

"Oh if only," Monja sighed, releasing Ji’s tail. "But he's on the job right now. Don't want to ruin his focus."

"Please?" Saiyun said, leaning forward. "I've been so busy I haven't had a chance to go down to the Temple and see them at work. This might be my last chance."

"I'll arrange something for you, I promise," Monja said, waving him away and pointing at one of his servants. "You! Go grab some cards. I want to see if anyone can beat me at Chuxa's Palace.”

Saiyun grimaced as he was dismissed. He managed to away from Monja before he was swarmed by hangers-on insisting they could win and offering wagers. They were forgotten about in the excitement of the moment and Saiyun quickly led Ji away. “Are you all right?” he asked as they went to find Yazwa and Aven.

“Yes,” replied Ji, seeming hardly bothered. “He has a weak grip.”

After some searching they found them in the shade of an ornamental tree. Yazwa was eating some pieces of fruit out of a bowl. Aven took one look at their faces and frowned.

"He didn't go for it," Saiyun said after checking there were no eavesdroppers around. The patio was far enough away and the other building was too. Sweet smells drifted out of the open doors that made Saiyun's stomach rumble, but had more important things to think about. "I pushed as hard as I could."

Yazwa swallowed her mouthful. "I thought that would work."

"Me too," Aven sighed. "We've got to find some other way of getting Agori out of the picture for a few minutes. If we were inside, I could knock him out, but he's out in the open and he never changes his path. If we can't get his boss to call him off, I don't know how we can get rid of him."

"Maybe you could bring him something to drink and slip him something?" Yazwa asked

"I don't have anything to slip him," replied Aven.

"What if you convinced him there was danger nearby?" Ji spoke up. "He's a warrior, so he'd run to confront it, and then we get him."

Aven shook his head. "Too risky. He might call for help and ruin it. Whatever we do, it has to be quiet."

Saiyun sighed, clenching and unclenching his fists. This was his fault. Persuading Monja was his job, and he’d botched it. They were running out of ideas and time. Maybe he should just go give the shell to the dragon. He could use a little luck.

An idea jumped into Saiyun's head. It was more than a little cruel, but it just might work."Maybe it doesn't have to be quiet," he said, reaching into his robes and pulling the shell out. "It just has to not be our fault."

"What do you mean?" Aven asked, looking at the shell.

"Do you think you could hide this in Agori's hood?" Saiyun asked, looking for the Achali. He was making his way past the patio towards the pool again. "Without him noticing?"

Aven took the shell and felt it in his hand. "Only if he was distracted."

"Then this should work," Saiyun whispered. "Yazwa, you go get his attention while he's near the pool. Make sure he's facing away from it. While he's talking to Yazwa, Aven gets the dragon's attention by showing it the shell. Someone told me it will go crazy if it sees one and come after it. When it sees the shell, Aven puts it in Agori's hood while he's distracted."

"And the dragon attacks him coming for the shell," Aven said, sliding the shell into a pouch on his waist.

"Yes," Saiyun hissed. "That will take Agori out of commission long enough for you to do your thing, Aven. All the blame will be on the dragon."

"Everyone's attention will be on the attack too," Aven added. "Make it easy for me to get back there."

"Hold on hold on," Yazwa said, putting her bowl down. "It's still a dragon. I don't want to be part of getting a man burned to death for a distraction."

"Your curse will cancel out the flames," said Aven.

Yazwa blinked, then grinned. "You're right. Let's do this before he gets away from the pool." she said, hurrying off with Aven close behind, whispering advice.

Pride surged in Saiyun's chest as he watched them go. He was pulling his weight. "I think this is going to work," he said to Ji.

"What are we supposed to do next?" Ji asked.

"Wait and watch, it's up to them now," Saiyun said, reaching up to adjust his hair. "Maybe we can finally go get some-"

"Oh no!" came a shout from behind them.

Saiyun spun around, eyes widening as he saw Dyona, the other Achali. She held a full cup in her hand and was in the middle of tripping. She stumbled forward and the brown liquid flew out of the cup straight at Ji.

Ji pivoted, twisting her body out the way of the spill so quickly that nothing touched. The tea hit the trunk of the tree, splattering a few drops on her shirt.

Somehow her speed always managed to surprise him. "Are you alright?" Saiyun asked.

"It missed me. Sir," Ji replied.

"I am so sorry," Dyona said, rushing up to Ji and peering at her shirt. "Did I ruin it?"

Saiyun watched as Dyona fretted over the stain. "I don't think it's that bad. You can hardly see it."

"I'll feel bad if I don't help," Dyona said, grabbing hold of Ji’s arm. "I know right where to go."

Saiyun's reply was cut off by a screech and a scream. All eyes turned to the pool to behold the dragon flapping over Agori's head, battering him with its wings and claws. Agori held one arm over his head and swung wildly with the other, trying to wave the dragon off. Yazwa danced around him and waved her arms, looking like she was trying to help.

"Agori!" Dyona shouted, releasing Ji and sprinting towards her fellow Achali.

Saiyun scanned the crowd and the scene of the attack. Aven was nowhere to be seen.

Perfect.

-

Aven ran to the edge of the other building, stopping to peer around the corner. The long, narrow gap between the wall and the edge of the house was completely empty. He could still hear the shrieks of the dragon as he slipped behind the house. Even if Agori fended off the dragon now, he'd need to get his wounds attended to. If Yazwa followed his instructions to drag out the process it would give him plenty of time to get in and get out.

He ran down the gap until he was under the west facing windows. They were the tall, center pivot shutters popular in Adoti, easy enough to get into if you knew what you were doing. Aven braced his feet against the wall and his hands against the side of the house and slowly walked himself up to the edge of the window. He pulled a long, thin knife out of his pocket and slid it into the gap between the shutter and windowpane. Starting slowly, he guided the knife up until he felt it hit the latch that held the window closed. Some gentle pressure undid it and he used his free hand to pivot the window open, shining a bright beam of sunlight into the office.

Aven sucked in his gut and pulled himself in through the gap, crawling down onto the floor. He crouched on the cold wooden floor and held completely still, listening for any sign that he'd been discovered. When nothing worrying came to his ears he straightened up and looked around the office. The little light from the window showed a big desk and comfortable furniture scattered around the room. Cabinets and paintings lined the walls, mostly tall portraits of Monja and his family. The desk would hold nothing secret. Plenty of supplies, but nothing of real worth. The safe would be hidden in a wall to protect it from fire and people like him. Since the huge paintings would be a hassle to get off the wall, it had to be behind one of the cabinets. Aven stepped lightly through the room, examining the base of each cabinet until he found scratch marks scoured into the floor.

He grabbed the cabinet and pivoted it away from the wall as quietly as he could. On the other side was a slab of metal set into the wall with a number dial and a handle. Aven pressed his ear against the cold metal, gently twisting the dial and moving his head until he could hear the tumblers clicking behind the steel. A dozen twists were all he needed to find the combination and pull the safe open. There was no gold and gems, but there was a thick leather folder tied shut with string. Aven took careful note of its position before he pulled it out and carried it over to the desk.

Unwinding the string, he pulled the folder open. There were dozens of sheets of paper, all in a language he couldn't read. Aven flipped through the pages quickly. What he needed would be written in Gray on high quality paper, probably with official seals and stamps attached. He kept turning until he found a document written in red ink. Most of it was completely useless, long explanations about currency conversions, units of measurement and specifications of purity. At the very bottom, above a collection of wax seals and fancy signatures, was what he was looking for.

I agree to provide the goods specified above for the payment specified above. I will hold onto the specified inventory until it is picked up on or about the last week of Tlaok or the first week of Zatet. If payment is not provided in this time, I am free to sell the inventory as I wish.

The month of Tlaok was already halfway done.

The fleet would be here soon.

Aven closed the binder and slid it back into the safe, careful to spin the dial back to where it was when he found it. The cabinet was slid back into place and he was back out the window after a quick glance told him no one was watching. He pushed the window shut, the only sign of his visit the undone latch. With nothing missing from the office, whoever opened the windows next would just assume they left it unlocked. Aven dropped the ground and peered around the corner of the building. No chaos, no concern, no guards running back and forth. The party continued on. Aven adjusted his outfit, stepping back into the light when he was sure no one was watching. No one paid him any mind as he went looking for the others.

For once, everything had gone off without a hitch.