The rain had thinned to a fine mist by the time I left the guest pavilion. It clung to the bamboo leaves and turned the stone path into a dark mirror that reflected the last of the night lanterns. I walked alone. The shadow guards had been ordered to remain at the outer perimeter. Feng Lan had been clear. No attendants. No witnesses.
Lydia had pressed a thin talisman into my palm before I left. Seraphina had layered two temporal anchors into the fabric of my inner robe. Vale had simply smiled and said the rumors were already moving. Elizabeth had kissed the corner of my mouth and told me to come back with clearer answers than I left with. Their presence lingered even now, a quiet weight beneath the ribs.
