Packing up the estate of a terrifying warlord under an imperial order of banishment was exactly as chaotic as it sounded.
"Do we have the medicine?" I called over the noise of heavily armored northern guards hurrying past me through the corridor.
"Packed in the third chest, My Lady!" the silver-haired healer called back, deftly knotting a silk bundle of herbs.
"Do we have extra blankets for Rin?"
"Loaded in the carriage, Lady Kitsune!" the Captain barked, lifting a massive wooden trunk over his shoulder as if it weighed nothing.
"Do we have the cat?"
I looked around wildly.
Jingle.
I looked up. Yuki was perched in perfect balance atop a sliding shoji screen, his pure white fur nearly vanishing against the paper. He gazed down at the frantic humans below with an expression of profound, ancient disapproval.
"Get down from there," I said, pointing at him. "We are fleeing the capital. At least pretend to be an accomplice."
