"No." Ashyn gripped her arm. "We must raise the alarm. You said that is why Gavril tricked you--so he could escape. If anyone finds out that we allowed him to escape, that we discussed the matter and merely summoned a servant to request an audience . . ."
Ashyn was right, of course. They'd delayed too long already, and every extra moment would count against them.
Moria raced for the door.
A fast rider had arrived, saying Emperor Tatsu was on his way, coming quickly, and he expected all parties involved to be in the throne room when he arrived. Moria and Ashyn had been there since shortly after they'd burst from their room, calling for help.
It had been chaos--the court steward convinced the girls were hysterical, waking from some nightmare. Then they discovered Gavril was gone. And the young master of the library confirmed that the seal on the letter did indeed belong to Marshal Kitsune.
The steward, clearly out of his depth, summoned his superior--the minister of the imperial household. Not the correct choice, he'd discovered, as he'd been soundly rebuked in front of the girls, while the minister sent word back to the palace.
The chancellor was brought, along with two of the major counselors and the marshal's head general--the marshal himself was with the emperor. Ashyn had gotten only partway through her story before they were joined by the crown prince and the whole tale had to be retold.
So it was chaos, and Moria could not decide whether to be infuriated or relieved. Had Gavril still been in the city when all the confusion began, he clearly was not by the time the guards were properly alerted. However, those delays meant no one could blame his disappearance on her own delays in telling someone of his treachery.
And so they waited. People came and went. Tyrus was there. She'd seen him slip in, and he'd nodded to her, but he kept his distance. Being cautious around his brothers. Based on her conversation with the library master, Ashyn had said there were four princes in the imperial family. Several princesses, too, though all were married and living elsewhere. Of the official bastards, Tyrus was the only son. Or the only one still living--Ashyn said the master had not elaborated on that. Moria did not, then, blame Tyrus for avoiding his half brothers.
Apparently all four were there, though only the crown prince had been introduced. There was a steady stream of others, too, ministers and such, and when the doors opened again to admit yet another group of men, Moria was beginning to wonder where they'd fit them all.
This last group looked much like the others. Middle-aged men, all warriors, all moving briskly, heads high. The one in front was the shortest of the group. A broad-shouldered man with a severe face, well formed for his age, empire-born and perhaps in his fifth decade, his dark hair entwined with gray. He had flashing, dark eyes that reminded her of a hawk's, scanning the room as he moved fast. His sleeves were pushed up and she could see his tattoos. They looked like . . .
She glanced over at Tyrus and the dragons circling his forearms. Then she looked at the man walking in . . . with dragons inked on his arms. Her gaze dropped to his breeches and boots, both filthy with the sweat and dust of a hard ride.
It was only then that everyone else seemed to notice the newcomers. The room went silent. Then men rushed forward to take Emperor Tatsu's cloak and offer him cold water and hot tea, but he waved them off impatiently. They lined a route to the emperor's seat--a raised chair at the head of a long table. The man ignored them, instead striding into the room and looking around. His gaze fell on the girls.
He gave a short laugh. "You two are easily spotted, even in this crowd."
As he walked over, Ashyn bowed as deeply as she could, and Moria tried to emulate her. She was not as adept at social graces, but she also had to struggle not to keep staring at the man.
This is the emperor. Our emperor.
In the days before, she'd prepared for this moment. She would be polite, despite her feelings about the man who had exiled Gavril's father, and exiled Gavril, too, in a way, cruelly sending him to guard his father's death place.
Except Gavril's father hadn't died. And whether Marshal Kitsune was innocent or guilty of the charges that had led to his exile, the blood of Moria's entire village stained his hands.
She wasn't even sure now whether Gavril had been sent to Edgewood or volunteered for the post, to aid his father's plan.
"The Keeper and the Seeker of Edgewood," Emperor Tatsu said. "I am so sorry for your loss."
Ashyn dropped her gaze and Moria could see her eyes filling. She kept hers on the emperor.
"We will have justice for Edgewood," he said. "And we will free the children."
Ashyn lifted her head and held out the envelope. One of the ministers rushed forward, pulling her arm back, glowering at her.
"The emperor has just arrived," one snapped. "You will not shove that at him--"
"She did not." Emperor Tatsu returned the man's glower tenfold as he took the envelope. "She handed it to me as quickly as possible, because she is well aware of the urgency of the situation. Unlike those who would have me take off my boots and sip tea first." He shot his glare around the room. "What are all of you doing here? This is not an acrobatic performance."
"We thought you might need us, your imperial--"
"I sent word telling who I needed in this room. The rest of you will hear what is in this missive when I am ready to share it. Now, begone. Quickly."
The mass of ministers and counselors started for the door. When the crown prince tried to remain at his father's side, the emperor snapped, "You, too. Begone." He paused and then turned to the mass of exiting men. "Tyrus? Where's Tyrus?"
The young man was almost out. He backed into the room.
"Come back, boy. You know Gavril Kitsune, don't you?"