I bit down on the inside of my cheek, reining in my temper. “Do your part and I will do mine.”

Without another word, the empress stalked through the teahouse, disappearing through the doors. Only then did the tension inside me loosen, my forehead dropping onto my palms, pain clawing my heart like she had raked her talons across it.

Chapter 16

Our cloud climbed the skies toward the Southern Sea, leaving the Mortal Realm behind. The night was sunken in gloom, devoid of moonlight, for who would tend the lanterns now my mother had gone? Certainly none who could do it as well. While I had helped her on occasion, the lanterns flared brightest upon my mother’s touch, their light purer and more luminous. What did the mortals make of these dark nights? Soothsayers and fortune-tellers must have been summoned to many a royal court to decipher this mystery, all likely concluding that such a thing was an ill omen indeed.

They would not be wrong.

“That went well.” Wenzhi’s mouth tilted into a wry smile. “By well, I mean the empress did not command her guards to arrest you, nor did you draw a weapon.”

“It was close,” I said tightly. “We were always a breath away from attacking each other.”

“You might want to reconsider the family you are marrying into.”

“I will not be marrying into that family.”

As he stilled, his eyes darkening—I added hastily, “Don’t be so quick to judge when your family has their own charm.”

“I don’t recall offering my family as an alternative,” he countered lightly.

I flushed, turning from him. “The empress agreed to help Liwei escape. I will get him out.”

“We will get him out,” he corrected me.

“No, I must go alone,” I told him flatly. The empress would not have lied, not for this—she would want me to succeed, especially after securing my vow. “The palace is warded against your people. I can’t risk Liwei being accused of conspiring with the Demon Realm.”

“You would rather get caught? Because of what people might say?” he asked tersely.

“Your presence might be what gets us caught,” I told him.

“You can’t do this alone. Every soldier will be on the alert. Who will speak for you should trouble arise?” He stepped closer to me, and I made myself hold my ground. “Don’t punish yourself for what happened on the moon, for what you think were your mistakes. You don’t need to save everyone in some misguided attempt to right these wrongs, out of a sense of obligation.”

“I’m not doing this out of duty. I want to save Liwei, more than anything.” My voice was hoarse with suppressed emotion.

His expression shuttered. “I spoke out of turn. I know your feelings for him.”