“We intend to seek it, when Her Majesty allows us to depart.” A hint of our peril.

Prince Yanxi nodded gravely. “Her Majesty should have no reason to delay you. She will have other things on her mind, the gathering of royals, for one.”

I breathed easier at his words. Whatever the Eastern Sea prince knew, he would not expose us.

“Your Highness,” Queen Suihe called out. “You seem well acquainted with my guests. Would you share your conversation with the rest of us? It appears most engaging.” A note of impatience rang in her voice. Monarchs were unaccustomed to sharing attention in their throne rooms.

The prince shot her a dazzling smile. “We were exchanging old stories from when the First Archer aided us during Governor Renyu’s uprising.”

“Your Majesty.” I bowed to her, concealing my haste. “We are grateful for your hospitality. Unfortunately, my mother and I must depart, as we have pressing news from home.”

“Your home that was attacked?” There was the slightest inflection in her tone.

“The perpetrators have fled,” my mother replied, covering my slip. “The moon has been dark without me.”

The queen leaned back against her throne, her lips pursing. “Will you not stay for the festivities tonight? My guests from the Eastern Sea will be disappointed if you depart so soon. The monarchs of the Northern and Western Seas will also enjoy meeting you, our elusive Moon Goddess.”

“While that is true, matters of home should always take precedence,” Prince Yanxi said smoothly.

The queen nodded. “Very well. If you wish, some of our guards could accompany you there.”

My mother bowed. “Thank you for the kind offer, Your Majesty. However, we have troubled you enough and my daughter is a fine warrior.”

Prince Yanxi smiled. “Indeed, she is.”

Someone tugged at my sleeve, a small hand slipping around the curve of my elbow. I glanced down to find Prince Yanming, his face alight with hope. “Can I come with you? I want to see the moon,” he whispered. “It’s so dull here. Eldest Brother is always in meetings and won’t let me go out without him. And he’s always ordering me to hold my tongue.”

I crouched down to look him in the eyes. “Maybe it’s because you say such outrageous things, Your Highness? My mother often advised me to speak with more care if I wanted my words to be given weight.” How solemn I sounded when all too often my words trampled courtesy in their wake. Yet something about him sparked in me the desire to keep him safe, to counsel him to be better than me.

“Brother, you are being discourteous to our hostess,” Prince Yanxi said pointedly. “Moreover, Xingyin is too busy to entertain you, as she is leaving.”