She shrugged, though the corner of her mouth trembled. “Omar told the priests he couldn’t control himself. That I’d put him under some kind of spell, and entrapped him with my eviltongue wiles. But I hadn’t used my Hallow. Not since that assassin at Dayo’s party, years ago. Anyway, I didn’t get in trouble, obviously. The priests knew they’d be held responsible if word got out that their acolyte had lain with a sacred Anointed One. But I swore I’d never let a boy get close to me again. Not unless he trusted me completely, with no room for doubt, not even an inch. The kind of person with faith to fill an ocean. And if I found that person . . . nothing else about him would matter.” Her eyes met mine. “Nothing.”

I said, squeezing her hand and sending a pulse of understanding through the Ray, “I know a boy like that.”

“I do too,” she whispered. Then she smiled, swabbed a single tear from her eye, and sat up, crisp with composure once more.

The flap to our tent rustled.

Now, Tari-darling, Ai Ling Ray-spoke. Are you ready to show that queen your skeletons?

CHAPTER 15

When Min Ja’s silk-swathed form appeared in the entryway, she nodded stiffly in greeting, then glanced at the array of treats and cozy hangings, stopping on the brazier of kuso-kuso leaves.

“You’ve endeavored to make this painless, I see,” the queen of Songland remarked. Her voice was sharp as usual, but humor shone in her hooded eyes. “A bit stuffy, though.”

With a word and a sweep of her hand, Min Ja summoned a cool breeze that rustled through the tent. I tried, and probably failed, not to gape with wonder. I had only seen Woo In perform wind sowanhada, the elemental language of the Songland royal family.

Behind Min Ja, a second figure entered through the tent flap: Da Seo, the shy consort I had met at my Peace Banquet. Vivid moth-wing eyes shone over the mask concealing the bottom half of her face.

Ai Ling shifted in surprise, glancing at three cups around the breakfast trays. “Forgive us—we were only expecting Queen Min Ja.”

Min Ja raised an eyebrow. “I am about to do something more intimate with your empress than I’ll ever get to do with my consort. And you expect me to send her away?”

“It’s fine,” Da Seo said, nudging the queen’s side with her arm. “It’s just for a few hours—”

“No,” I said. “Stay, please—both of you.” I offered Da Seo my own cup, pouring out a fresh helping of punch. “I know what it’s like to face strangers without family.”

She accepted, balancing it gracefully on the tips of her forearms. Min Ja helped her sip, gently dabbing the sides of Da Seo’s mouth with her silken sleeve. As they sampled the brunch, Ai Ling and I prattled, praising what little we knew of Songlander art and culture until Min Ja put down her chalice, cocking her head with an arch smile. Her gaze was so penetrating, it was hard to believe she was barely ten years older than me. Raybearer or not . . . how could I ever be that confident?