The Court of the Feathered Bower was all soft white and gold, like the glow of clouds in the hour before dusk. It suited Ehri well, softening the angles of her face. Servants brought them glass ewers of wine and water, a plate of sliced red plums. But they scattered when the doors burst open and Makhi strode in, flanked by her Tavgharad.

“You dare summon me like some kind of serving girl?”

Ehri only smiled. She rose and bowed deeply. “Forgive me if I offended, sister. The audience chamber was flooded, and it seemed best we talk in private.”

“The time for that has passed,” snapped Makhi. “You should have come to me with your concerns. Instead you conspired with the barbarian king. You went to my ministers with absurd tales of assassinations and poetry and secret laboratories. We will meet in the council chamber and you will recant your testimony and throw yourself on my mercy.”

“I cannot,” said Ehri. “Not even you, most celestial sister, can bid me lie.”

“You have no proof.”

“I am the proof,” said Mayu, ashamed of the way her voice trembled. “I who was asked to kill a king to save my brother.”

“You have no proof of that either. All I see is a girl looking healthy when all of her Tavgharad sisters are mysteriously dead.”

“We have your note,” said Ehri softly. “It was meant to burn with me, was it not? I didn’t quite believe it until this moment. But I can’t mistake that look on your face, Makhi. I remember it from when we were children, when Mother would catch you doing something you knew you shouldn’t.”

Makhi’s chin lifted. “What do you want?”

“Keep to the treaty you signed with Ravka and grant them monies from our treasury. Give up your dreams of war. And end the khergud program.”

“Without admitting that any of what you’ve said is true, I can agree to hold to the treaty, for now. Its terms are acceptable to us.”

“Then you will dismantle the laboratories.”

Makhi flicked a graceful hand through the air as if swatting a bug. “Nonsense. This khergud program you speak of is nothing but conspiracy theory and fanciful thinking.”

“I’ve seen the khergud myself,” said Tamar. “I didn’t imagine them.”

Makhi’s chin rose even higher. “I met your twin in Os Alta. He is as insolent and ill-mannered as you.”

“You will take us to the labs,” said Mayu. She was tired of all this back-and-forth. She wanted to see her brother.

“Do you really think to dictate terms to me in my own palace? You have gravely overestimated the influence of Ministers Zihun and Nagh.”

Ehri shook her head. “I did not think to rely on their influence.”