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.”