Something about her righteousness pricked my anger. She sounded like Gio. “You almost fell victim to it. What do you think would happen to me if you died? Everyone would think I’d had something to do with it – or at the very least, I hadn’t been doing my job.”

“No,” she said. “You almost fell victim to it. Not me. The constructs are my domain, my responsibility. Not yours.”

My mouth kept moving, my mind struggling to keep up. “And your safety is my responsibility.”

She thrust her hand inside the beast and then removed it, her fingers now empty. I tensed as the creature moved again, bringing my staff to bear. So this was to be my execution? Mephi started down the ladder headfirst, a soft whine in his throat.

Lin lifted a hand to forestall him. “Wait. Watch.”

Strangely enough, Mephi obeyed.

The skin of the beast sagged, fur sloughing off.

“I’ve broken it,” she said. “I am the only one who knows how.”

I couldn’t quite relax, even as the construct fell to pieces in front of me. My face felt hot. Had she not needed me at all? I’d exposed myself, and for what? But as I thought back to what I’d seen when I’d looked down the hatch, I didn’t think she could have gotten close to the construct if I’d not distracted it. “If you’re so competent and don’t need protection, why hire me?”

“You and I both know why I hired you. You lend me legitimacy with the people. But I cannot have you sneaking around after me, dogging my footsteps, demanding to know everything I am doing.”

Mephi climbed the rest of the way down and wound his way around my legs as though he could protect me from her wrath.

“Are you my Captain of the Imperial Guard? Or are you a spy?”

The heat drained from my face. She didn’t know – she couldn’t know. I’d not given any sign. I forced myself to breathe. It was an inquiry meant to needle me and nothing more. “What will you do then, Eminence? Strip me of my title? Execute me?” She’d already admitted that she needed me. “I can’t imagine the people who hold me in high esteem would like that.”

Mephi patted my leg, trying to soothe me.

Lin stepped closer, and though she had to crane her neck, it felt for a moment as though we were the same height. “Are you threatening the leader of the Phoenix Empire?” The air between us seemed to vibrate. “What is it that you want, Jovis? To become Emperor yourself?”