“There are now reliable reports,” Ikanuy continued, “that there are people among the construct army. Some of our soldiers claim that the people themselves are constructs. Their leader says she is your older half-sister. She says her claim to the throne supersedes yours, even though she’s illegitimate. Iloh has defected and is now calling for your abdication.”

It took me a moment to absorb what she’d said, the blood still pounding in my ears. It wasn’t what I’d thought it was; then again, the news wasn’t good. What had my father done? I couldn’t believe he’d actually fathered an illegitimate daughter, not based on the memories of his I’d shared. I focused on the second part of what Ikanuy had said. “Iloh defected?” That was two islands now calling for my abdication. Two islands I needed to support me.

“I placed the letter on your desk. He says you promised to develop the witstone mine on the neighboring island.”

“The ban is only temporary! Surely he can’t expect—” I broke off. It was pointless to explain this to my steward, not when Iloh was the one needing convincing. With the construct army looming and the unpopular witstone mining ban, others might follow Iloh’s example. I couldn’t believe this woman leading the army, whoever she was, would suffer me to live if she ascended to the throne. “We’ll need to send an envoy – see if we can’t get him back on our side. I can’t lift the ban, not yet.”

“There’s another thing,” Ikanuy said. “There’s a man here to see you. He says it’s urgent. Eminence, he is a cloudtree monk.”

My spine stiffened. The monks rarely left their monasteries, though they sometimes sent apprentices to nearby towns for supplies. I’d never heard of one coming here, to Imperial, to the palace. There were no monasteries on this island. “An envoy?”

“I’m not sure. He declined to explain to anyone except to you. We put him up in the Hall of Earthly Wisdom. He’s there right now.”

I checked my appearance. Travel-worn but not atrocious. Outside the palanquin, rain had begun to wet my hair and shoulders, but it wasn’t a downpour. This would have to do. “I’ll see him. Jovis, Thrana, Mephi, with me.”

“Should you take a contingent of guards?” She left the rest unsaid. Considering that my father never had the best relationship with the monasteries. Considering the stories of the monks’ prowess in battle.

“This is enough.” I wasn’t sure yet what he had to say. The fewer ears that heard it, the better.