I’d written a letter to the Shardless Few the night after that discovery, had sealed it and then had broken the seal to read over the words I’d written again. In code: “Lin is not Shiyen’s daughter and I have proof. I don’t know who she really is.” I’d told Gio not to expect any further letters. But this was information the Shardless Few deserved to know. It was information everyone deserved to know. I put it out of my mind for the moment, just as I’d put the letter away, unsure of whether to send it. “You’d think she’d be inclined to support a family member.”

Lin pursed her lips, her gaze turning to the wall as if she were looking through it and to green mountains beyond. “She didn’t mention my mother or our familial ties, not once.”

I remembered my mother’s words: She’s lonely. Bah. I waved the thought away. It wasn’t my problem to solve. It couldn’t be. “I should go.” Lin’s gaze went to my staff. Damn it. I was tapping it against the floor again. I stilled my hand.

“Am I making you nervous?”

“Is that a question I have to answer, Eminence?” Stupid thing to say. Should have just denied it. Too many thoughts competing for space in my head for me to think clearly about anything.

She looked away. “You can go.”

I left, taking Mephi with me. Kaphra’s deadline was swiftly arriving. I’d have to take the sword and give it to the Ioph Carn tonight, when Lin was expecting me to be patrolling the halls. I knew where the Ioph Carn were stationed here in Hualin Or, a house where cobblestone streets turned to dirt roads. Out of the way, quiet.

“So…” Mephi said when I’d entered the room the servant had indicated for me and shut the door. “We are not doing what Lin asked.” He eyed me, his head tilted to the side.

I could lie to anyone except for Mephi. “No, we’re not. The thing I told you about before – the good-bad thing. We’re going to do that instead.”

Mephi sat at my feet, and I noticed, startled, that the top of his head nearly reached my waist. He’d still been growing; it’d just been so gradual lately that I’d not been aware of it. His brown eyes met mine. “Jovis. You can tell me what we’re going to do. I trust you. It’s why I chose you.”

He’d been growing in more ways than one. “I’m not perfect, Mephi.”

He scratched at an ear, his mouth in a grimace. He squinted up at me. “Oh, I know that too.”