She still held the library key in her other hand, and I didn’t move to take it. Her fierce expression melted into confusion. “Thirty days for what?”

“You’ve never studied at any of the Academies, so here’s a taste. This is how they do things there. You have a wild idea; I won’t disabuse you of it. Thirty days to prove it. Prove to me someone not of the Sukai line can use the bone shard magic. Do that and I’ll teach you everything I know. My knowledge will be your knowledge.”

Confusion turned to consternation. “I’ve only been studying the books for six months. Emperors study these books for years before they even try to modify a construct. How can I build one from scratch in thirty days? There’s too much information and not enough time.”

“That doesn’t sound like my problem.” She’d dared to drug me, steal from me and now protested the limits of time on my already generous offer?

“What if I can’t?”

I pulled a key from my chain and tossed it to her. She didn’t react fast enough to catch it, and was left scrambling for it as it hit the floor. I turned, my robe sweeping the floor behind me. “Then I tell everyone what you’ve done. I execute you.

“And I find another consort.”

38

Lin

Gaelung Island

He’d known what I would do.

I couldn’t stop the thought from circling in my mind during every quiet moment before we reached Gaelung. I’d thought myself clever. I’d thought I was getting away with something. My father hadn’t taken off his chain because he’d been afraid I’d attack him and take all his keys when we were alone in the questioning room; he was giving me an opportunity to take them. He’d instilled me with bits and pieces of Nisong’s life and memories. He’d set Bayan against me as a rival and then waited, knowing what Nisong had done to her rivals.

How pleased he must have been, knowing that his experiment had worked! I clutched at the railing of the boat, watching the shape of Gaelung grow larger on the horizon, alone with my bitter thoughts. The wind brought it the spray of the ocean mingled with a few stray drops from above.

As if to remind me I was not completely alone, Thrana rested her head on my shoulder. “Close enough yet?” I rubbed at her cheeks, grateful for the contact. After coming out of the memory, she’d not wanted to be near me for several days. I’d found myself clutching for robes that weren’t there, for a cane I’d never used, my words and tongue sharper than they normally were.