A few minutes later—Kiem had drafted Jainan in to explain the finer points of his research into Taam’s finances, which Jainan did in the sharded-glass voice that came out of him under severe pressure—Rakal unbent enough to give them a single nod. It was a lot easier to explain this stuff to someone easygoing like Aren, but Kiem would take any acknowledgement he could get. “You’ve done the right thing bringing us your information,” Rakal said crisply. “We were aware of significant parts of it. I would like to interview both of you.”

Internal Security preferred to do things in person. Kiem assumed it was because it was harder to intimidate someone over a net link. “Great,” Kiem said.

“Well, we’re kind of on a trip right now. I’m scheduled for a school visit this afternoon, and Jainan’s staying—”

“Cut it short,” Rakal said. “Return to the palace.”

Kiem cast a glance beside him at Jainan, out of the visuals. Jainan’s head was bowed, his hands clenched into fists on the table. “You’ll have to wait a couple of days. We’re busy.”

“Prince Kiem,” Rakal said, not shifting their expression by as much as a millimeter. “I am loath to do this, but this is a command in the Imperial Voice.”

Jainan took a quick breath. “A what?”

Kiem took his feet off the stool in front of him and sat up. He wouldn’t put it past Rakal to bluff. “Prove it.”

Rakal picked a metal lump out of a case on their desk and touched it to their wristband. A blob of something gold and wax-like started in the middle of Kiem’s screen and expanded like liquid. Kiem’s wristband started to buzz. The gold reached the edge and, through some hypnotic effect, seemed to bleed onto

the stool below the screen. It coagulated into an intricate woven pattern.

When it was done, an Imperial crest sat over the screen like a spider. A smaller version had crept over Kiem’s wristband itself. Kiem groaned.

“What is that?” Jainan muttered.

“The Emperor,” Kiem said. “She’s given them a seal to carry out things in her voice. I wonder when she started to take an interest? Either way, we don’t have a bloody choice now.”

Rakal’s face appeared again as the golden crest faded. “I trust that makes things clear,” they said. “I will send details of the interview to your aide. Report as soon as you return to the palace.”

The screens flickered out of view. Jainan let out a long breath and unfurled his clenched hands finger by finger, flexing them as if to check they still worked.

“I am sorry.”

“They were obviously going to do that anyway,” Kiem said, though he had the uneasy feeling things were getting out of control. He and Jainan would have to cross that bridge when they came to it. “Let’s tell the Kingfisher lot that we’re leaving.”