Dawn broke over the imperial capital, painting the sky in shades of amber and gold. In the Ambrose estate, Grim made his way to his study. When he entered, he found Chen Xing hunched over his desk, carefully applying a wax seal to a docunt.
"Is it done?" Grim asked, closing the door behind him.
Chen Xing looked up, dark circles under his eyes suggesting he’d worked through the night. "Almost." He gestured to several docunts spread across the desk. "Correspondence between House Draykar and contacts in the Demon Lands, records of paynts to the assassins that attacked us, and a letter recomnding Talyra for the tournant with Lord Draykar’s seal."
Grim picked up one of the docunts, examining the handwriting. "Impressive. One would think these are authentic."
"I had good teachers," Chen Xing replied, a grim smile on his face."
Grim nodded in approval. "And the evidence will be planted..."
"Before the noon bell. In Lord Draykar’s private study, hidden away. Enough that a thorough search would discover it." Chen Xing carefully placed the docunts in a leather folio."
Grim nodded, satisfied. "Once you’ve finished, seek out i Zhou. Tell her I need to et with the Patriarch of House Orvannis before the matches begin."
"Orvannis?" Chen Xing raised an eyebrow. "They’ve been neutral in all this. Why would they..."
"Because I have evidence that Julius hired Aithen specifically to eliminate their champion from the tournant," Grim interrupted. "Evidence I’m willing to share, provided they support the right side when the ti cos."
Understanding dawned on Chen Xing’s face. "You’re building a coalition."
"I’m ensuring House Ambrose’s survival," Grim corrected. "Now go. We have little ti."
As Chen Xing departed, Huangyan erged from the shadows of the hallway. She had a talent for moving silently.
"A dangerous ga you’re playing," she observed, entering the study. "Framing a noble house carries severe consequences if discovered."
"As does sending assassins to my ho," Grim replied coldly. "House Draykar has been Julius’s silent partner for years. It’s ti they shared in his downfall."
Huangyan studied him. "Caius would be proud. He always said true power cos not from strength of arms, but from the willingness to do what others cannot."
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i Zhou’s teahouse was nearly empty at this early hour. Chen Xing found her in the back room, reviewing ledgers with the sa intensity she brought to everything.
"Lord Ambrose requests your assistance," he said without preamble.
i looked up, setting aside her brush. "I’m listening."
Chen Xing delivered Grim’s ssage, watching her expression shift from curiosity to carefully contained excitent.
"An alliance with House Orvannis would change everything," she mused. "Lord Orvannis is notoriously difficult to reach, however. He rarely grants audiences without weeks of prior arrangent."
"We don’t have weeks," Chen Xing pressed. "The matches begin today."
i tapped her fingers against the table, thinking. "There is one possibility. Lord Orvannis takes his morning ditation at the Imperial Gardens. Few know this, as he values his privacy. If Lord Ambrose were to accidentally encounter him there..."
"Accidentally," Chen Xing repeated with a knowing look.
"Precisely." i closed her ledger. "I’ll arrange for a suitable distraction for his guards at the east entrance. Be there in one hour."
Chen Xing bowed slightly. "House Ambrose appreciates your continued support."
"House Ambrose should appreciate my continued silence," i corrected, though there was no malice in her tone. "Now go. I have arrangents to make."
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Grim approached from the east entrance, just as i had instructed. Sure enough, the usual guards were distracted by what appeared to be a minor commotion involving a rchant and allegedly stolen goods.
Following the winding path deeper into the gardens, Grim soon found his target. Lord Orvannis was a tall, lean man in his seventies with a closely trimd silver beard. He sat on a stone bench beside a pond, his eyes closed in ditation.
Two guards stood at a respectful distance, but they tensed as Grim approached. One moved to intercept him.
"Lord Orvannis is not to be disturbed," the guard stated firmly.
"It’s quite alright, Toran," Lord Orvannis said without opening his eyes. "I believe Lord Ambrose and I are overdue for a conversation."
The guard looked surprised but stepped aside. Orvannis finally opened his eyes. They were sharp and gray as winter steel.
"Your return to the capital has caused quite a stir, Lord Ambrose," he observed as Grim sat. "The tournant, the elimination of an elven spy.... one might think you’re intent on making enemies."
"Or identifying those who already were," Grim countered smoothly.
A hint of amusent crossed Orvannis’s face. "Indeed. And now you seek out. I wonder why."
"Perhaps to correct a misconception." Grim produced a docunt from his folio. "Your son was eliminated from the tournant in the third round by Aithen, was he not?"
"Yes, one of many. Tragic," Orvannis acknowledged, his voice neutral but his eyes sharp with interest.
"Tragic, but," Grim replied. "Predetermined."
He handed the docunt to Orvannis, who scanned it quickly. It was a record of paynt from Julius Luminaris to Aithen, dated before the tournant with instructions to kill anyone who posed a threat to Max Luminaris winning.
Orvannis’s expression didn’t change, but a subtle tension appeared in his shoulders. "Where did you acquire this?"
"I have my sources," Grim said. "Just as I have sources telling that House Draykar has been working against the Empire’s interests. They vouched for the elf Talyra, knowing what she was. They sent assassins to silence last night."
"Serious accusations," Orvannis noted, returning the docunt. "What do you want from , Lord Ambrose?"
"Nothing yet," Grim replied. "But when I present my evidence to the Empress, it would be beneficial to have House Orvannis’s support."
"And in return?"
"House Luminaris has dominated imperial politics for too long," Grim said. "Should evidence of House Draykar’s treachery co to light, he will lose his strongest ally."
"Creating a vacuum of power," Orvannis concluded. "Which you intend to fill."
"Which we intend to fill," Grim corrected. "House Ambrose and House Orvannis, together."
Orvannis studied him for a long mont, his expression unreadable. "You play a dangerous ga, Lord Ambrose."
"I’m rely returning the ga to those who started it," Grim replied.
After what seed an eternity, Orvannis nodded slightly. "I will be watching. Let’ssee how it pans out."
It wasn’t a commitnt, but it was enough for now. Grim stood, bowing slightly. "That’s all I ask."
As he turned to leave, Orvannis spoke again. "Lord Ambrose. Your great-grandfather once told that revenge is a blade best wielded with a steady hand. I see he passed that wisdom to his heir."
Grim didn’t correct the assumption that he had known Caius. Instead, he simply nodded and departed, leaving Orvannis to his ditation.
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The Imperial Palace buzzed with preparations for the day’s matches. Grim strode through the corridors, the leather folio tucked under his arm. He had no appointnt and no formal request for an audience.
As he rounded a corner, he ca upon a small procession erging from a side chamber. Guards stepped forward protectively before recognizing who stood before them.
The Empress herself stood in the center of the group, Chancellor Levenhart at her side. She had been conducting morning etings in one of the smaller audience chambers.
"Lord Ambrose," she said, a hint of surprise in her voice. "What brings you to the palace so early?"
"I ca to see you."
The Chancellor frowned at his directness. "Lord Ambrose, the Empress has a full schedule of—"
"It concerns imperial security," Grim interrupted, his gaze fixed on the Empress rather than Levenhart.
The Empress studied him for a mont, then gestured to a nearby antechamber. "Five minutes, Lord Ambrose."
Once inside with just the Empress and Chancellor, Grim wasted no ti. He dropped the folio on the table with a deliberate thud.
"House Draykar is working with the Demon Lands," he said bluntly. "They vouched for the elf I killed, and they sent assassins to my estate afterward."
The Chancellor’s face reddened. "You dare make such accusations without...."
"The proof is in there," Grim cut him off, nodding toward the folio. "Found among the assassins’ possessions. Correspondence, paynt records, all with Draykar’s seal."
The Empress opened the folio, her face impassive as she examined the contents. "Why bring this to personally? The proper channels would be...."
"Because proper channels can be compromised," Grim said. "House Draykar has allies throughout the court. I don’t know who I can trust."
"Except ?" There was a touch of amusent in the Empress’s voice.
"You benefit from a stable empire," Grim replied flatly.
Chancellor Levenhart bristled. "Your manner borders on insolence, Lord Ambrose."
Grim shrugged. "I’ve spent twelve years in exile. Court etiquette wasn’t a priority."
The Empress closed the folio, her expression thoughtful. "These are serious accusations."
"They are," Grim agreed. "And they’re true."
"We will investigate," she said, her tone making it clear the decision was final. "Discreetly."
"That’s all I ask." Grim turned to leave without waiting for dismissal.
"Lord Ambrose," the Empress called, stopping him at the door. "Your great-grandfather was also direct. Sotis refreshingly so, sotis not. I’m curious to see which path you’ll follow."
Grim looked back over his shoulder. "I follow my own path, Your Majesty."
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