The compound gates were surrounded by a detail of the Emperor's personal guards.

Kiet pulled Akai into the alley before they were spotted.

'How are we to get past them?' Akai peered around the alley wall. 'Suppose we could climb over like last time.'

'We must get to him before it is too late.' Kiet nodded and motioned his captain deeper down the narrow path.

That was when his swiftlet took flight, chittering wildly into the sky.

Not a second later, the ground shook with a violence that made all the others feel like a mother rocking her child to sleep. They were thrown against the alley walls. Shrieks came from the compound gates along with the splitting of earth.

'Maharaj, away!'

They tried to back out of the alley, but the rocking made it impossible. 'It is Fukuhei! They are extracting his theurgy!'

'We need to get away from the walls!'

Another splinter stretched from the ground, this one cutting straight from the heart of the compound, accompanied by a rumbling that seemed to come from the very belly of the earth. Stone and wood collapsed, rocks tumbled, the entire western wing sunk over itself, leaving a dust cloud in its wake.

'Gods—the child!' Kiet staggered onwards despite Akai's objections.

Still the tremors continued. Gyoseong was already in the compound—his waiting guards were evident of that—so why not make it stop? Omnikin or not, it was impossible that Fukuhei's theurgy bested his.

Kiet reached the rubble, Akai at his heels. Next to nothing remained of the western wing; some slanted pillars survived over the ruins, and part of the wall closest to the inner courtyard managed to withstand the quake and fissures—at least for the time—but all else had been reduced to a heap of debris.

At least the hall seemed to have been evacuated. The courtyard was visible beyond the ruins and he had a good view of Gyoseong and the Terran woman; both unharmed. The runesmith was hidden by the remaining wall, but his cries rivalled even those of Fukuhei's.

'Maharaj!' Akai hissed from behind, 'It's not safe!'

'There's not much else that can fall here, Akai. The place has been levelled.'

'I'm not talking about—'

Their footsteps were unnoticed amongst all the chaos. Now were they close enough to hear the runesmith's screeching about his runes.

'Enough!' Gyoseong's voice boomed above it all. 'Calm the boy, do you hear me!'

This he said to the Terran, who staggered and swayed for Fukuhei while the ground roiled beneath her. But why send the woman, when his own theurgy could easier end it?

As it were, she had no need to intervene.

The earth calmed just as abruptly as it had exploded.

The sky broke into a gentle patter.

The woman quickly ran for Fukuhei, fought through his ferocious beating, and clasped him close to her forehead. The hanjeon's screams subsided into tepid sobs. His body eased. She sat there with him in the gravel, brow-to-brow, until he fully quieted.

Kiet rounded the surviving wall, catching the runesmith by surprise. The man gasped, turned on his heels, slipping in dust and debris. Kiet grabbed him by the collar and pulled him up against the wall. 'My Most Divine Emperor. I would warn against consorting with the likes of this runesmith.'

But when he turned to gauge Gyoseong's reaction, the Emperor was no longer alone.

Haruse had emerged from the archway tunnel that ran through the southern wing. He leaned now upon a wooden cane, eyes and mouth gaping in shock at Kiet's appearance.

It was as much a surprise for him to see the younger Gyoseong, but Kiet was quicker to compose himself. 'Haruse-himi. As you well see, this is a dangerous place to be.'

'My thousand apologies, maharaj'—It was the Emperor who started, eyes shooting daggers at him—'but this is not a good time.'

'I meant not to intrude. We saw the wing collapse and hurried in case anyone was injured.'

'Your concern is appreciated. However, you have caught us in a domestic affair and I respectfully request that you allow us some privacy.'

His tone suggested it was anything but. 'If this man is involved, I know exactly what kind of affair you speak of. I only fear, Emperor, that you have been not sufficiently informed. Are you aware that any ensnarement of theurgy will lead to the target's death?'

'This is not true, Your Divine Highness!' the runesmith rasped under Kiet's grip. 'The maharaj doesn't know what—'

Kiet slammed him again against the wall. 'How many children have you taken from the palace academy?'

'Me? I have taken no one!'

'How many of them have you ensnared?' His hand circled around the runesmith's neck. 'Why not tell us how many of them survived your practice?'

The runesmith looked between Kiet and the Emperor behind him, uncertain. When he answered, it was to the latter. 'Those were different, My Divinity. Third-ranking baseborns, perhaps a second-rank once in a red moon; each one of them only carrying one breed of theurgy so there was nothing left when we secured it out of them. Fukuhei-himi is a strong child. We will only be securing his apsa- and eyrkindry, leaving more than enough room for his terrakindry to flourish.'

'Securing?' Kiet spat. 'Is that what you call it? He speaks only misguided lies, Emperor. Your son's ranking and theurgy will prevent him not from dying.'

'Nonsense! My life is forfeit should any harm fall upon the prince. I would never—'

'Then it is forfeit.' Kiet faced the Emperor and his brother. 'This man is delusional. Your son is to him nothing but a test subject. Fukuhei-himi may be the only heir to the Tsun throne; is his life really something to risk?'

'That is not all, Your Divine Highness,' added the Terran, Fukuhei wrapped in her arms, 'Master Ibnur tells you Fukuhei-himi's condition is caused by his theurgy, but this is conjecture pulled straight out of his hollow orifices! He has no expertise in matters of the mind. The fact of the matter is Fukuhei-himi's condition is not caused by anything! This is simply who he is!'

'You tell me my son will remain forever an imbecile?' Gyoseong's eyes narrowed in anger.

'He understands you and I well enough.' Her tone verged on impertinence. 'He has thoughts and feelings and reason of his own, though they may not be apparent or understandable to you. So no, My Emperor, he is not an imbecile. Quite the contrary; Fukuhei-himi is a clever boy, and he can be taught how to navigate your world, even if you can never navigate his.'

Kiet stepped in before Gyoseong could sentence her there and then to the dungeons. 'I appreciate you'd prefer to continue this conversation in private, Emperor. If you will excuse us, I shall for now take the runesmith off your hands.'

'One moment, maharaj.' It was Haruse who spoke, his voice wheezing as though full of smoke. His weight on the cane seemed precarious as he hobbled closer towards Kiet. 'Ibnur-djung has been appointed to perform a service for the Divine Gyok. If he is indeed a charlatan, he must thus face our judgement.'

And be freed for his skill and connections? 'My apologies. I meant not for it to come across as a request.' He caught Akai squirming in his periphery, but Kiet had tired of the games.

'As much as I respect your father, must I remind you of your position here?'

'Perhaps you are unaware, Haruse-himi, so I forgive your miscalculation.' Kiet shoved the runesmith into Akai's custody. 'Not only is this man a Surikh citizen, he has also performed terrible crimes in his homeland, not least in abetting a suspected regicide, so I will be taking him home with me. I doubt the Emperor would harbour a traitor to his neighbouring kingdom, after all, nor prevent us from holding his trial.'

The runesmith sputtered his declarations of innocence, but the Divine Gyok knew better than to support the claims of a baseborn over a maharaj. Haruse, however, had not just yet capitulated. 'Do you have evidence of this?'

'I have in fact secured several devices that he created through the abduction and murder of innocent palace dhayang. Devices that were commissioned by Dhvani herself, and instrumental in the slaying of Rajini Amarin.' So the last part was a lie, but the truth-weaver was not present to contradict. 'I will come to see you tomorrow, Emperor, to discuss matters of urgency.'

'The Emperor is not a brothel maid to be called upon at one's whim!' Haruse's wheezing undercut any of the severity in his voice. 'Nothing is more urgent than ensuring the safety of our people following these quakes, and preparing immediately for reparations! The Emperor will hardly be sitting around entertaining guests all morning!'

'Of course. I would hate to get in the way of aid and resources being distributed to the city. This must be an alarming time for the people; a disaster of this scale surely is to reach ears far and wide. Messaging is often crucial in moments as this, but you already know.'

That shut Haruse quickly. Let him read into it as he wished.

Kiet felt Akai tense beside him, but he himself was not at all concerned. Certainly his interference would prove unfavourable to their relations going forward, and for that Judhistir will hardly thank him. But an Emperor who failed to disable his own son's uncontrolled theurgy? One brother close to death's door, and the crown prince secretly removed of his title? Gyoseong had far more pressing matters to address than an insolent royal guest; matters he undoubtedly would prefer to be kept confidential.

'Very well, maharaj,' said Gyoseong after careful consideration. 'Tomorrow at morning ten-bells.'

   
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'I've sent word for more men to come from the docks. They should be here within the hour.' Akai had waited until they were back in the quiet of Kiet's tea room before he made his report.

They had conducted a thorough inspection of the compound. Fortunately nothing was critically damaged in the quakes, and none of their servants injured. 'You believe Gyoseong will use the opportunity to imprison me.'

'No, maharaj. He will kill you.'

'How little you understand. The Divine Gyok is at its weakest. They fear Surikhand too much for such foolishness. But by all means withdraw my men from their duties; if I am to die, I may as well take all my soldiers with me.'

'They might not have anyone viable for the throne, but that doesn't mean they are short of first-ranking theurgists.'

'Correct. Gyoseong is one of eight living siblings; half of which are first-rank, two second-, and the rest unblooded. Do you know how my father's brothers and sisters compare? How their children compares to those of the Divine Gyok dynasty? You've seen Fukuhei and Yeungji-himi ... do you really believe they are the only of the dynasty with a similar condition?'

'Even with his condition Fukuhei-himi's still capable of great damage.'

'That hardly matters if it is beyond his control. Speaking of which—did you notice when the quakes abruptly stopped?'

'Sure. The Terran woman's theurgy must have calmed him.'

'Think again.' Kiet rose, slid the screen windows a crack to check the courtyard. One of his guards was making his rounds, but nothing else moved. His other guard would be watching over the runesmith, now imprisoned in an empty room of the eastern wing. 'It was before that.'

Akai frowned. 'Does it matter?'

'It is all that matters.'

He had it all wrong.

Djuro had been very confident with what he knew. His sister had met a foreign boy. One of high birth, but their mother had disapproved for he was only the youngest of many sons and offered no future ...

Yusake was heir to the throne. She would never have disapproved if it had been him.

'What do you mean?' Akai's voice interrupted Kiet's thoughts.

'Send another message to the harbour. Ensure they are ready to depart within the next two days.'

'As you command, maharaj.' Akai excused himself with a tentative look.

Kiet did not even notice. He saw now the picture unfolding before him.

The death of Gyoseong's first wife and all their previous children. The Divine Gyok's concerning lack of heirs ... Haruse's illness and the convenient timing of his arrival ...

Most of all, why they are willing to harbour Dhvani at the risk of severing diplomatic ties.

It all made perfect sense.

      
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☆ this chapter is dedicated to Nomali1992 ☆

Video: The sounds around us. ASMR
Image: Original artists unknown

Hmm ... looks like Kiet's finally figured things out; the real question is: Have you?

Hi all! I'm back after my extended break and can finally return to posting (and writing). See you in two weeks, or come join us at discord if you want to chat or discuss the Queenkiller chronicles before then (-‿◦)