Chapter Four

Mikail visits Fallador’s lavish villa on Oligarch Mountain, seeking a path to Queen Quilimar. They speak in old Gayan, recalling shared origins and exile. Fallador reveals an assassination attempt on Quilimar a week prior; she now grants no audiences. Mikail’s diplomatic cover is useless.

Fallador details rumors that General Vikal shares Quilimar’s bed and publicly executed the lieutenant who led the attempt, suggesting loyalty rather than conspiracy. Fallador promises to probe for access.

Fallador gives Mikail an eagle-post letter sealed from Qali Palace. Decoding Zahara’s single word—“Gone”—Mikail concludes King Joon has left the palace. He wonders if this is a ploy, weighing Zahara’s loyalties and the possibility of deeper schemes. He resolves to protect his father and distrusts Aeri despite Sora’s faith.

In heavy monsoon rain, Mikail descends a side street toward the harbor and detects a tail. Three Khitan spies confront him to bring him in. He kills them with swift precision, then removes their spleens as a pointed cultural message about courage, signaling defiance to their presumed patron, General Vikal.

Donning a taken raincoat and concealing the blood, Mikail departs, determined to find a new path to Quilimar and prepared to retaliate if Joon endangers those Mikail still loves.