Contents
Chapter Fifteen
Overview
Aeri and Sora’s banquet gambit yields little until court gossip suggests Queen Quilimar may have murdered the king and is steering Khitan toward war with Yusan. Seok confronts Sora on the dance floor, triggering her collapse. Aeri uses the Sands of Time to freeze the room and smuggle Sora out to safety.
Summary
Aeri and Sora attend the Quu armory banquet hoping to reach the general, but the ambassador monopolizes conversation, offering trivialities. Aeri positions herself near a map, eavesdropping on Yusanian diplomats who claim Queen Quilimar remains sequestered, has made popular reforms, possibly murdered the king, and faces a populace eager for war against Yusan.
The diplomats also note the ambassador may become regent to the Count of Tamneki and mention Seok, who holds Sora’s indenture. On the dance floor, a man resembling Ty cuts in on Sora; Aeri recognizes him as Seok. Moments later, Sora staggers away and nearly collapses, suggesting devastating news about Daysum.
Seok cries “assassin,” throwing the room into chaos as guards secure the general. Aeri tries to move Sora but cannot carry her. Spotting a dessert cart, Aeri grasps her amulet, invokes the Sands of Time, and freezes the room. She loads Sora onto the cart and wheels her outside before releasing the etherum.
Time resumes; exhaustion crashes over Aeri. She commandeers a carriage and orders the driver to the Gray Shore Inn. Sora, disoriented, accepts Aeri’s cover story about fainting and being carted out. In private, Sora thanks Aeri and then breaks down in tears, while Aeri, drained by the mounting cost of the magic, keeps watch.
Who Appears
- AeriNarrator; uses the Sands of Time to freeze the banquet and evacuate Sora; physically taxed by the magic.
- SoraCharms the ambassador, then confronts Seok on the dance floor; collapses and later breaks down in the carriage.
- SeokCount who owns Sora’s indenture; cuts in to dance, then triggers chaos by shouting about an assassin.
- AmbassadorSelf-satisfied host who monopolizes conversation and paws at Sora during the dance.
- GeneralTarget of Aeri and Sora’s approach; whisked away by guards when Seok raises an alarm.
- Yusanian diplomatsGossip in Yusanian about Quilimar’s reforms, possible regicide, and rising Khitan war fervor.