The interrogation room still smelled like arousal, even after the guards had dragged the fake assassin away.
"A kitsune," Silviana said for the third time, like saying it enough would make it less insane. "They sent a kitsune disguised as a nim to kill me."
"It's brilliant, actually," Aria admitted, though she looked like the words physically hurt to say. "If we hadn't caught her, every kitsune in Yalmir would be blaming the nim right now."
"They still might," Melisa pointed out. "Just because we know the objective truth doesn't mean everyone will believe it."
The Matriarch's nine tails moved sporadically, each one moving independently like they had their own anxiety to work through.
"We'll need to make a public announcement immediately. Show the citizens exactly what happened."
"That could backfire," Aria said. "Some might think we're covering for the nim. Making excuses."
"Then what do you suggest?"
