The lantern light from the small tea pavilion cast a warm golden glow on the man waiting inside. His green silk robes caught the light, but it was his smile that drew my attention. Calm. Gentle. Dangerous in its own way.
"Lady Shi," he greeted me with a graceful bow, as though I were already someone important. "I feared you would refuse my invitation."
I stepped forward, my steps measured. "You have an odd way of arranging meetings, Your Highness. No warning, no reason given. I came only out of curiosity."
His smile deepened. "And have I satisfied that curiosity yet?"
"Not yet," I replied, taking a seat across from him.
He poured the tea himself, ignoring the servants waiting nearby. "They say you are clever. I believe it. The way you move through the palace without stepping on the wrong toes impressive."
"Impressive enough to make you invite me here?" I asked, watching him over the rim of my cup.
"I wanted to see for myself whether the rumors were true. The new lady in the palace who plants strange crops, trades with servants, and somehow earns the Third Prince's attention."
So he had heard. That meant the whispers were spreading faster than I thought.
"And now that you have seen me?" I asked.
He set his cup down slowly. "Now, I am certain you are worth protecting."
"Protecting?" The word slipped from my lips before I could stop it.
He leaned forward slightly. "This palace is a pit of snakes. You need allies. I am willing to be one of them."
"And what would Your Highness want in return?"
"Nothing… yet." His gaze lingered on my face. "But when the time comes, I may ask for your trust."
The way he said it sent a ripple of unease through me. His tone was soft, but there was something unreadable in his eyes.
Before I could reply, the rustle of silk outside the pavilion caught my ear. A shadow moved just beyond the lantern light, silent but deliberate. My skin prickled.
The Fifth Prince's expression did not change, but his gaze flicked toward the darkness for an instant. "It seems we have an uninvited guest," he murmured.
I rose, pretending not to notice the figure lingering in the shadows. But when I stepped outside, I knew exactly who it was.
The Third Prince stood beneath the cherry tree, arms folded, his eyes cool and unreadable.
"Enjoying your tea, Lady Shi?" he asked softly.
The Fifth Prince appeared beside me. His smile was still there, but the warmth in it was gone. "Brother," he said, voice smooth, "you should join us."
The Third Prince's gaze shifted between us, sharp as a blade. "Perhaps another time. I only came to remind Lady Shi that the Mid-Autumn banquet is close. I would hate for her to be… unprepared."
Then he turned and left without waiting for an answer.
I stood between them, feeling the weight of their attention like two opposing currents pulling me in different directions.
Two princes. Two offers of protection though neither had said it outright. And in three days, the Crown Princess's test awaited me.
The palace was no longer a place I could simply survive. I was already being drawn into its web.