Chapter 13
With the skilled help of the maid, I got ready just in time to join the rest of the delegation as we set out.
Two guards escorted us to the Hall of Dragons in the Imperial Palace, where the reception was to take place.
All the various heads of state, and their accompanying delegates, were expected to be present, so this was my opportunity to make my first impression on the world leaders.
For once, I had agreed to dress as a mage, but instead of the ugly apprentice robes, I wore fuchsia and gold, with a matching gold sash around my waist. My hair was piled atop my head, with a gold chain woven through the curls. Matching earrings dangled from my ears.
Like our pavilion, the Hall of Dragons was fashioned of wood, but the twisting columns must have been carved from ancient oak trees, for they were easily five times Iannis’s height and as thick as three average men standing close together.
The pillars were decorated with winged dragons, a motif repeated on the carvings of the ceiling high above, and the silk embroidered wall hanging.
There even was a glass dragon lamp hanging from the ceiling on solid gold chains, glowing from within with magical light.
The late Emperor’s widow was standing in front of her dais at the far end of the hall.
All newly arriving guests approached her in an orderly queue to pay their respects and give their condolences before mingling or partaking of the abundant food and drink.
“Is all this fuss really necessary?” I muttered to Iannis in mindspeak as we joined the queue. “These earrings are so heavy; I won’t be surprised if my earlobes drag on the carpet by the end of the night.”
“This may be hard to believe, but you are dressed rather conservatively for Garai,” Iannis replied.
He nodded his head toward Director Chen, who was wearing multilayered Garaian robes in subtly contrasting colors, embroidered with magical symbols.
Her hair was done even more elaborately than mine, and jewelry dripped from every possible place on her body.
“They love to wear flashy and ostentatious costumes, to display their rank and wealth.”
Finally, it was our turn to bow before our hostess.
Her Imperial Majesty Chari Hahn wore robes of spun gold, the color reserved to the Emperor, with diamonds and dark pearls glittering in reckless profusion.
“Welcome, Minister Graning,” she said in a low monotone as we approached, coached by the Head of Protocol standing at her left side.
Two men and three women who bore strong resemblance to her were also present, and as introductions were made, I found out that they were her sons and daughters.
It was a little disconcerting seeing as how they all seemed to be of similar age, and I wondered how old they really were.
“So this is the unusual Miss Baine,” Chari drawled once Iannis and I were introduced by the Minister, and we’d expressed our condolences at the Mage-Emperor’s passing. “The newspaper photographs do not do you justice.”
My cheeks colored a little, and I bowed again, pretending to take her remark as a compliment. “You’re very kind, Your Majesty.”
“We have never had a shifter attend as a guest, not even a half-shifter,” Princess Ra-Sai, the middle daughter, observed. Her expression was more reserved than her mother’s. “I hope that you have found your stay in Bilai to be pleasant so far.”
“We have been very well taken care of, thank you,” I assured her, refusing to let her know that I’d noticed the stares that had followed us around the room, specifically me.
To make my resemblance to the ar’Rhea family less striking, I had lightened the color of my hair from black to dark brown, but my green shifter eyes were still drawing a lot of attention.
Maybe they’ve just never met a panther shifter before, I thought as we continued around the room.
Despite what Princess Ra-Sai had said, I was not the only shifter present—the Mage-Emperor’s famous Lion Guards were patrolling the crowds.
They wore red and gold tunics, with a lion’s head emblazoned on the backs, and they all dyed their hair gold and wore it long and untamed around their oblong faces, like a lion’s mane.
Most of them were in human form, but some prowled around as lions as well.
A smart choice, since shifter senses were much stronger in animal form, and they could still use mindspeak to communicate with each other.
Servants circulated in the room as well, plying us with strong spirits that burned like fire in my throat, and made some of the guests cough and turn red in the face.
Thankfully, I was unaffected, but many of them became quite drunk, and the more they drank, the more freely their words flowed.
Others imbibed much less, including Iannis, Director Chen, and the Minister, and they took advantage of the opportunity to prod and pry at their inebriated fellow-guests, gaining useful information.
I tried to do the same, but I could not understand most of the languages spoken.
Amongst other things, I learned that many of the guests were speculating, and even placing bets, that Chari would try to sabotage the trials of the potential new Mage-Emperor after the funeral.
Apparently, Chari was a second wife—the late Mage-Emperor’s first son, Kazu, was born of the first wife, who had died long ago.
Chari, of course, wanted her own eldest son, Bu-Sai, to take the throne.
“I don’t know why you would bet against Kazu,” a black-skinned delegate from Faricia scoffed to her fellow delegate.
She wore colorful orange-and-green robes, and her beads clinked as she tossed her braided hair over one shoulder.
“I understand he has done an admirable job of defending the Garaian border against desert tribes—he is no pushover.”
“Perhaps, but being a good warrior is not enough to make a leader,” the other delegate said. “Bu-Sai is more intelligent, from what I have heard, and, alongside his late father, has done much for trade in Garai.”
Unable to stand the suspense anymore, I approached one of the assistants to the Head of Protocol. To my relief, she understood Northian. “Do you happen to know if the delegation from Castalis has arrived? Are they present?” I asked, lowering my voice to a discreet murmur.
“Certainly, miss. The High Mage has brought his son and daughter, as well as several advisors. I passed them earlier near one of the pillars.”
Excitement and apprehension filled me, and I looked eagerly around the crowded hall, trying to spot my unknown relatives.
It took some time, since there were over five hundred people milling around, but eventually I caught sight of the Castilian High Mage, standing over by a refreshment table as he conversed with a caramel-skinned delegate from Southia.
I stilled, taking slow, even breaths to quell my suddenly racing heart.
I had already seen the High Mage’s photograph, but in person, his resemblance to me was even more obvious in his thick, curly black hair, startling green eyes, full mouth, and olive skin tone.
His son, Malik, was a lankier version of Haman, and my heart thumped a little harder as I caught sight of Isana, his older daughter, who had sent me that letter.
Her thick black hair was straight, unlike my own, and her skin was several shades darker, but the fullness of her mouth, her straight nose, and her bottle-green eyes reminded me of the reflection I saw every time I stared into my bathroom mirror.
Iannis appeared next to me, abandoning a Pernian mage with whom he had renewed an old acquaintanceship.
Noticing who I was staring at, he seized my elbow and steered me in the opposite direction.
“If anyone saw you and Isana together, they would see the resemblance instantly,” he warned, releasing my elbow to settle his hand on the small of my back instead.
“Perhaps we should have done something more drastic about your coloring.”
I held back a snort. “I don’t really think that would matter.
And besides, the last thing I need is for Garrett to become suspicious.
” I glanced over at the Director of Federal Security, who was across the room chatting with a pretty blonde mage from the Central Continent.
The color in his cheeks was high. Judging by the animated gestures he was making, he had not been able to resist temptation like Iannis and the Minister had.
But I couldn’t count on him being drunk and oblivious for the rest of the trip.
“Lord Iannis. It has been a long time since I last crossed paths with you, back when you were traveling in Castalis,” a deep voice said from behind us, and I forced myself not to stiffen at the rolling ‘Rs and stretched vowels—hallmarks of a Castalian accent.
Slowly, Iannis and I turned to see Haman standing behind us.
Trepidation rushed through me, but also relief, as I noticed he had left his children back on the other side of the room.
“Lord Haman.” Iannis smiled, and the two shook hands. “Times have certainly changed since then. Your father-in-law was High Mage at the time, and now you rule Castalis yourself. And you have a wife and grown children, too.”
“Indeed!” Haman agreed, chuckling. “Rumor has it that you are about to marry yourself.” His green eyes turned to mine with open curiosity. “May I have an introduction?”
“Certainly. Allow me to present my fiancée, Miss Sunaya Baine,” Iannis said, smiling fondly down at me.
There was absolutely zero indication in his expression or voice that this was anything other than an introduction between strangers.
“Sunaya, this is Lord Haman ar’Rhea, the High Mage of Castalis. ”