19 - Aihi
There was no pretense of a game when Aihi met with the Sānlóngguón diplomats in the Cedar Palace's throne room. The sapphire plates of the Warlock Throne curled behind her like lily petals. Glittering silver filled the imperfections in the stone, and the arms were dragons of fused crystal and cobalt, their bodies twisting to form the seat.
Zixin and Nianzu stalked into the throne room, resplendent in their opulent robes of gleaming sky-blue and scarlet and their exquisite hairpieces and jewels. Li Sying entered behind them, and in comparison, his silk hanfu, though fine, was plain with only simple peony embroidery and no embellishment.
Zixin stopped below the dais, the dragon clasp in her hair almost as fearsome as her expression. Behind her, Sying knelt and bowed, and Aihi wa
