Three days hard riding.
Xin and Ren reached the capital at dusk on the third day. The city looked normal from the outer road — cook fires, evening markets, the ordinary sounds of a city doing its evening things.
The palace felt wrong through the ley lines.
Not damaged. Agitated. The spiritual pressure of many people managing significant anxiety in a confined space. Xin had felt it from two days out and it had sharpened with every mile.
Master Zhou was at the palace gate.
He looked worse than the letter had suggested.
"Inside," he said immediately. No greeting.
*****
Zhou's private study. Door closed. Three candles.
"The coalition," Zhou said. He sat but did not settle. "I know who built it."
"Tell me," Xin said.
"It took me four days to confirm because I did not want to be wrong
