"I can't be late again, An-Ri," Kai-Se raised the folds of his Imperial uniform from getting in the way as he tore through the marble corridors of the Imperial Palace. "I told you to get me back here early last night."

Strands of white hair flicked into Kai-Se's vision as An-Ri, his spirit protector, flickered to life beside him, her sandaled feet floating a few inches off the floor. "I'm not the one who insisted on visiting Izeryeo with an Imperial summon the next day," she scolded before flicking a stern look at how he had his bright yellow overcoat bunched in his hands. "Be careful when running like that. You might trip."

Kai-Se turned a corner and braced the cloth headdress seated atop his hair to prevent it from falling over or getting crooked. "I already am late, which is worse than tripping, in my opinion."

An-Ri rolled her purple eyes. "Well, whatever," she said. "I did the best I could with what magic was available to me in this realm. Good luck, prince."

With that, the necklace bouncing against Kai-Se's chest glowed with a light pink sheen as An-Ri's essence disappeared inside. He bit back a curse. If only he could do that as well.

He stopped in front of the large doors painted blue-green like the sea. A servant cleared his throat and pushed it in. "Announcing Najizaki Kai-Se, Imperial Crown Prince," he proclaimed in an annoyingly loud voice.

Shame danced inside his gut and heated his cheeks as he strode inside, doing his best to maintain his posture like his rows and rows of royal tutors ingrained in him. Heads of his father's court—nobles from the Xuijae's provinces and other esteemed advisers and some generals in the army—turned to him as one. Seated in a chair higher than the cushions all the ministers sat at was his father, the Emperor of the Akoshize, Minxiaseng, and the Minzareong Dynasties. He didn't look happy.

Kai-Se dropped into the empty cushion at his father's right hand reserved for him. "How much did I miss?" he asked. Considering the appearance of a soldier from the Yomaura Clan appearing in his story-telling sessions, his father might already have a clue about his recent activities and the reason for his repeated failure in holding up his royal duties.

"Not much," his father replied in a flat tone. He faced the ministers and advisers who all had a communal bored look on their faces. "We simply didn't start until you arrived. Perhaps that should teach you some manners of not letting people wait just because you are an esteemed member of the Royal family."

Kai-Se bowed his head. "This won't happen again."

"Save your promises for someone who is easily fooled by them," his father waved his hand, the beads dancing in front of his crown preventing Kai-Se from truly seeing how upset the Emperor was. "Now, to the matter at hand," the Emperor continued. "Dansarun has reached out to Xuijae for a trade summit. What does the court wish to do?"

The Governor of the Dangrao Province and one of Kai-Se's father's strongest allies, raised a finger. His voice rang across the walls of the Jade Palace in hollow waves when he spoke. "We should respond in kind and send our own envoy," he said. "Where is the summit going to be held?"

"Urkaze. In Dansarun's Imperial City," the Emperor responded. "Finance, do we have enough resources for the tour?"

A wispy man with a thin, graying beard straightened with the attention. "As far as budget and resources go, Your Grace, we could send at least two parties to take on the journey through the Western and Eastern provinces of Dansarun."

"You mean the Western and Eastern provinces of Shencai?" Kai-Se interjected, his mouth running him into dangerous places yet again.

The court bristled as one. "Shencai is no more, son," the Emperor barely turned to him upon saying that. "You would do well to never mention that word to the gods in Dansarun if you don't want Xuijae to end up in the same fate as Shencai."

"Are you planning on sending the Crown Prince as an envoy?" the Governor of the Dangrao province asked, being the only one with enough guts to act chummy with the Emperor.

Kai-Se whirled to his father. "Is that what you're planning?"

To his horror, the Emperor nodded. "You caught me, Fang-Xe," he said, addressing the Governor by his given name—a great honor among nobles. "I do intend to send the Crown Prince as Xuijae's envoy to Dansarun. All in favor?"

Almost all hands went up. Kai-Se's heart sank. Was that how eager everyone was in getting rid of him? "Wait a second," he planted his hands on the table but didn't push himself up. "When do I get a say in this? What if I don't want to go?"

The Emperor turned to him with raised eyebrows. "You will have no say considering it's an Imperial order the moment the words leave my mouth," he said. "Besides, you'll be doing the empire a huge honor by doing this tour."

The expectant eyes and the knowing smirks of the nobles seated around the long table told Kai-Se it would be a weakness in the Najizaki Family's image should he refuse. That would give the other ruling clans vying for the throne's power enough courage to start undermining his father's control over the empire. Most coups and overthrowing of government didn't end up well for the deposed family. History was kind enough to teach Kai-Se that.

So, even with his gut twisting like a cloth being washed out, he nodded and plastered a smile on his face. "Yes, I think so as well," he said. "I'll go."

"Splendid," the Emperor said. "Now for your security, I have hired the perfect candidate for you from the Yomaura Clan. One of their best, I was told. Guards!"

As if on cue, the doors to the court hall opened again and they spat out a bewildered looking soldier flanked by two palace guards with spears. Kai-Se's eyes widened as familiarity gripped his throat. That soldier. He's the one in Izeryeo yesterday. It couldn't be—

"You will spend the whole tour together so it's best for you two to be acquainted with each other before the departure," the Emperor stood up from his seat and trudged to the soldier whose wide eyes still hadn't subsided. "Paekdora Nao-Zai of the Yomaura-Xianzhu Clan, meet your client, the Imperial Crown Prince, Najizaki Kai-Se."

Kai-Se forced his legs to work as he followed his father to meet the official guard to be in charge of the security of the royal tour. When those dark eyes dropped to his, Kai-Se forced his fists to relax and his anger to disappear into the dark recesses of his soul. Instead, he smiled at Nao-Zai. "Nice to meet you, soldier," he said in a clipped but jovial tone—something he had to perfect in his days in this highly political place. "I hope to have a successful and safe journey."

Where was An-Ri when Kai-Se needed her the most?