Three months had passed since the failed military coup, and already the kingdom felt like it had moved on. I sat in my wheelchair on the balcony of my new, far too eborate living quarters, sharing lunch with Renyi as we’d done nearly every day since. It overlooked my garden below, which he’d had put together for me in short order. Despite my insistence on not being treated like a noble dy, he sensed even I had my weaknesses and was sure to py on them.

  The autumn breeze carried the aroma of fresh-baked bread from my kitchen below. It nearly made my mouth water. It was a scene so peaceful I could hardly believe it was real.

  "The vaccine distribution is going well," Renyi said, adjusting my shawl against the breeze. His fingers lingered a moment longer than necessary on my shoulder. "Better than expected. A few holdouts remain, but you predicted that. As you’ve said many times, it is their choice to make."

  "You're hovering again," I said, though I couldn't hide my smile. These small gestures, while surprising at first, had become almost routine.

  He leaned down, kissing my forehead. "Am I? I hadn't noticed."

  "Liar."

  Ghost perched on the railing, picking at the fish Renyi had specifically ordered for him. The royal kitchens now kept a steady supply of Ghost's favorites. He had been named a royal adviser, to the shock of everyone in court. However, he quickly proved himself wise counsel. His wing was healing nicely, though still held in a sling to prevent reinjury.

  "Your acupuncture session is in an hour," he said, sitting across from me. "I cleared my afternoon schedule—"

  "You don't need to accompany me to every treatment. You're the emperor now."

  His eyes softened. "All the more reason to make time for my future empress," he said matter-of-factly, as though commenting on the weather.

  I felt my cheeks flush. Even after months, he could still catch me off guard with statements like that. "I… I haven't agreed to that yet!" I shouted, for some reason, trying not to stutter.

  "Yet," he repeated. "I can wait." He reached for the teapot, an elegant piece decorated with hand-painted falcons in flight. Another of his thoughtful, yet strategically selfish gestures. It was designed to match the decor in the empress’s quarters, rather than my current one, per his request.

  The way he looked at me made my heart race. These past months, I'd seen the ice in him melt away when we were alone. In court, he maintained his stern facade, but here, in moments like this, he was simply Renyi—a man far kinder than the one I first met. The man who read to me during my worst days of recovery, who learned to prepare the special tea that helped with my pain, who never once made me feel weak despite my condition. The man who appreciated all the things that made me… me.

  "The royal physician says you're making progress," he said, pouring the tea with practiced grace. Steam rose from the cup, carrying the subtle aroma of herbs I'd grown to associate with our quiet moments together.

  "I can wiggle my toes now," I said, demonstrating. The small movement had taken weeks of work to achieve. "Though he still insists I limit my enhancer use to emergencies only. Ten seconds per month feels a bit stingy. He says I have at least—”

  "Taylor..." His voice carried that gentle warning tone I'd grown familiar with. The same tone he'd used when I tried to leave my bed too soon after the incident, when I pushed too hard during recovery. Only when I tried to bring up the topic of my lifespan did he shut off abruptly. I still could not get him to tolerate the topic at all.

  "I know, I know. I won't push it." I reached for my cup, my hand trembling slightly—another lingering effect of the enhancer's damage. Without a word, Renyi steadied the cup, his hand covering mine. My frustration gave way to the warm feeling his touch often brought.

  He kept his hand there, thumb tracing circles on my palm. It felt strangely familiar. Then, I remembered the first time he'd done it, when I was still barely conscious after the fight with Junwei. Even then, barely able to move, I'd felt the warmth of his touch.

  "I never thought I'd say this, but I actually enjoy the incense treatments," I admitted, breathing in the fragrant air. "They help clear my mind, despite the fact that they aren’t exactly scientifically proven."

  The daily rituals that had once seemed foreign to me had become a comfort, marking a slow but steady progress in my recovery.

  "You've been spending too much time with the royal physician," he teased. "Soon you'll be prescribing medicines yourself. So much for sticking to veterinary medicine."

  "Is that concern I detect? Worried I might try to take over your medical staff too?"

  His ugh echoed across the balcony, startling a pair of birds from their perch nearby. Ghost watched them go with mild interest. The sound of Renyi's ughter warmed me more than any shawl could. These quiet moments together had become… precious. Though I tried not to dwell on how much I'd come to depend on them to keep my mind from venturing into darker pces.

  "Speaking of taking over," he said, "there's a hunt pnned for tomorrow. Would you like to join us? Ghost may not be able to hunt yet, but he can at least enjoy tagging along."

  I looked to Ghost, who had perked up at the mention of hunting. He'd been restless tely, spending more time watching the horizon than usual. Like me, he wasn’t exactly thrilled with his injuries, though he’d been patient.

  "I wouldn't mind getting out of the pace," I said. "As long as you promise not to be overprotective."

  "I make no such promise,” he said, leaning forward and kissing my hand.

  ***

  The next morning found us in the forest, Ghost perched on my wheelchair while Renyi's guards maintained a respectful distance. My wheelchair had been modified for outdoor terrain and was easy to operate using my design instructions. However, Renyi still insisted on pushing it himself.

  "I remember our first hunt together," he said, his voice softer than usual. "You were quite impressive."

  "Hardly," I said, pointing up at Ghost.

  Suddenly, there was movement in the forest. Then more. Renyi's hand immediately went to his sword. His guards tensed, moving closer. The peaceful morning air suddenly felt heavy.

  "Your Majesty," one of them said, "perhaps we should return to the pace."

  "Fine. Let’s not take any chances. Tell the others we’re—"

  The words had barely left his mouth when five men burst from the treeline. They were massive—almost too massive to believe—rger than any men I'd ever seen, except for the few I remembered being genetically modified in PanTech bs. They moved with unnatural speed, cutting down two guards before anyone could react. Their movements were coordinated, practiced—this was no random attack. They were big, but not stupid.

  Renyi drew his sword, positioning himself between me and the attackers.

  "Ghost!" I shouted.

  Ghost strained at his sling, trying to pull his wing free, but it had not been designed for him to remove himself. He failed to shake free of it.

  "The girl," one of them growled. "That's her!"

  They knew me? How? The way they moved, their size—it reminded me of experiments I'd seen at PanTech, but somehow different. I didn’t recognize any of their faces, and it wasn’t possible there had been any new arrivals since I left. Why target me?

  I gripped the hilt of Twisted Key, its sheath mounted to the arm of my wheelchair. Ten seconds per month? I'd have to make them count. When using it, I could stand and function normally.

  "Taylor, don't!" Renyi shouted, engaging one of them. His bde seemed to barely scratch the man's skin, his muscles absorbing the ssh much like leather armor.

  Two more guards fell. Renyi was holding his own, but barely. A piercing strike did the trick, and one of the men fell. Renyi was already winded by the effort it took to take down just one. These men were stronger than they had any right to be, and they were coordinated. Something was physically different about them. They were enhanced, in a way, but not through technology.

  "Now!" one of them shouted.

  I activated my enhancer just as three of them lunged for me. In that brief moment of enhanced strength, I rose and kicked one of the men back. The impact sent me falling back into my chair, but I made it to my feet before he could, slicing him nearly in half with Twisted Key. The others reacted as though they’d expected it—no shock or faltering on their part. They kept coming. The ten seconds ended, and darkness crept into the edges of my vision. My body felt like lead. My legs failed me. Twisted Key slipped from my grasp.

  "Taylor!" Renyi's voice seemed distant, as if I were underwater.

  I felt myself being lifted like a light sack onto a man’s shoulder. Through blurry vision, I saw Renyi fighting desperately to reach me, but these men made us look like mere children by comparison. Overpowering them was impossible, and injuring them was difficult.

  "Your Majesty!" voices shouted from the distance. Reinforcements were coming.

  "We have what we came for, and we can’t afford more casualties," one of the men said. "Let’s go!"

  "Release her!" Renyi roared, his voice filled with a fury I'd never heard before. They immediately disengaged, leaving a pile of dead soldiers in their wake, taking ten or more for each one they’d lost.

  The st thing I saw before losing consciousness was Renyi shouting something I couldn’t quite hear. Then, I was out.

  ***

  Back at the pace, Renyi paced in his war room, ignoring the protests of his advisers. His robes were still stained with blood, and he'd refused treatment for his wounds. He stomped angrily, shoving away anyone who tried to console him.

  "Your Majesty, we must proceed carefully," one said. "These men… they hardly seemed human."

  "They took her," Renyi said, his voice cold as ice. "I will get her back."

  "The kingdom needs its emperor here, especially now. Let us send one of our—"

  "Enough!" Renyi smmed his fist on the table, making the maps and documents jump. "This woman is to be my empress, and I will not cower in my pace while other men risk their lives rushing to her rescue. Prepare my personal guard, along with at least a dozen of the most skilled swordsmen and scrappers, regardless of their background. The remaining forces from Adversity Management are to be summoned by decree, per their agreement. They are to bring whatever advanced weaponry remains. We leave within the hour."

  "Your Majesty... Please be—" an older man pleaded in a shaky voice.

  "I did not ask for any opinions. This is your emperor’s decree!"

  The advisers shared worried looks but knew better than to argue further. They'd never seen Renyi like this. The cold mask he usually wore had cracked completely, revealing nothing but fury.

  "Ghost," Renyi said, finally calming slightly. "Can you track them?"

  Ghost nodded once, his own rage evident in the fact he’d not uttered a single word since they’d returned to the pace. His sling had been removed.

  "Then we hunt," Renyi said, strapping Twisted Key to his side.

  The advisers filed out, knowing there would be no talking him out of this course of action, fearing even trying. Their emperor was going to war, and heavens help anyone who stood in his way.

  As the door closed behind them, Renyi drew Twisted Key, studying the bde.

  "I will find you," he whispered, smming it into the sheath again. "No matter what it takes."