Effie tried not to take personally the looks of horror and dismay the dungeon guards gave her as they escorted Xian out of the interrogation room. Like his younger brother, Quan, Xian had entered the interrogation room with his nose in the air and a feeling of arrogance around him.

When he left, his head was hanging and he seemed dazed, letting out short, disturbing laughs as he shook his head. His eyes were glazed over, distracted. Effie didn't feel she did much. She just wanted to find their motives and weaknesses, then she might be able to piece together what happened.

She just mentioned some things she learned from animals and watched their reactions to come to her conclusions, then called them out to confirm. They looked as if she'd revealed their deepest secrets.

Her second brother would've told her that it was because such information was coming from such an innocent-looking little girl, that it was unexpected and 'disturbing'. For those who had no idea Effie could see aura, she supposed it would be seen as such.

"Make sure to wait a few minutes before bringing in Sarae, like last time." The high-pitched voice of a little girl echoed in the corridor just outside the interrogation room, and between the two guards, the prisoner shuddered. Effie rolled her eyes and swung her legs over the chair. "He doesn't have to be so dramatic about it. All I said was the truth."

Beside her, still standing, the Emperor Consort stared at the back of her head and the two puffs of round balls of hair decorated with ribbons. "You terrify me."

Effie looked over her shoulder and squinted her eyes. "Don't worry, I only use my powers for good."

"How do you know those things about him? And where did you get that information? We didn't know about all those dealings...." He sounded at a loss and Effie shrugged.

"I interviewed and left a lot of animals to watch him and everyone in that prison, as well as had them comb the surrounding areas, like I did with his brother," Effie replied as she returned to her seat and looked forward. "All three of them have been more active than reported. Even if they never left their prison, it didn't mean that they didn't have communication outside of it. The more you know about your opponent, the better. You'll be able to understand them, figure out their motives and plans, then you can use that as leverage in your negotiations." She paused and gave him a knowing look. "It's basic knowledge for a merchant."

"Merchant or conman...," the man muttered under his breath.

"What?"

"Nothing," the Emperor Consort said. He stood up straight and remained looking ahead of them. "Are you going to use the information confirmed with her brothers to get Sarae to confess?"

"She doesn't need to confess. We already have enough evidence that she was colluding with others to commit treason," Effie replied. She clasped her little hands together in front of her. "This is personal."

"Personal?"

"She had my god sister kidnapped," Effie said with a slight sneer. "How can I let that go?"

So far, she had revealed that Quan's lover at the brothel was alive, as she had helped fake his death so that he could escape from the labor prison camp. She accurately named the people involved, as well as revealed the supposedly secret location where Quan's lover, who allegedly already had his son, was hiding.

"Tian is a cute name for a little boy," Effie had told Quan so smoothly, as if having a casual conversation. "How's he doing in school? I heard he hasn't been doing too well on his recent math exam. His mother, Ruanruan, should probably get him some tutoring. It would be embarrassing if he were to fail."

Quan's face had drained of color and his breath had hitched, but he pretended she didn't know what she was talking about.

"Oh...they're not your son? So, you do know. I guess you won't mind if we arrest him for stealing someone's horse and selling it to pay your lover's lover's gambling debt." After tearing apart the family that Quan had believed he had, Quan had berated her and said that his lover would not betray him.

While neither of them were so sure about that, Simir had confirmed to Effie that the kid she trailed was not related to Quan. Henry had left his fire spirit to guard Effie, and Effie sent Simir to do some investigating. Effie wasn't a summoner, but she could understand spirits, as well as beasts, and Simir followed her orders as long as she was safe.

Effie then broke down Quan's failures and their family's attempt to take over. Quan wanted to regain legitimacy and freedom for his son's sake, but now he wasn't even sure he had a son. Apparently, he really wanted a son from how his aura fluctuated when it was mentioned.

As for Xian, Xian's entire network of contacts in Red Flower Valley was arrested. Effie named every single one, what they did for him, and how his own lovers had used the money he sent them to take care of partners and family Xian didn't know they had. Effie also recounted that they'd been caught, the money confiscated, and that they'd already found Anhya, so all his years of trying to create a support system for a revolt fell flat.

Of course, he was in denial, but Effie named names of not only his contacts outside his prison, but within the court, she pointed out the location of where money had been hidden, and that his last hope, his elder sister Sarae, had also been abandoned. In fact, Sarae wasn't just abandoned, she'd been conned. All their work was for nothing.

Finding out everything he'd worked for was a lie was a devastating blow to a man who once thought he was a politically savvy genius in the court. Effie kept looking at him pitifully when she noticed how it bothered him.

Admittedly, some of the information Effie received had yet to be confirmed with longer observation, but it was enough to destroy some hopes and dreams.

"You told him that his sister had been abandoned. Are you talking about the father of her child?" the Emperor Consort asked.

Effie nodded. "According to my network, he left some time ago. They followed his trail through Dareisol and to one of the smaller ports before they lost track of him."

The Emperor Consort's eyes went wide as Effie seemed to tell him off-handedly. "How long has he been gone?"

"I don't know. Animals aren't very good with long periods of time, but someone with his description was on a ship headed north. I want to see if he's going to the Dragon Continent to help facilitate their arrangement," Effie replied. She rubbed her hands together. "If I'm lucky, maybe I can get a name or alias for Momma."

The Emperor Consort took a deep breath and released it.

After a few minutes, they heard footsteps coming from the quiet corridor behind the door. The guards knocked and the door creaked open to reveal a woman in a plain, stained course dress with her ankles and wrists in chains.

Despite this, she entered the way her brothers had, with her head held high.

"Have a seat," Effie said with a warm smile and cold eyes. "You're pregnant and shouldn't be standing for too long."

Sarae was tall with pale skin and dark hair, like her brothers. They'd grown up with better resources than Empress Yayae. She retained her bearing as a princess as she entered the interrogation room and stood in front of the small wooden desk.

She looked at the little girl on the other side of the table and sneered before turning towards the man standing behind her.

"What is this?" she asked in a dull voice. "You sent a child to try to get sympathy from me? My sister is quite full of interesting tricks."

The Emperor Consort frowned, but Effie let out a childish laugh. Her big blue eyes squinted into little crescents as she smiled. "Appearances can be deceiving. Everyone says I look young for my age."

Sarae gave her a look of contempt. It wasn't anything new; Sarae's brothers had also looked at Effie the same way.

Sarae looked at the Emperor Consort once more. "Is this a joke?"

"No joke, no joke," Effie said, waving her little hands. "What are you doing, still standing? Have a seat. The stool is there for a purpose," she urged. "My name is Euphemia. Don't let my size fool you. I'm quite old. I've seen many things in my life." She spoke like a tired old woman on purpose, but Sarae just rolled her eyes, clearly not believing her.

"Little girl-"

"Madam Euphemia," Effie corrected her at once. "Please call me Madam Euphemia, young one." She couldn't see him, but the Emperor Consort's eye had twitched.

Sarae pretended she didn't hear her words, but took a seat. "I know what you're going to ask me-"

"I'm not here to ask if you had anything to do with Princess Anhya's kidnapping," Effie told her with a dismissive wave of her hand. Sarae's eyes narrowed a bit. "Nor am I here to ask what you've been doing while in exile at the temple nunnery."

Sarae narrowed her eyes. "Then why have you called me?"

"About your baby's father," Effie said as she lowered her eyes to the woman's abdomen. "I wonder if you know who he really is."

Sarae narrowed her eyes. "It's no mystery. Every few months, a merchant caravan comes by that sells specialty incense and other prayer items made in other regions of the empire. He is a merchant in that caravan. I'm not stupid. You must've already checked. After all, I can't hide a pregnancy from my sister. She must want to know if my child poses a threat to her."

Effie beamed and leaned forward, putting her elbows on the table and resting her chin on her hands. She ignored the last part of Sarae's statement. "Hmm...and you met him there? How long did it take for him to fall for you? Not long, right?"

Sarae didn't move much, but Effie could see her aura color shift. She was still guarded, but pleased that Effie implied that the man had fallen in love with her quickly.

"Naturally," she replied. She looked towards the Emperor Consort and regained her cold exterior. "In accordance to the rules of my stay, I am not allowed to leave my courtyard, so I would purchase items from the window."

Effie didn't ask where she got the money. Sarae's mother's family had been spared when Empress Yayae took over to avoid negative accusations, and it would be difficult to prevent them from sending some money for necessities to the exiled siblings. However, Sarae was telling the truth about the baby's father.

And as far as she knew he really was a merchant.

"How far is the baby along?" Effie asked.

"I am only three months along."

She lied. Her loose clothing prevented any bump from protruding and being too visible, and Effie couldn't tell how far along a woman was by size, as there were a lot of dependencies. She's seen plenty of pregnant women at the tea house, after all. In the Federation, it was common for expectant mothers to ask children they were particularly pleased with to touch their stomachs, as if to share some of the child's good qualities with the baby.

Effie was a well-spoken, smart, and cute little girl who had the luck of being brought into a good family, so she was invited to touch many bellies.

"Does the father know about the baby?"

"Of course!" Sarae was somewhat affronted by this question.

"I don't mean it negatively," Effie said, still smiling. "It's just that you know what the charges are against you, so you must know what that means." Effie was young, but she knew what was going on. The Emperor Consort beside her looked over with a glint of surprise in his eyes. "Someone has to be responsible for the baby, and we should give preference to their father, right?"

Sarae's aura went through a plethora of colors that indicated surprise, worry, hesitation, and disbelief. Finally, it settled on regret. She shook her head. "I am of imperial blood whether my sister likes it or not. I haven't done anything wrong! They told me that I've been charged with treason! Where is your proof? I don't admit to anything!" Her arms went around her belly as she scowled. "Don't think you can fool me! This is just an excuse to kill me so I won't be an obstacle in my niece's rise to power!"

"You've long lost any inheritance rights to the throne. You were never an obstacle in the first place," the Emperor Consort said in a low voice.

Sarae sneered at him. "You can't deny my blood right."

Effie let out a heavy sigh. "Are you certain about that? There are laws in place, you know."

"Laws can be overturned."

"Only by the monarch."

"Ministers can petition if the heir is not fit!"

"You believe ministers will petition for you or your brothers?" Effie asked. "On what basis?"

"My child will have imperial blood!" Sarae lifted her chin. "The child is innocent and should be allowed back in line for the throne!"

"Doesn't the father have to be a Sunan citizen?" Effie looked at the Emperor Consort, who nodded.

"Not only a citizen, but they must be married for the child to be considered legitimate," he replied. "If the child is legitimate, even if its imperial parent is a criminal, they will be allowed to retain a non-criminal status."

"Where is the child's father?" Effie asked with a frown. "Did you marry him? Is there a legal document?"

"No-"

Effie slammed her palms on the table and stood up. "Are you crazy? How can you ensure your child's status if you can't even ensure their legitimacy! Is he serious about having a baby with you? Are you sure you haven't been conned?"

At the notion that she could be tricked, Sarae bristled and became defensive. "My baby's father will return soon! He is a traveling merchant and must report to his superior before leaving so we can marry. Then my child will be legitimate."

This time, it was Effie who sneered. "You don't sound so certain."

"I have known him for many years! He would not betray me!"

"Do you even know his real name? Where is he from? If he qualifies to marry you and be the father of a child of imperial blood?"

"He was from Ashtar, but fled during the famine. He was a refugee in Suna, otherwise, he could not travel so freely with a merchant caravan. He is now a Sunan citizen!"

Effie looked as if she didn't believe her. "You only see him a few times a year, my dear. How do you know he's telling the truth?"

"I'm not foolish! I've seen his travel papers!"

"We should do a background check," Effie told the Emperor Consort before looking back at the woman. "What is his name? This woman's baby still carries imperial blood; though their mother has the status of a criminal, we can at least arrange for the child to be born free."

As if Effie had just promised her child freedom, Sarae spoke up. "Jahan Yazdan!"

"Are you sure that's his real name?" Effie asked, still appearing to not believe her. Sarae's face was red, refusing to believe she could be tricked.

"It is his real name!" She was uncertain and Effie could tell.

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

But at least now, they had a name. Effie took a deep breath. "We heard that the merchant caravan that passed through is called Tenga. We'll check with the owner to make sure such a person is real. The last time that merchant caravan passed through was two weeks ago."

"The merchant caravan travels different routes, but in order to get to his employer, he'll take longer. He is scheduled to return before the baby is born."

Effie laughed inwardly. How convenient that he went missing for a long period of time.

"And then what?" Effie asked. "You are still in exile."

"I can no longer live in the nunnery, but we can settle nearby, which is still exiled from the capital!"

"Yes," Effie said with a nod. This woman had her excuse lined up. "Of course, that's your plan."

Sarae was guarded once more. "I don't know what you think, but I am innocent."

"So, you're saying you had nothing to do with Princess Anhya's kidnapping?"

"I was in a nunnery. I have no such ability."

"But what about your baby's father?"

"He would do no such thing!"

"You don't know that."

"He has nothing to do with it! He doesn't even know her name!"

"And you have nothing to do with your brothers?"

Sarae scowled. "How can I? Communication to them is prohibited!"

Her aura was so bright, indicating that she was outright lying, that Effie almost wanted to laugh. Words could lie. Body language could also lie. But auras? Sarae tried to dupe the wrong eight-year-old.

"All right. You're getting too excited," Effie said with a wave of her hand. "It's not good for the baby. You should go back."

Sarae had a brief look of confusion on her face before the Emperor Consort called for the guards to take her back. "My child is innocent! You can't punish us! We've done nothing wrong!"

She shouted over her shoulder as she was dragged away. The door to the interrogation room closed.

"She lied about how far along she is. She lied about being certain that her baby's father's name is real. And she lied about being innocent, about having to do nothing with my god sister's kidnapping, and about communicating with her brothers," Effie said, an uncharacteristic look of seriousness on her face. "And now we have a name to give Momma."

The Emperor Consort looked at her. "How do you know she was lying?"

Effie looked back at him. "I already told you. I'm a beast master; communicating with animals is my gift. Not only can I understand their verbal noises and body movements, but I can also sense their au...emotions," she said. "Which is why I can tell they're lying. Humans are animals, too."

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"Jahan Yazdan," Nera repeated the name for her sons and Princess Anhya to hear. "I don't know any family with that name."

"He's probably a commoner, if that is his real name," Henry replied. This time, the messenger was Donut, and Donut carried a small leather space bag containing papers filled with Effie's handwriting.

They were nearing the Dragon Continent after several weeks of sailing and a few stopovers at Federation Merchant City ports for supplies. Except for occasional messages that Effie was fine and was 'investigating', there wasn't much more information.

Henry was beginning to think his sister was just spending her days playing with the imperial children or partaking in one of her favorite hobbies: market research.

"What is all this?" Ash said as he spread out the sheets on a table in the captain's cabin. "Names...caravan routes...relations...how did Effie get all of this?"

"Her animal information network is much more detailed than mine," Nera said with a slight smile and a glint of pride on her face. "I am so proud of her."

"Godmother, could Effie be a better beast master than you?" As Princess Anhya said it, she was filled with disbelief.

"Effie has particular limitations for certain animals, but she has gifts that I don't. Her ability to read auras is better than mine," Nera said. "Effie has never made a bad deal with another person in her life. She can always tell if they are sincere."

Henry nodded. Effie was the ideal heir for their family's merchant empire. After all, Henry planned to retake his throne. Unless Nera had another child, Ash would have to be heir to the Lunapsar people. In the off chance that Nera did have another child, to which Ash always said there was time for, Ash could devote himself to what he really wanted to do, which was magic research and development.

Of Nera's three children, two of them had different life goals. Nera herself would eventually have to take her royal responsibilities in person. This left Effie to manage Snake, Scarab, and Sons.

"Look at all these people who've contacted Sarae and her brothers," Princess Anhya said, stunned as she read through some sheets. Effie's writing wasn't small and delicate, but it was clear, so the names on each sheet were easy to read. "More than I thought there would be."

"Your mother made many changes to improve the lives of everyday people, which touched on the interests of some courtiers, so there are bound to be those who resent your mother and don't want her in power," Nera replied. "Your uncle prefers agricultural research over ruling, and even then, he and you and your siblings would likely follow in your mother's footsteps. Those that disagree with your mother's rule would naturally seek out someone with imperial blood, but at odds with your mother."

"According to Effie's information, the three siblings had been in contact thanks to the merchant, so the merchant won her trust...." Ash followed a red line that Effie had drawn to try to tie her bits and pieces of information together. "It's unsure who started it, but Sarae wants to take the throne and her merchant lover secured a warlord on the Dragon Continent for support."

"But why did they bargain for me?"

"First, they want to get rid of the chosen heir," Henry said. "And second, the warlord seems to be an avianids. Female avianids are called harpeys, and they're quite rare."

Nera frowned. "Last century, an epidemic nearly killed all female avianids. It was quite tragic. Because of that, the birthrate has been abysmal. Avianids consider themselves very noble, so while they can procreate with some other humanoids, they won't with those they consider less than them."

"Don't they also look down on humans?" Ash asked. "Something about not having wings."

"They do look down on humans, but if a human was from a prominent imperial bloodline, it's different. Suddenly, that person becomes worthy. Not to mention, political ties created from such a union would bring prestige. Anhya, who is still young and unwed, would be a good target."

"No." Princess Anhya's response was firm. "I refuse."

"No one is going to make you. Calm down," Ash told her. "The warlord avianid aimed too high."

"There are few flocks of avianids," Nera said. "The largest one has the most harpeys, but the others are mainly male. They're excellent fighters and their weapons are top notch, so I can see why they're ideal to arrange with. The smaller flocks tend to be mercenary in nature and are looked down on by the large flocks and to make a living, they sell their weapons or fighting services. Sarae and her brothers would get weapons and warriors; the avianid would get a princess for prestige and access to a powerful Iverian empire."

"So, when we get to the Dragon Continent, do you have an idea of where we should start looking?" Henry asked.

Nera nodded. She tapped one of the sheets. "Your sister provided some names of possible suspects, but to save time and prevent us from having to crawl through that continent, we should try to find this Jahan Yazdan and follow him to his contact."

"Godmother," Princess Anhya said, sounding concerned. "When we find out, what do we do?"

"What else?" Nera smiled warmly. "Get them to stop. One way or another."

Of course, it was easier said than done. There were few ports on the Dragon Continent, but the one closest to Iveria was the largest. They had the best chance of tracking Jahan Yazdan there.

Anhya put on pants and a tunic under a gambeson, and tied her hair up before they reached the port in order to disguise herself. Henry and Ash also used magic to dye their hair black. Nera simply tied her hair up and hid it beneath a hair wrap, as well as continued to cover her eyes.

"Someone has to stay on the ship and make sure prisoners below aren't found," Nera told them.

"I'll do it," Ash said, raising a hand. "We can't rule out that there are individuals waiting here for a ship called Jatlok. If they find the ship and come to investigate, I can deal with them quietly."

Nera nodded her approval. "We'll go out and I'll try to get some animals to do a search for us."

Once the ship was secured to a dock, Henry went to pay the dock fee before meeting Nera and Anhya on the street. The port was bustling and Anhya's eyes were wide as she looked around, as if she'd never seen the world before.

"Don't look so amazed at everything," Henry told her. "They'll think you're gullible and you'll be targeted."

Anhya immediately shook her head and frowned. "I'm not! I've just never been here before." Despite herself, she couldn't seem to help but look around. There were plenty of humans, but along with them there were even more non-humans.

Orcs, dwarves, and elves, which were relatively rare and only in a few areas in the Iverias, were everywhere. There were animal-humanoids with furry ears and tails, some with animal heads and the only human part was their torso.

The air was dense with magic and multiple languages were being spoken at the same time.

Birds squawked above them and Anhya lifted her head. Her eyes went wide. "They're huge!"

"They eat sea grasses and have multiple stomachs," Nera told her with a chuckle. "This continent's fauna was isolated from the Iverias for some time, so expect some differences."

Anhya nodded, though was still distracted.

"I need to find some animals nearby. You two go and buy supplies. Only what you can carry. Don't make any unnecessary deliveries to the ship," Nera instructed them. The two nodded and Henry led Anhya away.

"Usually, there are services where crew can order supplies to have them delivered to the ship, but since we have to carry the items, we can go to supply stores and the market ourselves," Henry told her. "Stay close and don't wander off. Especially in the market. It's easy to get distracted and lost in the chaos."

Anhya nodded and took a step closer to her godbrother. Their first stop was for dry goods at a store. Henry made a point to ask around on pricing and even mentioning a few store names he was familiar with. Once they purchased some goods, Henry put them in his bag.

"Next is the farmer's and wet market. We don't need any fish, but we should get some fruit and meat."

Anhya scrunched her face. "Brother, will we be able to eat the fruit they sell here?"

Henry snorted back a laugh. "They have some exotic fruit that you've probably eaten before because they're rare and expensive on the Iverias," he said. "Star fruit...magenta plums...peach grape bunches...." He pointed out a few as they passed various stalls. He waved a hand to get an old elven woman's attention. "Madam, how much are your ice peaches?"

The old woman looked him up and down and replied with a price that was much more than Henry was willing to pay. He bargained for little under half of it and then got a dozen, which he nonchalantly dropped into his bag.

"You speak the local language, Brother?" Anhya asked.

"The local creole of this region, yes. I spent some time here looking into opening a Snake, Scarab, and Sons teahouse in the city." Henry motioned a hand in the direction opposite the sea. "We've selected the location to be built, but are taking our time with it."

"Can we go see it?" Anhya asked. Henry shook his head.

"Nothing much has been done with it. Also, we're not here for that. Let's stay focused," Henry told her. "When we take a break, you can try the ice peaches. They are Effie's favorite fruit and are good for her as a snow elf."

Little by little, they picked up enough food to take them back to the Iverias, as well as last them a few days waiting for Nera's animal contacts to respond. There was also a chance that Nera would have them sail to the other ports to expand their search if the animals at that port didn't come back with any useful information.

"How long do you think godmother will take?" Anhya asked as they returned to the main street just in front of the docks. The street was filled with all sorts of businesses, including various restaurants and cafes that catered to the variety of people getting on and off the ships. From wealthy traders to novice crewmen to local dock crew, there was a place for everyone.

"I'm not sure. It depends on what animals she can contact," Henry replied. "But she'll return before dark. Don't worry about her. Your Godmother can handle herself on the island easily."

Anhya nodded. The entire morning had been spent shopping, but she hadn't eaten anything. "Brother, can we get something to eat." Henry chuckled and looked over his shoulder. "Where do you think we're going next. We may not have a tea house here, but there are several restaurants that are standout and attract Iverian merchants. What do you feel like?"

Anhya seemed to go quiet and think for a moment. "To be honest, you had food packed this entire time, so I've not been craving anything in particular."

Henry nodded. Every time they stopped at a port, the three of them would go to various restaurants to order food and then pack it away in their bags. They always had freshly cooked food ready for them when it was time to eat.

"Those were all Iverian dishes," he said. "Do you want to try some local cuisine?"

Her eyes lit up. "I'm curious to see what's served. Do you know a place?"

Henry pointed down the road, to a large building painted dark green with a black slate roof. "The Dragon's Garden. It always comes highly recommended for local cuisine. The chefs are distant relatives from different elven clans in the continent and they handpicked their favorite dishes from around the continent. You can find court food and common folk dishes. Serving size can also be adjusted depending on one's appetite. For instance, most non-humans can eat more than us."

Anhya nodded her head. "It was the right decision to come here," she said, as if she'd forgotten that the real reason was to find out who wanted to exchange weapons for her.

They arrived at the large restaurant only to find that there was a line. Benches were placed along both sides of the building and all of them were full. At once, Anhya's excitement faltered and she looked at the line of at least twenty persons, distraught.

Henry glanced over and saw her defeated expression, and almost wanted to laugh. He patted the hat on her head. "Don't worry. I'll take care of it." He reached into his bag and took out a small card as they neared the entrance. The door was open and a reptile-person walked out dressed in a white uniform with a piece of paper in her hand.

They saw Henry walking up and looked him up and down before taking a step forward with a bit of an expectant look.

In heavily accented Iverian, they met his eyes and spoke. "Are you Mr. Heikobhi?"

The name nearly caused Henry to grab the humanoid and demand they repeat the name. Henry clenched his jaw momentarily before giving them a helpless smile and shaking his head.

"No, I'm afraid you have the wrong person." He then laughed. "But if it gets me in faster, yes, I am Mr. Heikobhi."

Seeing that he was good-natured about it, the reptile person took a step back and bashfully lowered their head. They lifted a hand. "My apologies. I have the wrong person." They then turned around and looked down at one row of benches. While the restaurant was popular with Iverian merchants, there were a few humans in line. "Heikobhi. I am looking for a Mr. Heikobhi!"

Henry held his breath as he stood there, pretending to shuffle through some cards while paying attention to the line to see if anyone responded.

The reptile person turned to the other side and repeated the name. They seemed to frown when no one stood up. Henry was also disappointed.

Heikobhi was the maternal family of his paternal uncle, the Old Bastard's younger half-brother who was sickly. It was also not a surname he'd expect to hear in another continent. There were Heikobhi in Suna and now in the Dragon Continent. What as going on?

Seeing as how there were no responses to the name, Henry pursed his lips. He glanced at Anhya and motioned for her to follow him in. As he was about to step through the door, a cat-eared woman nearly ran into him.

"Sorry!" She apologized quickly in the local creole, and was wearing the same uniform as the reptile-person. She rushed to her co-worker and spoke in a low voice. The reptile-person's eyes widened and they nodded.

"No wonder no one was responding," they said, exasperated. They took a deep breath. "Jahan Yazdan!"

"That's us!" A thing man rose from the far end of one of the benches. "Hold on, my master is next door."

"Brother?" Anhya called out to Henry, who'd stopped at the threshold and was watching.

Henry snapped himself out of his focus and shook his head. "Sorry," he told his god sister. "I wasn't sure I had the right card." He stepped into the foyer of the large restaurant, but couldn't quell the fire in his veins at hearing that name.

The man who'd stood up was wearing loose robes that didn't reflect a particular country in Iveria, but rather, something generic that most merchants would wear when going around the continent. He wasn't wearing a headwrap, which was common for the Ashtari, nor any clothing that would have indicated he was from Ashtar.

Then again, it was possible that he was only employed by an Ashtari and came from elsewhere. Henry frowned. But didn't Sarae say that he had an employer? Do employers now allow their employees to travel with servants?

They reached the front desk and an older elven man stood behind the counter and greeted them. "Do you have a reservation?"

"No," Henry said. He placed a small card made of an engraved, shining mollusk shell on the table. "I was told I could use this to get preferred seating."

The old elf's brows rose. He picked up the card and verified it, before nodding. "Young Master Atractas, welcome back!" The old elf's face filled with a smile as he handed the card back to Henry. "Please take a seat here while we prepare one of the private rooms for you. It won't take long."

Henry gave him a nod. "Thank you. It's not a problem." They were directed to some cushioned seats by the window. Despite there being a line, no one else was seated in those cushioned seats indoors, where they were also served some complimentary tea as they waited.

Anhya sat down and looked around, nodding to herself. "Mother was right. It really is who you know."

Henry laughed. "The owners know me, and exchanged a preferred card for the Dragon's Garden with an elite card for Snake, Scarab, and Sons."

Anhya let out a light hiss. "Then, haven't they benefited more? There are many more teahouses than there are one of these restaurants."

"Yes, but until we have one built here, they'd have to go to the Iverias to use it," Henry replied.

Anhya lowered her eyes and muttered. "Even I don't have an elite card...."

"Your mother said giving you one would spoil you."

Anhya balked. "Does my mother have one?"

"Yes, of course she does."

A low grumble came from Anhya as she scowled in her seat. The reptile-person walked in, temporarily blocking the light from the door. "Please follow me. Your host is waiting for you upstairs."

Henry instinctively lowered his head and allowed his hair to fall over his eyes. Several people walked past them and into the main floor of the restaurant. Once they passed, Henry raised his eyes.

Three humans, one of whom was the servant who had been holding a spot outside, and the two non-humans who'd gone outside to call out the name were heading towards a set of stairs along one side of the restaurant.

From behind, he wasn't sure which of the other two humans was Jahan Yazdan, who may have used that alias as a cover. Whoever they were meeting certainly knew his real name was Heikohbi, which led Henry to believe that his illustrious half-brother was involved.

He narrowed his eyes. I don't understand why they'd go this far for the Old Bastard's son. Even if my uncle is disposed of when Eskander takes the throne, it's unlikely that his maternal family will suffer too much.

"Young Master." The old elf returned with a smile. "Please follow me. Your room is ready."

Anhya jumped up before Henry rose from his seat. He gave the host a nod and smiled before following him to a set of doors just beside the foyer. Behind those doors was a much more elaborate set of sweeping stairs that led up to the top floor of the building.

Anhya's eyes widened. "Wait until my mother hears of this...."

Henry cracked a small smile as they climbed up the stairs. The old elf continued speaking to them, informing them of the specials that day, as well as asking if they had any preferred dishes.

"We'll have whatever fresh fish and mollusks are available today," Henry said as they reached the upper floor's landing. There, another set of double doors led them to a private dining hall with multiple round tables that could easily sit a hundred people.

At the moment, they were the only ones there, and beautifully carved divider screens were used to separate one table that looked over a window out towards the port. The table had been set for two people and was fairly large.

"Brother, can we order some local specialties?" Anhya asked.

Henry nodded and took a seat, telling their host what to bring them. When the host left, Anhya got up to look around and admire the views.

Henry remained in his seat. If Nera or Effie were with him, listening in on Jahan Yazdan and whoever else he was meeting would be as simple as getting a literal fly to stick to their walls. Unfortunately, Henry could not communicate with beasts.

At least, not mortal ones.

Raiju. While Simir was the most powerful of the spirits, he was left to guard Effie, so Raiju was Henry's next best choice to play spy.

"Master?"

Find the private room a floor below us with a man named Jahan Yazdan or Heikobhi.

"And release lightning?" He could hear excitement in the lightning spirit beast's voice.

Henry immediately made a face. No, we are indoors! I don't want to destroy a restaurant. Listen in on their conversation and tell me what they are saying.

"Master, what if they sense spirit beasts?"

"This is the Dragon Continent," Henry said in a low voice as he poured some chilled tea for both himself and Anhya. "Spirit beasts are everywhere. Just don't be too obvious. We need to find out what they're doing."

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