Hour by hour, the carriage bumped along a road not nearly as well maintained as the highway toward the capital should be. It bore Hiroko farther and farther away from Joshi and Morning Mist. She was alone; the pair of ladies-in-waiting provided to her by the Dowager Pearl rode in the next wagon along, at Hiroko's request, this morning. They were well-meaning but she could not bear any more of their chatter. Half their talk had been of how sad Hiroko must be to leave her fiancé, and the other half, what a fine cultivator Young Master Joshi was, and wasn't she lucky to have him, and how eager he must be to return to her.

Hiroko doubted that Joshi was spending any time thinking of her at all. He had made it clear that he considered their betrothal an obstacle, and yet she persevered. Not just out of a sense of duty and the fact that she'd given her word. There was a connection between her and Joshi, one that had kindled in Golden Moon Tower when they'd been fighting together to escape the tower with their lives.

She understood why he fought against the betrothal. He did not believe in the emperor's divine plan. That had troubled Hiroko for a long time. How could a man she thought so highly of, who she — when she was willing to admit it to herself — loved, not see that the emperor's great plan was the only thing that kept their civilization from barbarism and war?

Perhaps he did not appreciate the blessings civilization brought. His own people were nomads and he had been forced into slavery. It doubtless did not give him the most favorable opinion of the empire. This training journey would be good for him, she hoped. If he saw the peace, the benefits that the empire brought to the average citizen, his hostility might fade.

Hiroko was already tired of this journey, of long days spent inside a small, stuffy carriage bumping along rough roads leading from Riceflower Province across the wide Ah-Toph Plains to a different province. They were heading west to Derval City, where they would then strike up north toward the capital.

There was no chance Joshi would ever visit the capital on his own accord. If they were to reunite, she would have to go to him. Would she ever be able to leave again? Yes, surely. A formally recorded betrothal had legal weight.

Maybe she should have waited. But there had been no sense in remaining in Vardin City. Not with Joshi and Chang-li gone for who knew how long. No. Hiroko would work on her own path, and she had help for that.

Just before departing the city, a man in brown workers' clothes with an acorn pin on his lapel had brought Hiroko a gift. From Morning Mist, he had told her, bowing low. When she unwrapped it, the box proved to contain a pair of scrolls. She recognized Chang-li's neat handwriting. Both were techniques. One was a technique making use of blue lux to deceive other peoples' senses. The other, a cycling pattern that helped promote the use of spiritual luxes. The note included was merely signed "Grandmaster Noren, with best wishes for your journey."

There was a particularly loud thump and the whole carriage shook. They must have gone over an enormous bump. Then the carriage shook again. Hiroko's stomach lurched as the carriage seemed to sway.

She reached for the door, her scroll slipping out of her hand, just as it opened, and a man in sky-blue cultivator robes swung into the carriage. She let out a small cry of dismay as the man seated himself across from her. He had neatly trimmed dark hair and a pleasant smile, looking to be in his mid-30s, though with cultivators, it was hard to say.

She cycled quietly, studying him. He gave off a powerful feeling as he looked her over, then bowed his head over his folded hands.

"Princess Hiroko, forgive this intrusion. I merely wished to make sure nothing unfortunate happened to you. I am Cultivator Tyl Anok of the Clouds of Heaven Sect. We are based out of Westgate Province and are doing an errand for Governor Jah Ahk, Westgate Province,"

Hiroko's heart beat faster. That was close to where her father was still pacifying the wastelands, hunting down the remaining Darwur tribes to bring them under the empire's rule.

"Governor Jah? Why would he send you to me?" she asked, frowning. She recognized the name, having memorized the name of all of the governors of each of the 47 provinces that made up the empire, but other than that, knew nothing about the man. "Westgate Province is many hundred miles from here."

"Indeed. However, the governor has uncovered rumors of a plot involving the rebel Prism Eri's forces, aimed at you. In order to protect you, he is asking us to bring you into our protection."

"I'm sure the emperor's own forces are more suited to that," Hiroko said. "I will be at the capital in only a few more weeks. I'll arrange to have word sent —"

"I'm afraid that would take much too long," the cultivator said pleasantly. "We have already arranged to take matters into our own hands. You will be at Westgate Province in two days' time."

"Two days? That's impossible," Hiroko gasped.

Cultivator Tyl beamed. "Allow me to show you the strength of the Clouds of Heaven Sect, highness," he said pleasantly, and then opened the door.

Hiroko craned her neck to look outward and gasped. The carriage was gliding along hundreds of feet over the treetops below. She grabbed hold of the edge of the door and peered upward. Half a dozen cultivators flew overhead with ropes of multicolored lux that bound them to the carriage.

She pulled herself back in and turned to face Cultivator Tyl. "Is it safe?"

"My dear, your safety is my highest priority. Therefore, while my juniors are busy carrying this carriage, I shall remain inside with you to see that in the event of any unforeseen emergencies, I am on hand to protect you."

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Hiroko frowned at him. "So, I am being kidnapped, and you are making sure I have no chance to escape or plot," she said.

Cultivator Tyl laughed. "It is refreshing to have someone of such high rank be so clear spoken. I did not know Lady Princess Hiroko had such strong opinions."

Ordinarily, Hiroko would have been terrified of this man and his powerful cultivators. All of them had to be at least at the Peak of Spiritual Refinement, perhaps beyond. She wasn't sure what level of strength it took to use patterns that allowed one to fly. But it couldn't be easy. But she understood what was going on.

She was being kidnapped in order to use as a hostage in a game. Probably Governor Jah was worried about her father making some move, or perhaps he wished to use her as leverage against her father. That meant Hiroko was perfectly safe until she could be put to the use that her captor intended. And that gave her some power.

She smiled at Cultivator Tyl, even as inside she seethed. She could almost hear Joshi's sarcastic remarks in her head. "So this is the sort of peace the empire brings, scheming between politicians and sects to kidnap and extort."

Hiroko cleared her throat. "Then it sounds as though we are to spend several days in each other's company, Cultivator Tyl. I have never been to Westgate Province, though I must say I'm eager to visit now. My father's letters have mentioned it as a place of harsh beauty and unique landscapes. Seeing as you are my escort, will you kindly fill me in on what I may expect to find there?"

Cultivator Tyl seemed to relax, perhaps relieved she was not about to pitch a fit of hysterics or make demands of him.

"Of course, my lady, what would you like to know?"

Hiroko shifted in her seat, crossing her ankles delicately. She placed her scroll back in its case and cleared her throat.

"Westgate Province borders the Darwur Wastes," she said. "I'm aware of my father's campaigns in that area. How has being on a permanent war status affected the province in the past ten years?"

Cultivator Tyl's eyes widened at that. "They do give you an actual education at the capital, then."

"Of course they do," Hiroko said, bitingly. She needed to keep an upper hand here. This man held all the cards. It would not do for him to think that made her at his mercy. She was an indigo princess, after all. "The Emperor's great wisdom says that cultivators must never rule the empire, but instead serve. And yet cultivators bear so much power, power that government officials can never hope to understand. The only way that the tension between sect and government can be properly maintained is through the mediation of cultivator spouses. As I have the privilege to be born to a high rank, I have great expectations placed upon me. When I take up my role, my sect will be expected to contribute even more to the peace and stability of our empire. What is the highest ranking cultivator spouse in Clouds of Heaven Sect, Cultivator Tyl?"

Tyl looked annoyed at that. "Our grandmaster's husband is a green ranked, as is my own wife," he said, stiffly.

Hiroko nodded, as though that proved a point. "Well, then, you will doubtless understand that as an indigo ranked noble, I have had certain trainings which your spouses did not."

Tyl's frown bordered on a glower. Hiroko took advantage, leaning in. "Now. Tell me…"

All afternoon she kept him off balance, asking him a question about the military disposition of Westgate Province, which he would avoid answering, then a question about dance customs in that part of the empire, inquiries about the harvest, before circling back around to a topic he disliked. By evening, she felt wrung out, but oddly exhilarated.

At nightfall, her abductors brought the carriage gently down to the earth, and Cultivator Tyl released Hiroko from her imprisonment. She was sore and stiff, though less so than she would have been from a day jolting along the rutted roads.

She ignored the inquiring looks from the junior cultivators, acting as though they weren't present. Hiroko strolled around the encampment, taking in the sights. Either they had some trick for quickly setting up a campsite, or they had prepared this place previously. The camp was set in a clearing surrounded by blossoming cherry trees, the pink petals drifting in the evening breeze. The ground was smooth, stray branches removed, and six golden tents set up.

Hiroko made for the largest of them. Cultivator Tyl intercepted her. "Your Highness. Your tent is here." He gestured to the one beside it, which was smaller but looked in no way less opulent.

Hiroko, aware of the eyes of all six of her captors upon her, drew herself up. At the same time, she deftly wove a technique—the special one she had been given as a tower boon, to let her see the connections.

As she had feared, the bonds between these cultivators were strong, with the disciples regarding their master with great loyalty and dedication. His bonds to them were lesser. She had no doubt he would sacrifice them if need be but could not yet see how to put that to her advantage.

She dismissed the weave, reserving what lux she had. After all, they weren't likely to be stopping by a tower anytime soon.

"You will find your quarters amenable, I promise." Cultivator Tyl smiled.

Hiroko raised her chin and tried to look down at him—a tricky feat since he was a foot taller than she. But not for nothing had she been trained in the imperial grounds. Cultivator Tyl blinked and looked set aback. "These are your quarters then, I take it?" Hiroko asked.

Tyl nodded. "Yes, Princess."

"I require them." Her words snapped out. Hiroko put a force of command into them, leaving no doubt that she was to be obeyed.

"Your Highness, that's—"

"I am Indigo Princess Hiroko of the Court of Gems," Hiroko said. "I am descended from the offspring of our divine emperor himself. I know my worth. You may be doing your duty to your master. That does not excuse you from treating me with proper respect."

One of the younger disciples muttered, and she didn't think she was supposed to hear him, but with her own senses at the Peak of Bodily Refinement, she heard every word just fine. "She's not complaining about being abducted, but she's bitching about her quarters?"

Hiroko turned on the disciple and pointed at him. "As an imperial princess, I obey the orders of lawfully appointed officials. Your master, the governor of Westgate Province, has ordered you to bring me to him. That is a matter between himself and me. I will not attempt to stop you from obeying your master."

"Not our master." Cultivator Tyl glared, then turned to snap at the cultivator who had been muttering. "Disciple Sai. Enough. Do not speak out of turn again."

Sai turned aside, glowering. Hiroko suppressed a smile of her own. She was certain if she looked that the bond between him and Tyl would be damaged. If they'd had longer on this journey, she might have pursued the opportunity she had just created for herself here, continuing to sow division between Cultivator Tyl and his disciples.

With enough time and the right comments, it would be possible to woo some of these disciples away from their supposed master. After all, she had much to offer. But with only two days, Hiroko thought the best approach was simply to make it clear to everyone that while she might be a prisoner, she was also royalty.

Cultivator Tyl gave up his tent. Hiroko at once went to it and demanded food brought to her. When Tyl tried to enter, she put him out again with just an angry glare. She would not let them see weakness. Hiroko ate, then slept fitfully before being roused in the morning to continue their journey.

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