staff. "I get staff. You gather your things."
As the prince turned to climb the ingots, a gentle wave rolled up the beach, stirring the precious coins and soak- ing his feet to the ankles. Tang scowled at the rising water, trying to imagine what might have caused the surge.
Lady Feng grabbed his arm and shoved him into the water. "You must hide! Cypress returns!"
Fourteen
At the far end of the Ginger Palace's long audience hall, the new chamber- lain drew aside two silk draperies and opened a pair of teak doors. A double column of Minister Hsieh's yellow- cloaked guards marched into the room and split, one line filing to each side of
Ruha and Vaerana. Behind the war- riors followed a parade of servants bearing a triangular table, three teak chairs, and a tray with a steaming teapot and a trio of tiny, deep bowls.
As Hsieh's men took their positions, Vaerana scowled and leaned close to Ruha. "I don't know why I listen to you. This is going to be worse than Voonlar. They mean to take us prisoner."
"You are too suspicious, Vaerana. They intend nothing of the kind."
"Then why so many guards?"
"They are only for ceremony." Ruha shook her head at the Lady Constable's suspicions, remembering how easily
Minister Hsieh had disabled Wei Dao. "The mandarin is quite capable of defending himself."
Vaerana sneered doubtfully, but fell silent as the ser- vants arrived with the furniture. They put the table on the chamber's exquisite floor mosaic, carefully arranging it so the point of the triangle stood over the head of the flame-tailed bird and the base faced Ruha and the Lady
Constable. They placed two chairs on the women's side and positioned the third one before the tip of the table.
The man bearing the tea tray stepped to one side, then stood at attention while Minister Hsieh, with Yu Po fol- lowing close behind, entered the room.
The mandarin glided across the floor to the point of the table, then bowed to his guests. Ruha returned the ges- ture, making certain to bend lower than her host, but
Vaerana barely nodded. Yu Po pulled the mandarin's chair out. A pair of servants stepped forward to do like- wise for the witch and Lady Constable.
Vaerana astonished the servant by taking her own chair and placing it opposite the tea bearer. She dropped heavily into the seat, then braced her elbows on the table and faced Hsieh.
"The witch tells me you have some ylang oil."
Yu Po's face turned instantly scarlet. He slipped around Hsieh's chair. "You are ill-bred daughter of-"
"Yu Po!" Hsieh waited for his adjutant to stop, then waved at the tea tray. "You may serve."
Yu Po's jaw dropped, as did that of the tea bearer and the other servants; then the adjutant bowed to his mas- ter and stepped to obey.
Hsieh smiled at Vaerana. "Yes, ylang oil is ready." He looked to Ruha. "Where is Lady Feng?"
The witch found it difficult to meet the mandarin's gaze. "I am afraid we do not know." She saw Hsieh's lips tighten and had the cold, sinking feeling that she was doomed to appear a failure to everyone she met. "We were not able to follow the spy when he fled to the lair."
The handle of the teapot nearly slipped from Yu Po's grasp, and the lid clinked loudly.
The mandarin frowned at his adjutant's clumsiness, then asked, "Then Lady Feng cannot tell you where to find lair?"
"Vaerana is… reluctant… to use your potion on
Yanseldara." Ruha cast an uncomfortable glance at the
Lady Constable, who set her jaw and showed no sign of
feeling uncomfortable about her mistrust of the Shou. "I
am sorry."
Yu Po finished pouring and set the teapot back on the tray, then picked up one of the tiny bowls and looked uncertain as to where he should place it. Minister Hsieh graciously gestured to Ruha, and the adjutant placed the vessel on the table before her. When he started to set the next cup before Vaerana, however, the mandarin scowled harshly and cleared his throat. The young man paled and nearly sloshed tea on the table as he swung his hand toward his master.
If the snub troubled Vaerana, she showed no sign. "I
don't want to strain Yanseldara. She's not strong enough."
Hsieh waited for Yu Po to set a bowl before the Lady
Constable, then picked up his own tea. Ruha slipped her cup beneath her veil and also sipped her drink, but Vaer- ana pretended not to see the steaming vessel before her.
The mandarin returned his bowl to the table. "Whether
Lady Yanseldara drinks potion is for Moonstorm House to decide, of course." Hsieh turned back to Ruha. "But if you do not know where to find lair, why do you need ylang oil?"
"Perhaps you have caught Winter Blossom?" Ruha asked. "We do know the general direction to the lair. If we carry the familiar close enough, he will lead us to
Lady Feng."
Minister Hsieh shook his head. "The lemur eludes us. I
fear he goes to hunt for his mistress." He looked back to
Vaerana. "It appears we have only one way to find Lady
Feng-or Lady Yanseldara's missing staff."
"I'm not going to pour your cricket juice down Yansel- dara's throat," Vaerana declared. "It was Shou magic that put her into catalepsy in the first place."
"And it is only Shou magic that can cure her," Hsieh reminded her. "Compared to need to reunite body with spirit, risk to Lady Yanseldara is small."
"I said no."
Hsieh nodded politely. "Very well. Lady Feng is in no
danger, but until you find staff-and Third Virtuous Con- cubine-you have no need of ylang oil."
Vaerana's eyes flashed silver. "You're threatening me?"
"I state fact." Hsieh sipped his tea, then said, "Until you find Lady Yanseldara's spirit and free it from staff, ylang oil does no good. There is no reason to give it to you."
"No reason?" Vaerana stood, knocking her chair over.
"I'll give you reason!"
"Vaerana, sit down!" Ruha urged. "It would be foolish to-"
The witch's warning was too late. Vaerana reached for
Hsieh's collar.
The mandarin flung hot tea into the Lady Constable's eyes and bent toward the floor, ducking her grab easily.
Without putting his tea bowl aside, he cupped his free hand behind her heel and pulled her foot off the ground.
Vaerana lost her balance and fell over backward, landing on her chair and smashing it into pieces. The tips of a dozen long-bladed Shou halberds instantly touched her throat. A dozen more encircled Ruha.
Slowly, Ruha placed both her hands on the table and glanced down at Vaerana. A red mask had formed around the Lady Constable's eyes where the tea had scalded her, but the way she was blinking suggested she was more astonished than injured.