That night, the Dowager met with the Chancellor in her private chamber.
"It is done?" he asked.
"It is done," the Dowager confirmed. She poured the tea into two cups in front of them. "Lady Naram has been given her task."
The Chancellor took the cup but did not drink. He stared into the dark liquid as if searching for answers in its depths.
"You placed a great deal of trust in a woman who has already failed you," he said.
The Dowager's lips curved into a faint, cold smile. "I did not place trust in her. I placed a blade in her hand and fear in her heart. Fear is far more reliable than loyalty."
The Chancellor grunted, then took a slow sip. "And your son?"
"Kabil?" The Dowager sighed, a sound of mild disappointment. "He has lost interest in the Hua princess. He neglects his duty to keep her contained. He is too distracted by his pleasures to be useful."
