of compromising with each other?” Daji turned toward Rin. “Meanwhile, I shall retire for a moment to my gardens. Runin, it’s time for you to head off to your cell, don’t you think?”
Rin stiffened. She couldn’t help but shoot a panicked glance at Vaisra.
He stared forward without meeting her eyes, betraying nothing.
This was it. Rin squared her shoulders. She dipped her head in submission, and the Empress smiled.
Rin and the Empress exited not through the throne room but by a narrow corridor in the back. The servants’ exit. As they walked Rin could hear the gurgling of the irrigation pipes beneath the floors.
Hours had passed since the council began. The Cike should be stationed within the palace by now, but that thought made her no less terrified. For now she was operating alone with the Empress.
But she still didn’t have the fire.
“Are you exhausted yet?” Daji asked.
Rin didn’t respond.
“I wanted you to watch the Warlords at their best. They’re such a troublesome bunch, aren’t they?”
Rin continued pretending she hadn’t heard.
“You don’t talk very much, do you?” Daji glanced over her shoulder at her. Her eyes slid down to the muzzle. “Oh, of course. Let’s get this off you.”
She placed her slim fingers on either side of the contraption and gently pulled it off. “Better?”
Rin kept her silence. Don’t engage her, Vaisra had warned her. Maintain constant vigilance and let her speak her piece.
She only needed to buy herself a few more minutes. She could feel the opium wearing off. Her vision had gotten sharper, and her limbs responded without delay to her commands. She just needed Daji to keep talking until the Phoenix responded to her call. Then she could turn the Autumn Palace to ash.
“Altan was the same,” Daji mused. “You know, the first three years he was with us, we thought he was a mute.”
Rin nearly tripped over a cobblestone. Daji continued walking as if she had noticed nothing. Rin followed behind, fighting to keep her calm.
“I was sorry to hear of his loss,” Daji said. “He was a good commander. One of our very best.”
And you killed him, you old bitch. Rin rubbed her fingers together, hoping for a spark, but still the channel to the Phoenix remained blocked.
Just a little longer.
Daji led her behind the building toward a patch of empty space near the servants’ quarters.
“The Red Emperor built a series of tunnels in the Autumn Palace so that he could escape to and from any room if need be. Ruler of an entire empire, and he didn’t feel safe in his own bed.” Daji stopped beside a well and pushed hard at the cover, bracing her feet against the stone floor. The cover slid off with a loud screech. She straightened and brushed her hands on her uniform. “Follow me.”
Rin crawled after Daji into the well, which had a set of narrow, spiraling steps built into its wall. Daji reached up and slid the stone closed over them, leaving them standing in pitch darkness. Icy fingers wrapped around Rin’s hand. She jumped, but Daji only tightened her grip.
“It’s easy to get lost if you’ve never been here before.” Daji’s voice echoed around the chamber. “Stay close.”
Rin tried to keep count of how many turns they had taken—fifteen, sixteen—but soon enough she lost track of where they were, even in her carefully memorized mental map. How far were they from the council room? Would she have to ignite in the tunnels?
After several more minutes of walking, they resurfaced into a garden. The sudden burst of color was disorienting. Rin peered, blinking, at the resplendent array of lilies, chrysanthemums, and plum trees planted in clusters around rows upon rows of sculptures.
This wasn’t the Imperial Garden—the layout of the walls didn’t match. The Imperial Garden was shaped in a circle; this garden was erected inside a hexagon. This was a private courtyard.
This hadn’t been on the map. Rin had no clue where she was.
Her eyes flickered frantically around her surroundings, seeking out possible exit routes, mapping out useful trajectories and planes of motion for the impending fight, making note of objects that could be weaponized if she couldn’t get the fire back in time. Those saplings looked fragile—she might break a branch off for a club if she got desperate. Best if she could back Daji up against the far wall. If nothing else, she could use those loose cobblestones to smash the Empress’s head in.
“Magnificent, isn’t it?”
Rin realized Daji was waiting for her to say something.
If she
<<Previous page The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 1 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 2 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 3 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 4 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 5 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 6 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 7 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 8 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 9 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 10 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 11 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 12 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 13 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 14 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 15 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 16 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 17 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 18 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 19 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 20 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 21 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 22 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 23 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 24 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 25 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 26 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 27 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 28 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 29 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 30 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 31 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 32 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 33 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 34 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 35 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 36 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 37 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 38 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 39 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 40 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 41 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 42 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 43 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 44 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 45 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 46 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 47 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 48 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 49 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 50 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 51 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 52 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 53 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 54 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 55 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 56 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 57 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 58 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 59 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 60 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 61 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 62 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 63 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 64 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 65 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 66 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 67 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 68 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 69 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 70 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 71 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 72 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 73 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 74 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 75 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 76 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 77 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 78 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 79 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 80 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 81 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 82 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 83 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 84 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 85 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 86 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 87 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 88 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 89 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 90 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 91 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 92 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 93 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 94 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 95 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 96 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 97 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 98 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 99 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 100 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 101 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 102 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 103 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 104 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 105 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 106 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 107 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 108 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 109 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 110 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 111 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 112 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 113 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 114 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 115 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 116 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 117 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 118 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 119 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 120 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 121 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 122 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 123 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 124 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 125 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 126 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 127 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 128 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 129 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 130 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 131 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 132 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 133 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 134 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 135 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 136 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 137 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 138 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 139 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 140 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 141 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 142 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 143 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 144 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 145 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 146 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 147 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 148 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 149 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 150 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 151 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 152 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 153 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 154 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 155 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 156 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 157 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 158 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 159 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 160 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 161 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 162 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 163 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 164 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 165 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 166 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 167 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 168 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 169 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 170 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 171 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 172 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 173 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 174 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 175 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 176 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 177 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 178 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 179 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 180 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 181 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 182 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 183 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 184 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 185 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 186 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 187 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 188 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 189 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 190 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 191 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 192 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 193 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 194 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 195 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 196 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 197 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 198 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 199 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 200 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 201 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 202 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 203 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 204 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 205 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 206 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 207 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 208 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 209 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 210 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 211 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 212 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 213 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 214 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 215 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 216 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 217 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 218 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 219 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 220 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 221 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 222 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 223 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 224 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 225 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 226 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 227 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 228 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 229 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 230 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 231 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 232 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 233 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 234 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 235 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 236 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 237 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 238 The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) - R. F. Kuang - Page 239
Next page>>