to keep an eye on Lady Sarnai, who was in charge of the trial. I had no choice but to spy on you all.”
“You spied on me the most,” I said stubbornly.
“Only because you were a girl pretending to be a boy. It was interesting. The others were not so interesting. Or pretty.”
I hid a smile. “So what did you learn about me?”
“You have a weakness for sweets,” he said slowly, “and steamed buns, especially ones with coconut or lotus paste. You’re a talented artist, though your choice of subject is questionable at times.” I blushed, remembering my drawings of Emperor Khanujin. “And your favorite color is blue. Like the ocean.”
And your eyes, I couldn’t help thinking. They were sapphire now, almost, like the depths of the sea. I cleared my throat, certain I was red enough to pass for a tomato.
“But I don’t know what makes you laugh and what makes you cry.” Edan leaned forward, stopping before he drew too close. “Only that you miss your family and your home. Most girls your age are married. Maybe you have some boy in Port Kamalan pining after you.”
Edan’s light tone belied the intensity of his gaze.
I averted my eyes. “The baker’s son asked me to marry him.” I grimaced. “I wasn’t interested.”
“Well, I’m glad. He wouldn’t have deserved you.” He cleared his throat, a tinge of red creeping up his own neck. “I’d love to meet your father and your brother one day.” His lips bent into a grin. “As your husband, it’s scandalous that I haven’t yet.”
“I thought you were my cousin.”
“You were right, that didn’t go so well last time.” His eyes twinkled. “Maybe we should keep pretending to be married.”
“I didn’t say we should be married.”
“And now you’re annoyed with me,” Edan observed. “You twist your lips whenever you’re irritated. It happens often when you’re with me.”
I quickly untwisted my lips. “You enjoy teasing me, don’t you?”
“Being near you is the only thing that makes this enjoyable for me.”
This. Being away from the emperor. Spending each night as a hawk.
“Now that you’re too far to fly back to him,” I began, “where do you go once you change?”
Edan gave a dark smile. “Hunting.”
To my credit, I didn’t cringe. I swallowed hard. “Edan…I’m sorry.”
“It isn’t so bad,” he said. That weary look passed over him again—exhausted, almost haunted. “Not yet. But it will get worse.”
I waited for him to explain.
“The oath knows that I am straying. It will compel me to go back to my master, and punish me if I don’t. There are other dangers as well—the emperor and I have many enemies. If they can’t steal his amulet, they’ll come for me. Especially if they know I am away from him.”
Could Edan be killed? I shuddered, not sure I wanted to know the answer. “Will the shansen send his men after us?” I asked with trepidation.
“It’s likely,” said Edan in a tight voice. “Men first. Then perhaps others.”
A chill swept over me. “Demons?”
“They would be a last resort. Demons are bound in a fashion similar to the way that enchanters are, but to a place—not a master. That makes them harder to control, and often they require a dear price for their services.”
I thought of what Lady Sarnai had said about her father’s dealings with demons, and Yindi’s warnings. “Have you met one?”
“One of my teachers became a demon. Long ago.” Edan saw my fear and said, “Don’t worry yourself over this, or over the shansen. I chose to come with you, and I will stay with you.”
“Except at night,” I said quietly.
“Yes,” he said. “When I am a hawk, you cannot depend on me to help you, but I will if I am able.”
Thinking of Vachir and the other enemies we might encounter on the rest of our journey, I said resolutely, “Show me how to use the dagger.”
Edan had it on him. It was the one I’d seen in his room and in his trunk, with the silvery scabbard and thin red cord.
“The dagger’s blade has a double edge because it is two weapons,” he explained. “One side is best used against man. The other side is made of meteorite and is best used against…creatures I hope we won’t encounter. To unsheathe it, you must grasp the hilt and say my name.”
“Grasp the hilt and say Edan,” I repeated. “That’s simple enough.”
He shook his head. “Enchanters have many names, sometimes thousands. Edan is only one of my names.”
“Emperor Khanujin has