Lady Snow still hadn’t gotten in touch with Corinne, other than via a message from Frost promising that Lady Snow was thinking about her and they’d find time together soon.

Who Corinne did hear from was Ambassador Soon-mi, who was delighted to find Corinne in the Golden City and invited her to the palace for tea.

Corinne went, because Yeijiro was working and Lady Snow was hiding, and she didn’t have anything better to do. Even as a part of her was terrified because Soon-mi had been at the party—had spoken to Lady Snow with Corinne right there.

For all Frost and Snow’s talk about anonymity being the rule, Corinne herself had brought up the subject of the parties the last time she and Soon-mi had talked, so she couldn’t exactly complain if Soon-mi broached the topic. But was she ready to be the sort of person who could casually chat about Lady Snow’s parties over tea?

Soon-mi had invited Corinne to a little cafe high in one of the palace’s central spires. The seating was all out on a clear balcony, seeming to float in the air, with a breathtaking view of the palace and the city beyond. Soon-mi was at a table at which an array of pastries and sandwiches had already been spread.

The Ambassador looked fabulous as ever in a beaded jacket of glittering reds and golds with matching beads woven into her braided hair. “Corinne,” she smiled in greeting, “how lovely to see you.”

Corinne sat down, taking in the view as she tried to figure out what to say.

“I can’t expect,” Soon-mi added, “that your mother was pleased to see you come here. Corruptive influence of the court, and such.”

Gossiping about her mother. If Soon-mi was trying to make Corinne comfortable, she’d found the perfect way to do it. “She was pretty livid.” Angry both that Corinne was going to Terris, and also that she wouldn’t be there in Parliament for Sabine to make use of. But Corinne had stood her ground, had even pointed out that her mother had been the one to put her in this new job, and if she didn’t like the way Corinne was doing it, she was welcome to fire her.

“Good for you,” Soon-mi said. “Sabine could use someone standing up to her now and again.”

“She can be frustrating,” Corinne admitted as Soon-mi poured her a cup of fragrant, amber tea.

“Sabine has, for all her life, been one of the smartest people in every room she’s been in. It’s given her a certain,” Soon-mi winked, “assertiveness. A confidence in the ascendancy of her own opinions.”

“She thinks she always knows best,” Corinne said bluntly.

“As you say. This confidence has gotten her where she is. But it doesn’t allow much room for, shall we say, differing lifestyle choices.”

Was Soon-mi talking about the parties now? “Her way is the Dragon way. Just ask her.”

Soon-mi gave the barest shrug. “Not every Dragon feels as she does.”

Sitting here in the Golden Palace, indulging in the delicious food, the relaxed atmosphere, the elaborate, ornate beauty of everyone and everything here, Corinne could definitely appreciate Soon-mi’s approach to being a Dragon.

That thought drained away all Corinne’s good cheer. “I’m going to have to go back. This is a vacation. In the end, I’m going to have to give in and do what she wants me to do.”

“Why?” Was Soon-mi’s soft question.

“Because she’s my mother. Because I’m an Adept and I owe it to the clan.”

Soon-mi gave a graceful wave of her hand, taking in everything around them. “Am I not an Adept as well, Corinne? Would you say I don’t serve the clan?”

“Well yes, but…it’s different. You’re the ambassador. It’s your job to be here.”

Soon-mi tilted her head, conceding Corinne’s point. “All I’m saying is that it’s a big Empire. Pax alone is a whole planet. There are other paths to being a Dragon than your mother’s.”

“Maybe for other people.”

Soon-mi’s fingers tapped thoughtfully against her teacup. “May I be frank?”

What about this hadn’t been frank already? “Go ahead.”

“Your talents are wasted where your mother wants them. Not just your talents—you. You burn brighter than any of them, Corinne. I’d love to see you someplace where you can truly shine.

“I have to be away for a few days, but if you’ll wait for me, when I return, we could work together on finding a position for you here, as part of my staff.”

The first words to pop into Corinne’s head were, “I’m not an ambassador.”

“I’m not expecting you to be. But my office has other functions. Work for the Academy—for your father—that I think you’d be very well suited for. And I believe life in the Golden City would…suit you.”

Living here on Terris. In the court, with all that brought with it. Away from the judging eyes of her mother. Able to attend Lady Snow’s parties whenever she felt like it.

It all sounded too good to be true.

“Do you really think you could do that?”

Soon-mi’s smile was full of confidence. “Sabine isn’t the only one who can be assertive.”

No question this was what Corinne wanted. But could she take that step to reach out and grab it? Could she truly look her mother in the face and flat-out tell her no?

“I’ll stay here, in the Golden City. I’ll be here when you get back. Then we can talk.”

It wasn’t an absolute yes, but it seemed a good enough answer for Soon-mi. “Outstanding.” She seemed positively buoyant at the thought. “There will be good times ahead. Never doubt it.”

Corinne had her doubts. But she’d keep them to herself. For now.