Yeijiro took refuge in one of the Swan compound’s many gardens. This one had a small, natural pool at the center with floating flowers growing on the surface. Glittering white sand dotted with viridian boulders surrounded it, and a thin screen of bamboo around the edges gave the illusion of isolation.

Yeijiro sat on one of the rocks, watched the water, and tried—unsuccessfully—not to think about anything in particular.

After a while, he heard the rustle of leaves and then footsteps crunching in the sand. Someone sat down next to Yeijiro on the rock that was just large enough for two. Vin.

He didn’t speak. Simply joined Yeijiro in silent contemplation of the water.

Which made it easy for Yeijiro to say, “I may be in over my head.”

“It’s an easy place to find yourself.” Vin let the silence stretch, then asked. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Yeijiro wasn’t sure. How much could he even say? “There’s a tightrope stretching in front of me, but until I actually walk onto it, I won’t see just how high above the ground it is. I won’t know how far I might fall until it’s too late to turn around.”

Vin nodded, said nothing. Yeijiro couldn’t help but think how different he was from Corinne. Vin waited, trusting Yeijiro to fill the space he offered. Corinne pushed and prodded, offering herself and demanding reciprocation. Two very different friends, and Yeijiro had come to value them both in a surprisingly short amount of time.

“How often do you think the ends justify the means?” Yeijiro asked.

Vin made a surprised exhalation of laughter. “Now see, that’s exactly the sort of slippery slope conversation that makes me avoid the court.”

“You asked.”

“True.” Vin fell quiet again, and this time it was Yeijiro who waited, giving Vin space. Finally, he said, “In my experience, when people start talking about means and ends and justifications of anything, it’s because they know something is wrong, but they’re still trying to find a way to feel better.”

“I haven’t done anything wrong.” After a pause, Yeijiro added, “Yet.”

But oh, it was a narrow line he was contemplating.

Serpent verses Swan, Tōru's spies verses Roderich’s marshals, and of course, Tōru and Roderich themselves. A conflict that had existed since the first days of the Empire. But never like this. Never in a way that had the other clans looking for opportunity. Never in a way that threatened to leave the Emperor vulnerable.

Who benefited? That was the question Yeijiro kept coming back to. Along with what could he, one lone marshal, do to mitigate the threat?

More importantly, what could he do that wouldn’t be seen by either Roderich or Tōru as a betrayal? Tōru had said Yeijiro had to choose. Was that true?

“Are you all right?” Vin asked, more serious than before.

Could Yeijiro talk about this? Or at least, talk around it in a useful way. “The first lesson any Serpent learns is obedience. In the beginning, it seems like such an easy thing. An authority tells you what to do, and you do it. No need to question. No need to worry.

“Then you get older, and the directive gets messy. Service to the clan. But not every authority has the same idea of how best to give that service. One of the voices you start hearing is your own. And when that voice speaks of a greater service to give…

“I’m an Imperial marshal. My duty is to keep the Empire safe, to keep the Emperor safe. That’s my job.”

“A job you’re proud of,” Vin said.

“Yes. Exactly. Dahle Roderich—I’d never want to disobey him. I’d never want to disappoint him. But even more, I don’t want to fail him.”

Fortunately, Vin seemed to understand where Yeijiro was going. “That’s where it gets messy.”

Yeijiro chose his words carefully. “Lord Dahle, Lord Miyōshi, they see a conflict. No, there is a conflict. But there shouldn’t be. They both want the same…” No, that wasn’t the way in. Yeijiro tried again. “He doesn’t judge me for being a Serpent. At least, he hasn’t yet. I wouldn’t want him to think…” That Yeijiro was keeping secrets. Except that Yeijiro was keeping secrets.

Vin put a hand on Yeijiro’s, which had clenched into a fist. “Peace, my friend. I didn’t mean to—”

A new voice came from behind and startled both Yeijiro and Vin into standing. “Seriously, Naveen? Making friends with Serpents now?”

Vin’s smile had a forced quality as he turned towards the invader. “Yes, Julian. Next it’ll be Swans, and then what will people say of me?”

Naveen, Julian had said. Prince Naveen. The Griffon heir who had turned his back on his clan.

Yeijiro had known. Had put the pieces together. He’d been willing to maintain the polite fiction of ignorance because it seemed to be what Vin wanted. But now that Dahle Julian had said it, Yeijiro couldn’t ignore the truth. He dropped to his knees, bowing his head.

“No, please don’t,” Vin said in a pained voice.

“Come now.” Julian’s cool voice was sharp as glass. “Marshal Miyōshi knows how important it is to show respect to one’s betters.” He stepped forward, his gray eyes sweeping up and down Yeijiro. “So you’re my father’s new project. How sad.”

“Julian.” Naveen’s voice held a warning.

Yeijiro held his posture, focused on keeping his face expressionless, even as he knew he was failing. “It’s an honor to serve the Lord Marshal in whatever capacity he finds useful.”

“My father is an honorable man. He would never speak ill of someone sworn to his service.” Julian stalked—there was no other word to describe it—in a tight circle around Yeijiro. “But he doesn’t have to say anything. Not when it’s so obvious he keeps you here because he can’t trust you out of his sight.”

It wasn’t true. Yeijiro knew it wasn’t true. But just as with Elena before, knowing the truth didn’t make the words hurt any less.

“That’s enough.” Naveen’s tone was sharp, commanding. His gentle demeanor had vanished, and all at once, Yeijiro could clearly see the prince of the Griffon clan who stood before him.

“Is it enough?” Julian stepped forward, his voice cold steel. “Would you care to duel for it?”

Naveen didn’t bristle at the threat. If anything, he deflated. “I’m not going to fight with you.”

“No? Well then. If you’re so eager to waste your time with…” Julian’s eyes flicked to Yeijiro and his voice filled with contempt, “him, I suppose there’s no point to it.” He paused long enough to give Yeijiro one last dismissive sneer, turned on his heel, and departed.

Yeijiro watched him go, angry and frustrated and more than a little confused. What had he ever done to Julian? How had he possibly earned so much hostility?

He turned around to see Vin—Naveen—back on the rock. At Yeijiro’s look, Naveen said, “I’m sorry.”

“For Lord Julian?”

“For lying to you.”

Yeijiro stood, rejoined him. “As best I remember, you’ve never once said to me, ‘my name is not Suri Naveen.’”

That earned him something like a smile. “I do seem to recall someone feeling concerned about being judged by the reputation of their clan. This…flexible approach to the truth is exactly the sort of thing that gets you in trouble.”

“Truth, as a concept, is far more complex than people recognize.”

“That’s what I mean.” Naveen’s eyes warmed. “But thank you.”

“If you want to talk about it…”

Naveen sighed. “It doesn’t matter. I’m Vin. And Julian knows it, and only tries to cause trouble.” He shook his head. “It’s a long story anyway, and we were in the middle of not talking about your problems.”

Yeijiro held back his smile at that, but Vin would be able to feel it. “I’m tired of my problems. Let’s go find some lunch.”