Whispers of Fire Ch12 bit – Sneaky

A shimmer of green magic swept over the room. Kougyoku grabbed for her hairpin as Ka Kobun snatched up his fan, Sound Magic could do a lot of things that weren’t harmless at all-

Quiet. It’s so quiet. Kougyoku listened to her own heartbeat, Ka Kobun’s quick breathing. We can hear inside the room, but nothing’s getting out. Why-?

“Talking Merhdad into it miiiiight be a little tricky.” Judar’s voice floated into her chambers; followed shortly after by the floating footsteps of the magi himself, and-

Kougyoku held onto her hairpin, seeing the dark-haired Balbadd ruffian who’d seemed half in charge of the whole Sinbad mess before Judar had knocked him out. “Why are you here?”

Judar gave her a bow that was… well, about as sincere as the magi was about anything. “Princess Kougyoku Ren, Cassim of the Fog Troupe. Cassim, the lady who can drown you before you say boo. And I’ve put up a silencing ward, so right now, nobody outside this room would hear her do it.” Judar blinked at her; the slow, almost lazy cat-blink that meant he’d found something so wonderfully fun, he just had to share. “Princess? We have been had. King Abhmad has been very very naughty, and as official High Priest of this mess there is no way I’m letting you trade vows with anyone that incompetent.” He frowned, tapping a finger to pursed lips. “Maybe Sabhmad. Maybe. He’s scared stiff, but he at least has guts. And brains enough to try and be sneaky. Someone even sneakier would be better… we’ll see about that.”