Prince Yushir flexed his fingers as he strolled down the long hall of the royal lodge. What was that magic surrounding her? he asked himself as he furrowed his brow. Was it perhaps a spell cast by Grandmother Froumai, but if so, why?

  “Your Highness!”

  The call came from the open front doors. Jin stood in the doorway with a bright smile on his face. “My king wishes to speak with you.”

  Yushir straightened and pressed a smile onto his face. “I will see him at once.”

  Jin swept his arm in the direction of the courtyard. “Then I’ll lead you to him.”

  The pair stepped out into the warming day and beheld a flurry of activity. Last-minute decorations of thick and colorful yarn were being hung up all over the fence by young boys in a game of catch and throw from either side of the spikes. A dozen women scurried around the crackling fire where three cauldrons hung from the straining spit, and the scent of spicy stew and meats floated out of them. Bread and other baked goods were being cooked in adjacent outdoor ovens.

  King Pangberan wasn’t seated atop his throne but was conferring with Lord Lujun in a far corner against the fence. The streamers left by the young children draped around them like cobwebs, enshrouding them in thin shadows as they whispered to one another.

  Jin led Yushir over to the pair and they abruptly stopped their conversation at their approach. The perceptive prince noticed their eyes flickered to his young guide, so he clapped a hand on Jin’s shoulder. “Do you happen to know where Lady Arian is at this time?”

  Jin lifted an eyebrow but gave a nod. “I do, sir. She’s out in the market.”

  “Could you tell her I wish to see her later about a most personal matter?” Yushir requested.

  The young man’s eyes revealed his intense curiosity and he cast a questioning look at his king. Pangberan jerked his head in the direction of the market. “You may go and tell her that and to inform everyone the festivities will start on time at the market.” Jin pursed his lips but bowed his head and took off, though after giving Yushir one last inquisitive look before he headed out.

  The prince watched him leave with a gentle smile before he turned his attention to his host. “You wished to see me, Your Highness?”

  “I should go check on the patrols,” Lujun spoke up as he nodded in the direction of the woods. “The wolves should be here and I want to count them myself to make sure there aren’t any more than what was promised.”

  “A good idea,” Pangberan agreed. The lord bowed his head to the two royals before he hurried off.

  “I am sorry to hear such a joyous day should be spoiled by old feuds,” Yushir mused.

  “As am I,” Pangberan agreed as he folded his arms over his chest and looked his guest over. “You have no doubt already heard that the wolf clan started patrolling their borders a few weeks ago.”

  Yushir nodded. “I had heard some rumors to that effect from your people, Your Highness. Do you know why they are doing so?”

  “Nothing definite, but one of their villages suffered an attack by the unknown assailant shortly before. We assume they mean to stop that from happening again.”

  Yushir’s sharp ears twitched. “But you are worried there is more to their actions than merely safety concerns.”

  The royal pursed his lips and shifted his weight in his seat. “It might be only a coincidence, but the patrols began shortly after Arian arrived with her friend. I believe you’ve met her.”

  A smile danced across Yushir’s lips. “I have had that pleasure.”

  Pangberan examined his guest with a keen eye. “What do you make of her?”

  The corners of Yushir’s lips twitched upward. “A very honest woman with a curiosity that seems forever destined to get her into trouble. Do you happen to know from where she hails?”

  The king shook his head. “I’m afraid not, though I haven’t asked. She’s Arian’s friend and my guest, and while she resides in this valley, I would protect her with my life.”

  The prince couldn’t help but notice the king’s choice of words. “I recall how highly you think of your guests, King Pangberan, and I am glad to be one of them during these negotiations.”

  A crooked smile slipped onto Pangberan’s lips as he swept an arm toward the festivities. “Those can wait until tomorrow. I wished to speak with you just now to ask a favor of you.”

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  Yushir inclined his head. “Whatever I can do in my power.”

  The king nodded toward the far woods and the Tianfeld beyond that. “I may need your help handling the wolves. Old wounds run deep and I can’t even guarantee my people will greet them with open arms.”

  “You wish for me to soothe any hostilities which may arise?” Yushir guessed.

  “Just so.”

  “With your warning about your own people, I cannot guarantee I would take your side in an argument,” the prince pointed out.

  Pangberan folded his arms over his chest and looked Yushir square in the eyes. “I hope you’ll rein in the hotheads on both sides.”

  Yushir smiled and bowed his head. “I would be honored to take on such a role as it coincides perfectly with my purpose here.”

  “So you’ll be going to the wolves after me?” the king inquired.

  “That is the closest clan, and as you mentioned, they have already been attacked. That may make them more amiable to attending His Majesty’s summit.”

  Pangberan pursed his lips as he looked out on the valley with its city nestled between the river and the cliff walls. “I hope something comes of it. We’ve got nothing down here but questions and dead bodies.”

  “I am sure that will soon change,” Yushir insisted.

  “Well-” Pangberan mused as he dropped his arms to his sides and turned to face the prince, “-whether it does or not, we should be enjoying ourselves. The wolves had promised to bring their drink with them and they won’t pass the borders of my domain unless they have a cart full of the stuff.”

  “Until that joyous time comes, I will take my leave and explore your wonderful festival,” the prince announced as he stepped back and bowed his head. “If you will excuse me.”

  “Of course,” Pangberan agreed as he grinned at the festivities. “Enjoy yourself to your heart’s content! Someone is sure to carry you back here on their shoulders!”

  Yushir wasn’t too sure about such an outcome and steered clear of the kegs that dotted the main road. The winding path from the royal lodge to the marketplace was lined with tapestries of furs that fluttered in a slight breeze. Grays, whites, blacks, and browns glistened with oil lovingly rubbed into the family heirlooms. Visitors and citizens alike admired the quantity and variety, pausing to examine one pelt or another.

  The marketplace was no less busy. There wasn’t a single empty stall stones, and all of the cooking stations were packed with cooks and customers. Foreign vendors hawked their goods and traded with the eager locals, passing coins and furs behind hands.

  And among it all stood the tall and majestic Lord Eastwei. The dragon lord’s imposing figure meant the crowds skirted him and many gawked at him. The children were the most curious. They stood in a cluttered mass to his left and stared with large eyes at the foreigner in the imperial attire. Eastwei’s elegant, shimmering silk robes glistened in the midday sun and shone like a beacon among the drab furs and leather clothing of most of those present.

  Yushir sidled up to him with a bemused smile on his lips. “You are incredibly easy to find.” Dadan didn’t reply but continued staring ahead. The prince frowned and tried to follow his line of sight but he was half a head shorter and the crowds were less interested in avoiding him. “What do you see? Trouble?”

  “Flowers.”

  Yushir blinked at his companion. “Flowers? What does that mean?”

  Dadan’s response was to stroll forward. The crowds, sensing his confident stride, scattered and reconvened behind him. That meant Yushir had a much harder time trying to keep up with his friend but he eventually stumbled out of the packed people and found himself in a field of flowers.

  Almost.

  The flowers were bouquets of picked petals all arranged in vases and buckets of various sizes and ages. Dozens of stalls showed off their colorful goods and their owners offered potential customers a chance to smell their merchandise. Women in pairs or with their lovers strolled through the forest of fragrances, with many of them sporting small bouquets nestled in their hair.

  “The loveliest of fragrances! Nothing can compete!”

  “Take a whiff of these special petals! The scent of the heavens!”

  The scent wafted past Yushir’s nostrils and he wrinkled his nose. “I highly doubt that. What do you think, Dadan?”

  His question had fallen on deaf ears. Dadan stood in front of a stall that overflowed with white flowers. Though the color of the many flowers was the same, their petals and sizes were vastly different. Some were as large as a cat and others as small as a mouse’s ear. A few sported translucent leaves and others were as furry as the bear shifters.

  “Flowers?” Yushir wondered as he sidled up to his friend. “What are these for?”

  Dadan plucked a small bouquet of lilac-shaped flowers from the bunches. The stems of the plant were thick with the soft white flowers. A gentle breeze blew past and rustled the leaves. A faint whistle came from the flowers.

  Yushir’s eyes widened. “Did they make a sound?”

  “Aye!” The shout came from behind the flowers and the prince started back when an old woman stuck her head out from the bouquets. She grinned at them and revealed more than one missing tooth among her shriveled gums. “That’s why they’re called Whistling Love Songs.” She gave them a wink. “You give one to your lady friend and she’s sure to whistle for you.”

  Yushir lifted an eyebrow and his mind wandered to a certain lady. Images floated through his mind of a happy woman in his arms with a bouquet in her hand. “Truly?”

  The old woman wagged her eyebrows at him. “Buy one and find out.”

  “I will buy one.” The request came not from the prince but from Dadan. He handed her a few heavy coins which she eagerly accepted. The stoic lord tucked the flowers into his bell sleeve and moved away from the stall.

  Yushir’s mouth dropped open and he gaped at his friend a moment before riling himself from his stupor. He practically jumped at the stall and fumbled in his pocket for some loose coins. “I will take one, as well!”

  The woman’s eyes sparkled with mischief as she wagged a finger at him. “The magic won’t work quite as well for the second man.”

  “I’ll still try!” the prince insisted as he handed the money to her. He snatched up a bundle and hurried after his friend, leaving an amused old woman behind.