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Nothing seemed to move, not even the air Finally the emperor said, "You truly believe this"
"I truly believe this," Rosethorn said in agree moment’s consideration, Weishu told Rosethorn, "This plant will be in your pavilion, with a suitable container, when you return there today You will carry this thing all those htened to her knees "It would be round; she struggled to get one leg up so she could stand Briar lunged to help her To the boy’s surprise and Rosethorn’s, the erasped the arm that Briar did not Gently they helped her to rise Once she was on her feet, Briar let her go
The eht as to the color and shape for our rose?" he asked "Or is it too soon to inquire?"
THE GROVE OF VENERABLE OAKS
THE WINTER PALACE
DOHAN IN YANJING
At the breakfast feast that the emperor had set up in Rosethorn’s honor, Briar was finally able to eat his fill Once that was done he went in search of his vanished student He found Evvy aroups of courtiers She was tucked under an awning, seated on a bench Parahan sat cross-legged on the ground beside her Briar had glimpsed him earlier, but hadn’t had a chance to do more than nod before the e fee, who had stood with the others next to the throne the night before, was now on the bench with Evvy
Parahan grinned up at him Briar took that as an invitation and sat beside hi e "I have seven --"
"Evvy, I don’t think the nanshur wants to know about your cats," Briar said Experience had taught hi on about the subjects she liked
"But I have cats of e explained "I would have seven if I could, but the servants would frown at me" She smiled prettily at Briar "I aes It is an honor to ave her a bow in return She was very pretty, but he was still juarden She was also e -- in herstring of beads around her neck, and some of them were blank Could that mean they had no spells? Or were they really nasty, and hidden?
"Nanshur Moss, you are staring atShe had produced a fan fro it to hide the bare skin above the neckline of her robes
Briar was rarely caught without so the eive me if I seemed to be rude Are these bits done with knots? My foster-sister works her h thread, and I have to tell her about the beautiful work I see Are those phoenixes?"
"They are," Jia Jui said with a s the threadith pride "I stitched for years to make this robe It is such a pleasure to oing to o to his home," Evvy said "One of thehedyour sisters with you," she told Briar "They would have learned much from my teachers, I know, and we could have learned fro "I would love a deot his certification from the schools in the west"
She doesn’t believe Evvy, Briar realized She doesn’t believe that e
Coldly he thought, And maybe that’s for the best Despite the friendly reception, he had that old bad feeling It was one he got when he was burgling a house, and his instincts told hiic
"No de "It is permitted in the imperial presence only under special circureeably "There’s no telling what es present and so many spells for the emperor’s protection woven around hirasp what many visitors to court have not, Nanshur Briar Noill not stop you fro, and Evvy, you may tell me about your cats"
Briar waved off a servant with more food, but he did accept a pitcher of coconut water and a cup to drink it with Parahan took water and a bowl of steaan to count cats on her fingers "There’s Mystery, Asa, Apricot, Raisin, Ball, Monster, and Ria They lived with me in Chammur, but they’re travelers now What about your cats?"
"Will you get in trouble for going off with Evvy like that?" Briar asked Parahan
"Not at all," the big uards ith us all along And I was instructed to help keep you three aood aardens than the e"
Briar made a face "Believe me, I’d rather look at plants and trees than armies like we did yesterday"