I really needed to get out of the habit of making promises, especially if they were actually threats I would then have an obligation to carry through.

Of course, the Auditor’s son was probably regretting his actions right about now, anyway.

“Lei, if you would please stop kicking him?” I asked mildly. “Not that he doesn’t deserve it, but I’d like to get a better look at his condition, if nothing else. Seems like there’s some burnover.”

Lei stepped back, rolling his eyes, but didn’t protest that he’d given him only one kick. The other guards also moved a little, but they stayed close enough to be ready for trouble.

I took a step closer. I could sense that there wasn’t much danger, at least given the situation. The Auditor’s son had stopped twitching and was raising his head, blinking, but stayed down. He probably couldn’t affect me, given my stage. I glanced quickly at Yarani, who was wearing a stony expression, with her hand hovering near the knife on her belt, but her posture was otherwise relaxed.

“Our enemy knows he’s beaten,” I said. “Doesn’t he? You’ll be a good boy, right?” I stepped around him, still keeping a meter or so away, and he also shifted in my direction.

“Yes, Imperial Princess,” he responded, his voice raspy. His Common was accented, but not bad.

“I believe I said a few words on what you could expect from meeting me again.” I kept my tone calm and even.

He finally raised his eyes to meet mine. Despite the grimace on his face, they were remarkably clear. “Yes, Your Highness. I apologize for the disrespect I showed you. Please be assured I will give you no trouble, if you deign to give me any choice.”

I kept the surprise off my face, although I hadn’t expected him to take this track. It was a pretty stark difference compared to his behavior before. “And why would I?” I asked, my tone still mild. I even managed to put a bit of amusement into it. “You haven’t exactly given me a reason to trust you. And quite a few to kill you out of hand. To be perfectly honest, that would make my day.”

Whatever the locals might think, in my own view of morality, he didn’t deserve death - no one did. But this was war, and killing him would probably save other lives in the long run. So, it could go either way. That really left the practical considerations, the question of just how much of a danger, or a risk, he really presented.

Carefully, almost gingerly, he rolled over onto his stomach. After a moment, he lowered his face to the ground. “I can offer nothing, Your Highness. I must throw myself on your mercy. Please, I beg you.”

I couldn’t help a slow smile spreading across my face. This could be pure calculation on his part. In fact, it probably was. If so, I had to admire his adaptability and pragmatism. But it was still kind of nice. I openly disdained the kind of cowering I could get due to my position. If nothing else, I knew if I got it constantly, it would get tiresome. Groveling also made me feel uncomfortable, still, because I knew there was a small part of me that actually enjoyed it. Like this scene. I guess it appeals to the egomaniac in me. But why not? I wouldn’t have thought of it, but he started this himself.

Still smiling, but now with an edge of condescension, I stepped forward, until my shoes almost touched him. “Oh, you do, do you?”

He carefully edged closer until he could kiss one of my shoes. Points for dedication, definitely. “Your Highness, I know I have grievously offended and done harm to you. I know my words must be less than dust in your eyes, but if you will spare a second of your time for this unworthy one, I dare to tell you that it sincerely grieves me. You will inflict whatever punishment you choose upon me, and I can only hope I can meet it.” He pressed his forehead against the ground again.

I couldn’t help but laugh. The sound didn’t seem to fit the scene around us, carrying an edge of mirth, and I cut it off quickly. I didn’t feel the least bit bad about humiliating him. I probably had to be careful not to enjoy it too much, though.

I took a step, resting my foot on his neck and pressing down. He didn’t move. “You do well at seeming sincere,” I mused. “Any closing remarks?”

I took enough pressure off that he could speak, although his voice was a little muffled and hoarse. “This one begs for his unworthy life, Your Highness.”

After a moment, I took my foot off and took a step to the side. He really was doing quite well, and without noticeable hesitation. That said interesting things about his past and the mindset it produced.

“You seem quite adept at debasing yourself,” I said. “Got a lot of practice?”

He didn’t move, but there was a hint of emotion in his voice now that I found difficult to place. “Oh, daughter of the Moon, how could I not have some practice?”

I took a step back, considering him carefully. He seemed perfectly happy to remain prostate on the ground, his face in the dirt. His simple gray clothing was much the worse for wear, and the occasional rips and tears showed skin that was surprisingly pale, which clearly didn’t see the sun often. His nosebleed seemed to have stopped by now, although it had only made the mess worse.

I remained quiet, and everyone else present just kept watching us, not saying anything or even moving. The minutes stretched out, tension steadily building, while I just stood there. He shifted slightly twice, but that was all. He’s probably even more dangerous than I thought, but clearly not exactly very devoted or zealous. And it doesn’t look like any spirit is going to intervene.

“Well, I suppose I’ll let you keep your life long enough to let you talk a bit, if nothing else,” I finally said.

I waited another few seconds, but he didn’t answer.

“What’s your name, anyway?”

He raised his head slightly. “Ceion, Your Highness.”

“Wait, you’re Ceion?” Elis asked. He frowned faintly, looking at our captive.

“Can’t you tell?” Yarani asked. She’d crossed her arms, but her expression had lost its hardness and was now mostly thoughtful as she looked at Ceion, with a brief glance at Elis.

“We can’t see everything about someone,” Elis answered, sounding a bit cranky.

“His name isn’t really central to his identity,” Elia added. “I can tell that he’s being sincere, or about as sincere as he possibly could. Beyond that, I think he’s committed a few crimes, but most people in this society would agree there were extenuating circumstances.”

I raised an eyebrow. That’s interesting. Even if it doesn’t make my life any easier. “He tried to kill at least two people that we know of, and other people did die in the course of those attempts,” I pointed out.

Elia just shrugged. “I told you, our ability isn’t exactly precise.”

I suppressed a sigh. “So what do you know about him, Elis?”

“Not much, mostly just the name. I thought he was someone at a reasonably important level in the High Temple involved with the temple knights. That’s probably not too far off, actually.”

I nodded. “Well, why were you here, Ceion? And raise your head. This is no way to hold a conversation.”

There was a ghost of a grin on his face when he complied. Perhaps wisely, he chose to stay kneeling, with his hands resting on his knees in plain view.

It was the first time in the encounter I got a good look at his face and the time to consider it. It struck me how young he was. I’d eat my spear if he was more than a year or so older than Elia. Almost certainly younger than me mentally. And it wasn’t just because of his high cultivation and how it might slow his apparent aging, that was just the impression I got, based on his look and aura. But however much he looked like just a kid right now, I knew I shouldn’t let my guard down.

“I wasn’t doing much of anything,” he replied. “No cunning plan or nefarious scheme afoot, alas. I was simply … enjoying the peace and quiet. Communing with the qi.” He grinned a little, shaking his head. “If I’d known, I certainly would have chosen a better spot!”

That probably meant he’d wanted to be alone to deal with something, like the devastation the Zarian had just wrought on the area. I scrutinized his expression again, finding a little shadow behind his almost playful exterior.

“And why didn’t you?” I asked. “Somehow, I can’t imagine you just sat around in a place where you knew the Imperial army wasn’t all that far away without putting up a ward or taking any kind of basic precaution. You thought this was safe, didn’t you?”

“It was supposed to be safe.” There was definitely an edge in his voice and expression now, even if it was subtle.

“Ah.” I started pacing a meter again. “And who gave you that impression? Did perhaps someone tell you they’d make sure it was safe?”

He clamped his jaw shut, glowering. “Yes.”

I stopped and lowered my volume. “I can extract the answer from you one way or another, boy. And if someone like Isuro did let you go here with false assurances, you certainly have no reason to expect things to get better.”

“How do you -” He broke off, then jerked his head in what might have been a nod. “Yes, the Pioneer was here.”

I let out a long, soft sigh, taking a step back. That figured. Although it really doesn’t. What was the point? Why would Isuro set him up like this, if that’s actually what happened?

If I was reading his emotions right, he’d suffered a stinging betrayal, which implied that Isuro was closer to the boy than you might expect. Of course, it was hard to draw conclusions from Ceion’s side about how Isuro might view him, but it still suggested the possibility that Isuro might actually have been trying to help him, in a way. That was the first point that jumped out to my intuition, although it was hardly the only consideration.

The tactic of begging my mercy was pretty smart. We weren’t alone, but before an audience that he could assume contained some of my closest followers — some of the people here were clearly not soldiers, but well-dressed youths around my own age. It was reasonable to suppose I might hesitate at cold-bloodedly murdering him after he’d begged for his life in front of them. He hardly had any better alternatives.

But there was a hint of Isuro’s qi around here, too. I knew the not-actually-a-spirit was probably watching us. Which complicated the matter a lot. I’d been - sort of, distantly - working on him for a while. Trying to, at least. But I knew I did not want him to see me act in a way that might, for lack of a better word, estrange us.

And he might know that, and predict how I’d react. Either out of calculation or because he just had a slightly idealized image of me. Which meant this whole thing could easily be part of a plot of his.

It was probably a trap.

I sighed again, then beckoned Aston closer as I stepped away. With spirits around, I didn’t want to just rely on telepathic conversations. He put up a qi shield blocking any sound and a distortion that would prevent lip-reading. I hesitated for a moment, then looked at Elia and waved her closer. She rolled her eyes, but joined us.

“You’re the resident expert on possession, Aston,” I said quietly. “How much of a possible entry point is he?”

“That’s hard to say, my lady,” he responded. “A lot will depend on what the spirits on the Zarian side might do, and on what, if I may put it this way, ‘your’ spirits will.” He glanced at the young man, frowning slightly. “Taking him would certainly be a risk. Of course, it might also present an opportunity.”

“I’d think it depends mostly on him,” Elia said, shaking her head. She looked me in the eyes firmly. “Inaris, that young man is in many ways not a dedicated enemy. He’d probably be better off in many respects if you took him in. I mean, given your record, you could probably handle it. And if he actively resists, it would make things a lot harder for the Storm and the Auditor.”

I frowned thoughtfully. “Can he do that? Work against the psychic bond he has? How far?”

Elia sighed, then shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m mostly going by feel here, just like you. The Auditor is obviously a very different piece of work than your father. And there’s a strong link. But like Aston said …” She raised her shoulders.

“There is a link,” I murmured. “And if we ever need to get to Jideia or at least his enforcer … We’re not going to find a better option.”

“Maybe I just don’t want you to kill him,” Elia admitted. “I know we can’t just let him go. And even if he’s done some bad things …” She grimaced. “It would sit badly with me.”

“I know.”

I started pacing once again, shattering Aston’s shield in the process. The sun was setting, and we really should be going soon. Hanging around here any further was a pointless risk, even with Rijoko’s attention on us.

I know I don’t often ask for your advice, I told my father mentally. But if I’m about to make a horrible mistake, this is the time for you to chime in.

He didn’t give me an answer. This was a decision I had to make for myself. Ironically, that made me feel a lot better about it.

I glanced at Yarani. She caught my eyes and gave me a little shrug. Clearly, whatever issue she might or might not have with Ceion’s brief taking over of her, she didn’t care to protest or demand revenge. She really was a better person than most people might give her credit for.

Unlike me, of course. I smiled a little and stopped in front of the other spirit-child. “I’ll give you your life,” I said, then held up a hand before he could speak. “Understand me, as far as I am concerned, this is a gift. I won’t take it away unless you represent a real danger to me or mine. Of course, that doesn’t mean you get to just go.”

He smiled a dazzling smile and bowed deeply. “Your words are clear as crystal, my lady. I do have to say that is the most marvelous gift I have ever received. A life. Shame I can’t trade it for a different one.”

There was a choking sound from behind me, but I didn’t turn, and I managed not to let my own expression twitch. “I wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss the possibility,” I said with another smile. “Lots of people think of starting a new life, you may actually get the option. Of course, a great many things will simply change for you whether you want them to or not. You’ll be coming with us. If I am satisfied about your sincerity and trustworthiness, I may actually allow you to make yourself useful.”

He blinked. “I’m not sure I quite understand you.”

“Don’t worry. For now, you should focus on your immediate concerns,” I advised him. “You’ll be an honored if carefully watched guest. I look forward to talking to you.”

That last part was completely true, and from the way he looked at me, I suspected that he understood that.

“Woohoo,” he said drily. “Not that I’ve ever met someone quite as interesting as you are, Princess Inaris.” Suddenly, he grinned again. “I do think this will be fun!”

He’d probably be a breath of fresh air, too, if nothing else. I wouldn’t forget that he’d tried to kill me and Al, and come remarkably close to succeeding, but the same traits that made him dangerous were part of the reason I wanted him for my side. And besides, I would probably get some nice new insights into spirits, their children, and how they functioned.

At Aston’s orders, several guards stepped forward to put Ceion in chains. He cooperated quite willingly, seeming almost cheerful, which was probably a mask, but better than the alternative. Another guard was already bringing our horses.

“Is this what you wanted?” I murmured so softly none of the people present should hear it. Isuro probably wouldn’t, either, but he just might.