The first thing Mia learned after Consort Lian left was this

Survival in the palace was not quiet

It was work

Hard work

There was no You almost died so take a break. There was no Take the rest of the day off. There was no Go breathe and calm down. The minute the door closed behind Consort Lian the kitchen went straight back to motion. Hands moved. Flames rose. Pans hissed. Knives tapped. Orders were shouted. Lunch had to be prepared for the guards. Tonic had to be simmered for one of the older ministers who never stopped coughing. Dishes had to be plated for mid level advisors in a side hall. Rice had to be steamed for workers in the outer court. Nothing stopped because her heart was pounding

Mia understood that rhythm fast

Keep moving or be eaten by it

Lin pulled her back into that rhythm by the wrist “Come on Warm Bowl Girl. We have to prep root slices”

Mia blinked “Root slices”

“Yes. Healers requested easy to eat food for the elder council members at the south wing. They said mild. They said soft. They said no bones no skin no spice. They said Food that will not make them feel insulted by being fed like sick children. So we are making braised sweet root with honey and tea steam”

Mia nodded “Okay. Show me”

Lin grinned “That is why I like you. You almost die and then you say Okay show me. You are going to last at least five days”

Mia gave her a look “Please raise that number it makes me nervous”

They set up at one of the middle stations. Head Chef Zhu moved like a storm through the rest of the room checking timing correcting seasoning adjusting flame talking low to different cooks. Every so often his gaze would flick over to Mia and Lin just to confirm Mia was still there still breathing still not being dragged away in silk. Every time his eyes found her he gave the smallest nod and then kept moving. That nod felt like a rope line in a fast river

Lin laid out the roots. They looked like long red gold carrots but thicker and more pale at the center. She sliced them into coins not paper thin but not thick either smooth steady slices like a soft drum beat. Mia watched the knife angle the wrist motion the speed. Then she copied it. After a few slices her body caught the rhythm and she did not have to think anymore. Her mind could think about other things while her hands worked

Which was dangerous

Because her mind had a lot to think about now

She thought again about Consort Lian standing in front of her all silk and soft voice and control. She thought about the way Consort Lian called her pretty eyes like it was nothing and at the same time not nothing. She thought about the warning hidden in that sweetness. Stay where I put you warmth girl. Stay a tool. Stay in a bowl

She thought about the Emperor in his private room telling her You will help me breathe and how different he had looked there in quiet without the crown of attention and judgment. Human. Tired. Lonely in a way that felt familiar

She thought about the car the light the crosswalk the moment her world cracked

Then her left hand slipped

The knife kissed her knuckle

It was not deep but it was clean and fast. She hissed in air through her teeth and pulled back. A thin bright line appeared across her skin and then blood welled up

Lin’s head snapped up fast “Stop. Stop. Stop. Do not drip on the board. Chef” she shouted “hand cut”

Head Chef Zhu was across the kitchen but he moved like he crossed the distance in one heartbeat. He reached them just as Lin grabbed a clean cloth and pressed it to Mia’s hand

“Hold that tight” Lin said

“I am fine” Mia said automatically because that was what you always said on the line even if you were bleeding or burned or dizzy

“No you are not fine because if you drip in the wrong place someone will use that to say you are careless and if they say you are careless then they can say you should not be near His Majesty’s food” Lin snapped “So hold pressure and stop trying to act tough”

Zhu looked at the cut. His jaw flexed. “It is small” he said “Good. I was not in the mood to see your blood on the floor today. One crisis per morning is my personal limit”

He led them both to a side counter where a small wooden box sat. He opened it with a key he kept on a cord around his neck. Mia saw clean wrapped linen strips a jar of thick pale ointment and a narrow sealed packet of dried leaves. It felt like a first aid kit from another century. It also felt important

“This is for inner kitchen only” Zhu said quietly “Do not tell anyone I keep this box unlocked while I am working. The rules say we are supposed to request a healer from the court if anyone is cut. The rule is stupid. By the time a healer answers half the line could bleed out. We handle it ourselves”

He dabbed the ointment onto her cut with a tiny brush. It stung like fire for a second then cooled. Her skin tingled

“What is that” Mia asked softly

“Powdered leaf and alcohol and boiled resin” Zhu said “Do not lick it. It tastes like regret. Wrap her Lin”

Lin wrapped Mia’s finger in a thin strip of linen and tied it off neat and snug. “There. Now your hands still look pretty” she said with a grin

Mia rolled her eyes “Please do not say that word anymore today”

Lin leaned in and whispered “It upset you that she said it”

Mia kept her gaze low “It is not that she said it. It is why she said it”

Lin nodded slow “Yes. I know”

Zhu cleared his throat. His voice dropped lower. “Listen Mia. You cannot show this cut to anyone outside the kitchen. If someone of rank asks you to serve them directly today you will keep both hands low with the wrapped finger turned away. If they notice and ask you say Head Chef Zhu scolded me for carelessness and I deserved it. You do not say I was tired. You do not say I was distracted. You do not say I was thinking about Consort Lian. You say I was careless and Chef corrected me. That keeps all blame on me. That keeps you small. You understand”

Mia nodded “Yes Chef”

He held her gaze one second longer. “And Mia”

“Yes Chef”

“Do not bleed in front of the Emperor either” he said dryly “He may decide you are fragile. Fragile people in this palace are either caged or removed. You are neither. You are working staff. Stay working staff”

Something tight inside her loosened a little at that. She let out a breath she had not realized she was holding. “Okay”

He grunted and went back to shouting timing at three different stations at once

Mia flexed her fingers. The bandage held. The sting was fading. She went back to slicing root with her right hand and her wrapped left hand steadying the board instead of the vegetable. It was slower but still clean

Lin bumped her shoulder lightly. “You good”

“Mostly” Mia said

“Good” Lin said “Because I need you not to fall apart until tonight. After tonight you can fall apart. I will bring you water and I will pat your back and I will say there there you did not die and that will be fine. But not now. I am busy now”

Mia let out a quiet laugh “Thank you for your emotional support schedule”

“Anytime” Lin said

They braised the root in a shallow pan with honey and water and a bit of tea until the slices turned glossy and soft without falling apart. The smell was warm and sweet. Comfort for old bones. Mia stirred and watched the surface move slow like calm breath

Her mind drifted again but this time it was not fear

This time it was memory

She saw her father again