In the morning the whole palace felt different

Mia could not explain it at first. The air was the same warm mix of smoke and citrus peel. The light was the same pale gold through silk screens. The sound was the same steady beat of knives hitting boards and water hissing on hot pans. But under it something had shifted

People looked at her

Not the way they had looked at her before with curiosity or with quiet jealousy or with calculation

They looked at her now with something heavier

Recognition

Fear

Expectation

It was not loud. Nobody shouted. Nobody bowed to her. Nobody touched her. But heads tilted when she entered a room. Conversations stopped for a breath when she passed. Runners made space for her in the hall before she even asked. The junior cooks who had ignored her two days ago now pretended to be very busy whenever she walked by like they did not dare look at her directly

Lin said quietly This is how the palace moves when news travels without being spoken

Mia said News of what

Lin held up a finger and whispered You will not vanish. Those are not kitchen words. Those are throne words. Someone already carried them

Mia’s stomach turned when she heard that because she understood

The Emperor’s words had not stayed in that room

Nothing stayed in that room

The palace had a thousand ears and a thousand tongues. If a leaf fell near the silk halls someone would tell someone who would tell someone who would tell five more people. The story would change shape with each hand. By the time it reached the outer courtyard the story would barely be the truth but it would still be dangerous

And now the story was this

There is a girl in the kitchen
He called her by name
He told her she will not vanish

That was not protection

That was a line drawn on the floor

That was the moment every other power in the palace felt that line and decided Are we going to step on it or go around it or break it

Head Chef Zhu knew it too

He moved with a new edge that morning. It was strange. He had always moved sharp. He had always moved fast. But today he moved like a man who had already started planning for impact. He checked every pot himself. He tasted every broth himself. He oversaw every tray going to the inner court. He pulled two boys off delivery duty and gave them knife work instead and Mia heard him mutter I do not trust that guard line today low under his breath

He kept Mia in the inner kitchen all morning

Do not leave this ring he said
Do not answer any request from outside this ring unless I spoke it
If someone says They sent me he pointed at her You ask Who sent you and you make them say a name. If they cannot say a name they are lying

Lin stayed glued to Mia’s side like a shadow that talked too much

We are a package now Lin said. Chef said wherever you go I go. So if you go somewhere dumb and die I die also and I do not like that

Mia gave her a look I am not planning to go somewhere dumb and die

Lin leaned in close Good. Because if you die I have to deal with Consort Lian alone and I do not have your soft eyes. She will not tolerate me

Mia made a face. Please stop calling them soft eyes

They are soft Lin said. The problem is they are soft in a way that makes people imagine warm thoughts and that is lethal in a place where warm thoughts mean influence. My eyes are sharp. Sharp eyes survive. Soft eyes attract trouble

Mia rubbed her face with both hands. I am begging you stop analyzing my face out loud within earshot of the pickle jars

Lin shrugged. The pickle jars do not gossip. The pickle boy gossips. I am watching him

The pickle boy glared without looking up

By midmorning more runners had already come with messages for Zhu from higher levels of the palace

High Consort Mei would like to sample the rain comfort dish for her morning calm
The First Minister requests a supportive stomach broth before council because the border talk has strained him
Commander of the East Guard sends thanks for last night’s work and asks for a personal strength bowl to prepare him for review

Zhu answered every single one with the same line spoken in the same voice

The dish belongs to His Majesty
I cannot prepare it without his direct order

The runner from the First Minister pushed There must be some misunderstanding the council serves the empire and His Majesty shares his blessings with those who serve the empire surely

Zhu did not change tone. The dish belongs to His Majesty. I cannot prepare it without his direct order

The runner from High Consort Mei smiled so sweet Mia almost got a toothache from across the room and said High Consort Mei is currently experiencing worry. Her heart is unstable. If she is not soothed this worry may travel to others and disturb the harmony of the inner court. I am sure Head Chef does not wish to be remembered as the source of disharmony in Her High Serenity’s wing

Zhu did not blink. The dish belongs to His Majesty. I cannot prepare it without his direct order

Mia whispered He is going to get his head cut off

Lin whispered back That would be inconvenient for us yes