Ren looked at Kael. Then she looked past him, at the archway and the spears packed into it. Bia had stopped chewing.
"Syris," she said. "Send them out."
"Why?"
"Please."
His tongue flicked out again. He looked at her hand on the wok, and at whatever was in her face.
"Viper," he said. "Clear the room. And the corridor."
"My King." Viper's spear stayed on the hearth. "And if he leaves the hearth?"
"I will ask myself."
"How far, my King?"
"Until you cannot hear her."
Viper considered that. Then he hissed once over his shoulder, and the archway emptied. Bia took Las by the wrist and towed her out, Las still chewing. Viper went last, backward, with his spear on the tiger until the wall got in the way.
The fat ticked in the wok. Kaelen went on working at a rib.
Syris turned his head toward the archway. "Tell the female she may—"
Nobody was in it.
He looked at the empty archway a moment longer. Then he looked at Ren.
"Speak."
Kael hadn't taken another bite. "What flower?"
