Free Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 6 by Various

plan.
    After twenty minutes of bustling around, the woman turned and looked like she might speak once more. Whatever the problem, she seemed to think better of it. Instead, she bowed and left as quietly as she had arrived. Curious once more, Chien dressed quickly before taking advantage of the time alone to move to his hiding spot, the board he had pried loose years ago to hide his secrets beneath. Bao's gift went inside. Chien could not resist stroking his fingers against it once more before reaching further into the hole and pulling free a pouch.
    Everbloody was a highly illegal substance. The base ingredients were found in the base of the mountains in the north, a perilous journey. Any shaman who dared to create the substance risked death, as some of the components were known to release a deadly air if combined incorrectly. The shaman who had sold him the vial had carried burn marks all over his arms, and Chien had seen a hint of the burn across his face. Some called it devils magic. Everbloody rendered the body incapable of stopping the flow of blood. The blood would continue to flow until there was none left. It was messy. It was painful. It was for making a point.
    The sharp knock on the door made Chien jump, and he quickly secured his hiding place and hid the vial within his sleeve before the men entered, their faces impassable. Right now, they saw him as nothing more than an annoyance. His aunt's rather idiotic nephew. He wondered how many of them would turn on him if they knew the truth. How many would support him?
    The banquet hall was nearly full by the time he entered. He made his bows to his aunt and she gave a small laugh, "You are quite late dear nephew."
    "I apologize, Empress."
    "It is no matter. Tonight is a night of relaxation, not one for apologies." Chien took his seat, one tier beneath his cousins as she continued, "Even in such sad times we must find time to relax and enjoy the small things. The revolution is nearly at an end, so my minister informs me."
    Around them, the men attending the banquet muttered amongst themselves. Mai would only invite those she considered loyal to her, and they had long since learned the price of speaking against her, even if they did not believe her.
    "Is your wine not to your taste, cousin?" Chien tore himself from his thoughts to focus on Minh. He wore the same gold as his mother, his superior smirk making Chien impatient to see the end of this all. When Minh would lie on the ground dying with the realization that he was not at all the smartest man. That he had been beaten.
    Chien swallowed his feelings and gave Minh a vague smile, "I must admit, I've been unsettled since you told me of your plans. I worry the general may suspect."
    "I had wondered why he paid you a visit." So Minh had known. Hardly surprising. He studied Chien with a critical eye, "He would not suspect you. He is far too distracted by his interest in you."
    "Interest?" Perhaps Minh was more perceptive than he had given him credit for.
    Minh shook his head. "Nevermind. You should not worry, cousin. No one will discover why Tuan has fallen. They will simply believe he has overworked himself." And even if they did discover the reason, Minh had arranged it so that Chien would be blamed instead. "You did bring what I asked, correct?" Only a simpleton would have been fooled by such a foolish plan.
    "Of course." Chien's fingers brushed against the vial hidden within his sleeve. A reminder that no matter what part he played, he was still in control. There were days he feared he might find that he had lost himself completely. That in all the years leading to this moment, he might have forgotten why he fought. His biggest fear was that one day he might find forgiveness. That he might leave all the wrong his aunt had done unchallenged and learn to live with the loneliness his aunt had inflicted upon him.
    "Then it will be simple. Wait until after the Empress has finished her welcome then offer him a glass for good