I was pacing a hole into the expensive tatami mats.
It had been three hours since Akira left for the Emperor's throne room, and my nerves were completely frayed. Every time I heard a servant's footsteps outside our pavilion, my heart leaped into my throat, half-expecting Imperial Guards to drag me away because my husband had finally snapped and set the Emperor on fire.
"If you pace any harder, you are going to wear through the floorboards," Yuki complained from the veranda.
The ancient cat spirit was currently lying flat on his back, sunbathing like a lazy housecat. Rin was sitting next to him, tossing crumbs of a sweet bun into the koi pond.
"I can't help it," I muttered, chewing on my thumbnail. "He is in a room with the man who ruined his life. What if it's a trap? What if the Emperor tries to lock him in the dungeons?"
