Pavilion Mistress shook her head, her anger mingled with frustration. "By heavens, young master, you task me too heavily! I did nothing beyond my right, indeed my duty. The demonics were beaten—or so I'm told by both the town official and the king. Why should I not expand my holdings at the expense of some old trees? And when the killings started—young master, understand that I had no idea the killings were connected, not until—"
Wuyi leaned forward. "Let me tell you what I think," he said. "Xingchen unmasked a traitor and died for it."
The Pavilion Mistress nodded. "It is possible. She volunteered to go to the outlying holdings when, ordinarily, I would have gone."
"She was your right hand? The post your new right hand now holds?" he asked.
She shook her head. "No. She held more power than the other elders, but she was too young to hold a significant position."
