Spring came and brought with it flowers in the garden. The women barely had time to see the flowers because they were so busy with their sons. Sayana missed her private times out by the sunfire roses, but she loved the time she spent with Ethian.

One day, around the middle of spring, Lynet appeared in the courtesan wing. The emperor had finally let her start roaming again. She’d avoided the women and their sons up to that point. Arken didn’t come out to chase her off and Sayana wondered why.

“You need to leave the palace.” Lynet was brisk and businesslike as she spoke to them. “You need to take your sons and go somewhere far away if you want them to live to see their first birthdays.”

“What are you talking about, Lynet?” Marin didn’t bother to use her title. “We don’t have to do anything you say.”

Lynet glared at her. “I’m trying to warn you, Marin. The council – well, most of the council – is furious with the emperor and they’ve found a way to kill the princes. They’re going to put poison in your food. It won’t affect you, other than to make you slightly queasy. But it will transfer to your breastmilk and kill your sons the next time you feed them. It’s taken them some time to get the poison. Now that they’ve found a source for it, it’s only a matter of time before they use it on you and the princes.”

“Lynet, you threatened to take our sons.” Angharad gave the woman a significant look. “What makes you think we’re going to believe you’re trying to save their lives from the council?”

“I’m still trying to convince my husband to let me raise the boys myself.” At least she was consistent, if not very bright. “If they’re dead I lose that chance. If they’re alive, I still have that possibility. Look, I didn’t have to come here. I could have let the council kill the princes. I’m trying to help you, odd as it seems.”

“How are we going to get past Lord Arken?” Zarina wanted to know. “Not to mention get out of the palace and off the compound? We aren’t exactly free agents, able to come and go as we please.”

“I got rid of Arken today, didn’t I?” Lynet gestured. “I could never have stayed in here if he were still around. I can do it again. As for getting you off the compound, I can manage that as well. I’ll get you out of here, provide you with funds to take you wherever you need to go and start over, and cover for you when you’re gone. All you need to do is take your sons and go. I’ll be back in three days. Be ready to leave.” With that, Lynet left.

“Do we believe her or not?” Marin glanced around the room.

“I don’t know.” Sayana frowned. “She has no reason to help us. She has every reason to let the council kill our sons. But she’s coming to us to tell us about their plan. This isn’t like her.”

“She did say she’s still trying to convince the emperor to let her raise our sons.” Zarina pointed out the problem. “If we leave the compound, that could be her leverage to get him to allow her to take them from us.”

“But what if she’s right?” Ji-Hye clung to Hanzo. “Is there such a poison that would work as she suggested?”

“I don’t know.” Marin was unsure of herself for the first time since Sayana had met her. “I’ve never looked into poisons before.”

“There has to be a book on poisons in the archive.” Sayana realized that there must be something there. If every book ever written was contained in the archives, then there would be a reference to poisons. “We need to find it and see if there is such a poison. If there is, she could be telling the truth.”

“I’ll start looking as soon as Fallon takes his nap.” Marin was a little pale.

“I’ll do the same once Ethian goes down.” Sayana nodded.

“I’ll do the same when Jair goes down.” Renate agreed to help them. The other women all agreed to look as well.

Arken returned to the wing to find the women reading. He didn’t say anything, and the women didn’t tell him about Lynet’s visit. They were too busy reading books on poisons. They tended to their sons and continued their research.

It was the next day when Sayana found what they were looking for. “I found it. It’s a rare poison. It comes from a plant grown on Othathea that can only be harvested at a specific time each spring, and it is very expensive. It makes victims nauseous, but if fed to a breastfeeding woman it is a surefire way to kill the infant without drawing attention to yourself. The poison breaks down into calcium and magnesium after death and it’s virtually impossible to detect.”

“Lynet doesn’t read anything. The only reason she’d know about this poison is if she heard the council discussing it.” Marin frowned. “Or if they told her their plan. I think Lynet was telling the truth.”

“How is she going to get us past the Imperial guards?” Ji-Hye glanced at the doorway.

“I don’t know, but if she says she can do it, I’m not going to argue with her.” Marin sounded uneasy and there was a hint of reluctance in her voice. “I think we have to take her help, for the sake of our sons.”

“I don’t trust her, but if you think we should do as she says, then I’ll go along with you, Marin.” Zarina was equally hesitant.

“I still don’t trust Lynet as far as I can throw her.” Angharad’s expression was determined. “But I’ll do anything to protect Rhys.”

“I don’t want to agree but I think I must.” Sayana was loath to agree but like Marin, she didn’t believe she had any other choice.

“I’m the same as you, Sayana.” Ji-Hye was quiet but firm in her statement.

That night, after she was ready for bed, Sayana dismissed her servants but kept Vai behind. “Vai, I need you to do something for me.

“What is it, my lady?” Vai asked.

“This is something you can’t tell anyone about, not even Ardatha and Faviola.” Sayana knew this would be an odd request and it could lead to them being discovered if anyone found out about it.

“I won’t say anything to anyone else, my lady,” Vai reassured her. “Not even if I’m asked.”

“Good.” Sayana thought for a moment of exactly how to phrase her request. “I want you to go to the Warmaster Registry Office. Ask them for a warmaster who’s like Lord Arken, but not a eunuch like Lord Arken, that’s retired. Find out where they settled, who they are, and how old they are. Bring me their names and the planets they retired on tomorrow morning.”

“A man who’s like Lord Arken but not a eunuch who is also a retired warmaster,” Vai repeated. “Find out who they are, their age, and what planet they retired to. I can do that, my lady.”

“Thank you, Vai.” Sayana dismissed her and went to bed.

The next morning, Vai waited until Ardatha and Faviola left before giving Sayana a data cube. “Here’s what you asked for, my lady. There aren’t many on there, but I got you all the names I could.”

“Thank you, Vai.” Sayana took the data cube. Vai left.

Sayana slotted the data cube in her pad and read through the list of names. There were five. Three were too old to suit her purposes. Of the other two, one was too close to the Throne World for her to feel safe. The final one was on Covus, a colony world that was far distant from the Throne World. His name was Reynard, and he was in his mid forties. He was young enough to have a younger sister her age. His physical description was similar enough to hers that there wouldn’t be any question about her claiming to be related to him. Her plan would work, if Lynet could manage to get them off the compound.

On the third day, the women packed and waited for Lynet to return. It was early afternoon when Arken left and Lynet appeared. “Are you ready to go?”

“Yes, we are.” Marin glared at her fiercely. “You’d better not be lying, Lynet. If we find out you’ve lied to us, we will turn you over to the emperor for treason.”

“I’m not lying.” Lynet gave her an exasperated look. “I need the princes alive so I can take them as my own sons. That won’t happen if the council has their way. Are you packed? We only have a short window of time to make this work.”

“We are.” The women gestured to their cases.

“Then let’s go.” Lynet motioned for them to follow her.

The women followed her out of the wing and were surprised to find that the Imperial guards that usually stood watch were gone. They traversed the corridors unchallenged and passed out of the palace. Skimmers were waiting to take them to the main gate. “How do we get through the gate?” Ji-Hye wanted to know.

“The guards there know to let you out. There are transit stops not far from it that will let you take public transportation anywhere you want.” Lynet handed them all credit chits. “I have access to the Imperial treasury as the empress. There are a million credits on each of those for you. That should be more than enough to get you started.”

Sayana got into the skimmer with Ethian. Marin got in with her. They turned their back on the palace as they left. Sayana ignored the flutters in her stomach. She was abandoning Karis, betraying his trust, and running away. It was to save Ethian’s life, she knew it was, but that didn’t make it any easier.

They got outside the walls of the Imperial compound. “Now where do we go?” Ji-Hye was resolutely not looking back at the palace.

“I’m going to the port.” Marin held Fallon closer to her chest. “I’m leaving the Throne World.”

“So am I.” Sayana shifted her hold on Ethian.

“I’m not.” Angharad gestured. “I’m going to one of the residential districts and finding a house there. The Throne World is so big they won’t find me even if I am hiding in plain sight.”

Renate and Ji-Hye voiced their intent to go to the port as well. Angharad caught one of the public transits deep into the heart of the Throne World. The rest of the women got on one that took them to the port after consulting with a few of the drivers.

They all chose worlds at random and left. Only Sayana remained. She went to one of the kiosks. She searched for Covus but didn’t see it. She looked around for one of the many assistants that were there to answer questions. “Can I help you, ma’am?” one of them asked as she flagged him down.

“I want to go to Covus, out in the colonies. But I don’t see it as an option.” Sayana was wondering if she was just too inexperienced to understand how the kiosk worked.

“That’s because we only go to Daaruta,” the assistant explained. “From there you can catch a flight to whatever world in the colonies you’re looking to head to.”

“Thank you.” Sayana selected Daaruta and chose the next available flight. It was leaving in an hour. She paid for her ticket, checked to see if she needed one for Ethian, and took her luggage and went to the gate she needed. When they called for boarding, she walked onboard and went to the cabin she’d reserved. It was small, much smaller than the one she’d had when she came to the Throne World with Tremere, but it was private, and it had a lock. That was all she cared about.

The trip to Daaruta was one that Sayana preferred not to think about in later years. It was lonely, unpleasant, and frightening to a woman who’d never been anywhere on her own before. She took her meals with the rest of the passengers, carrying Ethian slung across her chest, and ignored the stares as she ate and drank with her veil on. She couldn’t bring herself to take it off even though she knew it gave her away. It was just one step too far. She was still an Imperial courtesan, despite everything she was doing, and she would continue to live her life like one for as long as possible.

They reached Daaruta after several weeks. Sayana climbed off the ship with a sense of relief. She could, if she chose, settle here. But she had a plan, and she was going to stick to it. She went to the kiosk at Daaruta and looked for Covus. She found it after much searching and found the next shuttle didn’t leave until the next morning, very early. It seemed there was only one shuttle for Covus a day. There was also a weather warning, letting people know that while it was spring elsewhere in the galaxy, it was still winter on Covus, and the temperatures were several degrees colder.

Sayana frowned. She’d need some heavier clothes for herself and Ethian if she was going to Covus. She had a full day to kill, so she left the port. She found a clothing shop not far from the terminal and went in.

“Ah, good day young lady.” The aging proprietor smiled in a friendly manner. “How can I help you?”

“My son and I are going to Covus tomorrow morning and it seems we are woefully lacking in proper clothing for it.” Sayana had been out of the working class neighborhoods for so long she wasn’t sure if she should add a ‘my lord’ after that or not, but he seemed to sense her shyness, and his smile was even more gentle.

“Ah yes, it is still the height of winter on that particular planet. Their seasons are a bit off kilter with ours,” he agreed. “Now, do you happen to know your measurements? Or do you need me to take them for you?”

“I know mine, but I don’t know my son’s.” Sayana was relieved he wasn’t going to make this awkward.

“Babies are fairly easy, if you know how old he is.” The man eyed Ethian curiously.

Sayana rattled off her measurement and told him how old Ethian was. The man tapped some commands on his machine and waited. A few minutes later, a handful of outfits were spit out the other end along with two thick, heavy blankets for Ethian along with his new clothes. “It’s that quick?” Sayana was surprised. She was used to the dressmakers at the palace taking days to make clothing.

“It’s that quick.” The man smiled. “I don’t do fancy, so I don’t have a lot of choice of cloth and color, so if you were looking for that you’ll have to go further into town. But if what you want is well made and comfortable, you’ve come to the right place. Now, what about shoes?”

“Oh yes.” Sayana looked down at her delicately clad feet. “I’ll need those as well. I’m a size eight.”

“Good to know.” The man consulted a list next to him. “You’ll want boots for winter and a good sturdy shoe for the rest of the year because they seem to do an awful lot of walking on Covus.”

“Then I’ll take a pair of boots and a pair of good, sturdy shoes as well.” Sayana was grateful he seemed to know what she’d need. She didn’t have a clue what was necessary for this trip.

The man poked a few more buttons and a few minutes later, two more bundles shot out. “Now, for your son, if he’s not walking yet?” Sayana shook her head. “Then you won’t need quite as sturdy a set of shoes for him. But for as cold as it is on Covus, socks just won’t cut it.”

“I’ll take some shoes for him too, please.” Sayana didn’t want Ethian’s feet to go unprotected. Another command on the console meant another tiny package a few minutes later.

Sayana paid for everything and shoved it all into her luggage. She went back to the port and waited. She spent the night in the terminal, changing and feeding Ethian. She had found out on the shuttle up that it was considered polite to cover yourself while in public, so she kept a light blanket over him while he ate.

Just before she boarded the shuttle, she changed into one of the new outfits. She hadn’t worn pants since she left the academy, and they felt weird after so long in dresses. She laced up the new boots and then dressed Ethian in one of the new outfits. She didn’t wrap him in one of the new blankets, though she kept it handy for when they arrived. She tucked one of the new knit caps on his head though and slid mittens over his tiny fingers.

“You’re acting like you’re going to a frozen wasteland,” someone commented.

“Covus is still in the middle of winter.” Sayana focused on getting Ethian dressed for the cold weather. “I don’t want him taking a chill.”

“It’s spring. There’s no way Covus is still in winter,” the person protested.

“According to the weather advisory when I bought my ticket it is.” Sayana pulled on a pair of gloves and her own jacket.

“I don’t have anything for winter weather.” The person was now worried.

“You’re in for a rough go of it on Covus then,” one of the stewards told them. “It’s still winter there. It’s been consistently -20 at least when we’ve arrived the past week.”

The person, Sayana couldn’t say if it was a man or woman, hurried off the shuttle. “Well, their luggage is going to reach Covus before they do.” The steward shook his head. “You were smart in preparing now, ma’am. It’s only an hour long shuttle ride to Covus, and most of that you’ll be in freefall. Our gravity generator doesn’t work right now.”

“I shall remain firmly in my seat then.” Sayana wasn’t too happy about hearing the gravity generator was offline.

“Good idea.” The steward left her to secure her harness and went off to answer someone else’s anxious questions.

Sayana felt sick as the shuttle lifted off. The pressure pounded in her ears. Ethian let out a squawk and started to cry. Suddenly, the pressure was gone, and Sayana comforted Ethian. It took a few minutes to calm him down. By then she was getting a few dirty looks, but really, what did they expect? The shuttle had no inertial dampeners if its gravity generator was down. The pressure was horrendous on an adult. It had to be pure murder for an infant.

She watched the stars out the shuttle window and idly wondered what the emperor was making of the disappearance of his entire courtesan wing. “I’m sorry, Karis,” she whispered, holding Ethian close. “I couldn’t risk it being true.”

It would be years before the council found her out here, especially considering none of them would have the resources of the Imperial intelligence bureau. The emperor would find her before too long though. With luck, he’d have learned of the plot against her and the other courtesans and dealt with his council once and for all. She hoped he would have. Otherwise, all this running and hiding would have been for nothing.

An hour later, that horrendous feeling of pressure returned. Ethian shrieked in pain as the shuttle descended and landed in a snowy landscape. Sayana took a moment to comfort her son while the rest of the passengers disembarked. Finally, once Ethian was only whimpering, she got up and followed the last of the line off the shuttle.