"Quiet on set! Scene 12, Take 1. Action!"
The studio fell into a hushed silence, broken only by the rustle of silk and the soft clinking of porcelain.
The set was the Imperial Garden. Artificial cherry blossoms drifted down from the rafters, landing on the stone table where Aria—Consort Li—sat pouring tea.
She didn't look like an actress. She looked like a painting that had come to life to commit a murder. Her movements were fluid and precise, the long gold fingernail guards on her hands clinking against the teapot with a rhythmic, hypnotic sound.
Opposite her sat Leo, the Crown Prince. The boy was trembling, his puppy-dog eyes wide with righteous fury.
"You knew," Leo recited, his voice cracking perfectly. "You knew the Saintess was allergic to hibiscus! You tried to kill her!"
Aria didn't look up. She poured a cup of tea, the steam rising in the cool studio air.
