Negotiate

Hibiki swallowed another bitter pill before sunrise, because the words in her head had started to slip. She needed them sharp. As a contract spirit who served as a court go-between, she could read human fear and monster pride from the same room, then write both sides into something they could accept. That gift also came from her night work as a game route writer, where every love line had to fit every hidden motive at once. The skill made her useful. It also made her miserable when her own feelings got involved. A borrowed royal sash, a wax-sealed envelope, and a compass hidden in her travel chest kept pulling her toward choices she did not want to name. Then the court asked her to stand in ...