Tension ruled the tearoom, where the silence grew more suffocating with every passing second.

“You’ve never brought a girl home before, Jing,” his mother remarked, as if expecting a solid explanation. They were seated on their knees around a small square table, following the customs of the queen’s tribe. He poured her tea and met her eyes.

“Leela isn’t just any girl,” he replied, uneasy. “You know she’s my disciple. I’m training her because after her first mission, I realized she needed specialized reinforcement.”

“I can see how special your training is,” she said with biting sarcasm. “Do you also teach her how to exchange saliva with her enemies?”

“What...