Far across the desert, in the capital of the Hua Empire, General Shen stood in his private study.
He slammed his hand against the table so hard that his tea set rattled. His chest heaved, his face flushed with a mixture of fury and a cold, creeping dread. The loud crack echoed through his office.
"I can't believe he tricked me," he growled to the empty air, his breathing heavy and loud.
The doors behind him opened quietly. He turned and saw Shen Han standing at the entrance. Ever since his son had married into the royal family, these visits had become rare. But lately, the younger general had been coming to this office quite often, even more frequently than in the past.
General Shen didn't turn fully around at first. He turned back and kept his eyes fixed on the map spread across his desk. "Han'er?" the General asked, his voice tight. "What are you doing here?"
