Chapter 24: Summary, Key Events, and Study Notes
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
⚠️ This page contains detailed plot points from The Dragon's Promise, including events from Chapter Twenty-four. If you haven't read that far, you may want to turn back.
Summary
Shiori keeps her promise to Gen, sending for him the next day and braving her father's displeasure to argue that the young sorcerer saved her from the mountain ambush. It's a half-truth, but it softens the emperor's mood, and Gen's joy at finally seeing the imperial palace is infectious. He marvels at its grandeur, though he admits he's never visited a true palace—only the Dragon King's dungeon and Elang's cave-like abode. Shiori teases him about his standards, but Gen is eager to experience court life, asking about festivals and banquets. She explains that there will be no Summer Festival this year because the imperial family is still mourning her stepmother's death, and the recent weddings—Andahai's, Reiji's, and her own—are political necessities to heal Kiata after Lord Yuji's rebellion.
Shiori assigns Gen a villa in the south court and asks Kiki to keep an eye on him. By midday, Kiki reports that Gen has charmed the court's children with sleight of hand, finagled dinner invitations from their parents, and even used an illusion to appear older while winning over ministers with compliments. Shiori is amused but wary; Kiki warns that Gen might be more rash than Shiori herself.
Later, Shiori packs her sturdiest red robes—winter garments lined with wool and sand silk, decorated with cranes—because Wandei asked for them, though he won't say why. She dreads her meeting with Qinnia, having avoided her since the night she nearly stabbed her with eating sticks while under Bandur's influence. But Qinnia welcomes her warmly, having dismissed the maids. They share peaches from Qinnia's family orchard, and Qinnia reveals she wanted to apologize, not receive one. She fears she might have been the one who poisoned Shiori while possessed by Bandur, since four priestesses were captured and someone in the palace administered the poison. Shiori reassures her that Bandur has his own plans for her, and Qinnia admits she's worn a blessed bracelet to ward off demons, but it doesn't help against Bandur. She reflects on her superstitious upbringing—counting steps, avoiding four slices of peaches—and how she never believed in real magic until she saw Andahai's crane spirit.
Qinnia then reveals she's pregnant, and Shiori is overjoyed. They share a laugh about Andahai's overprotectiveness, and Qinnia notes that everyone has grown fond of Takkan. Shiori blushes, feeling warmth for her betrothed. She then confides that she and her brothers have a plan to defeat Bandur, which will require Andahai's help and another journey. Qinnia asks only that Shiori bring Andahai back alive, calling her