Chapter 68. Gifts.
*Wan. The Fire Lord's Palace*
Life in the palace never left me bored. Almost daily training sessions with Zuko and Azula, constant tea invitations from officials of various ranks, and somehow, I had to carve out time for my own practice.
"General Bu Jing invites you to his estate for tea," the servant said cautiously, knowing full well what these "gatherings" were like—barely any tea, just people probing you!
"Another one," I groaned into my pillow.
"Shall we decline?" Shaya asked.
"No, tell him I'll be there soon," I replied reluctantly, getting out of bed. "Can't miss these meetings."
Over the month, I'd visited many country estates. In a way, I'd become an expert in local architecture, especially since they all seemed built from the same template. General Bu Jing's estate was no exception—nothing unique about it.
The first oddity came when I arrived. Usually, the host greets guests at the entrance. Here, only a steward awaited me, asking me to follow him.
He led me to an old building, more like a storage shed for unwanted things.
"They're expecting you downstairs," he said calmly, clearing some items and revealing a hidden passage with stairs leading down.
Eyeing the steward warily, I descended, already calculating what four masters and ten strong mid-level firebenders could want from me. My "life sense" from the fire told me that's how many were there.