The Empress of Salt and Fortune (The Singing Hills Cycle, #1)

by Nghi Vo

Hate, however, was reserved for equals, and as far as In-yo was concerned, she had no equals in all the empire.

“I wanted to show you that I do understand. Honor is due to you as the mother of the Empress of Wheat and Flood, and honor is due to you as the friend of the Empress of Salt and Fortune.”

They started to walk, rising as they did so, and from the porch over the lake, Chih watched them fade into two stars that shone just above the horizon.

Chih thought that even from the crowd, they would see in her face the trace of a migratory bird, a rabbit, and the empress from the north, fierce enough to fight wolves.