Chronicles of Tarc 546-1: Support and Sister (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781949359220)

Mizi's hyperfocus on her projects is more than Brianna can handle. The stress on the household members is twice what they're used to during a Suiran winter. Is that pressure cooker going to divide them? Rei steps in with his own opinions, stirring up the pot even more.

Rei's own stress increases as he struggles with King Sasou's requirement to "fix" the national problem of traitors among the lords at the same time as he's to keep the international threats tamed. Will it be enough to delegate, or will winter's sress make him break, too? It might not be enough that he's gotten Sasou's promise of help whenever he needs it.

Winter isn't being kind to Ore and Ilena, either. It doesn't help that Rei wants to let the castle believe they're fighting all the time. Ilena loses herself in more projects than anyone else could keep track of. It's her usual, though: staying so busy she can't get into trouble. Ore is kept in the Rose office with Rei most of the time to also keep him occupied and away from lords he's more likely to kill than be kind to.

In the end Ore and Mizi are sent away from the castle to Kouzanshi, under the excuse of gaining staff for the hospital, to give everyone breathing space. What comes to the surface during that break surprises Mizi. The surprise waiting for Ore when they get home isn't any better.