"You've always got a trick up your sleeve," Mariah Carey tells Cookie Lyon ("Empire" season 3.

A trick, and words as sharp as a knife. Cookie's never been one to hold back her opinions on anything. "We're gonna fight fire with fire," she vents. Her protective mama Lyon instincts are in full force as she helps protect ex-husband Lucious (Terrence Howard) from his half-brother/FBI agent Tariq.

The teaser gives us the first look at Carey's cameo on the show. She plays a singer named Kitty who records in the studio with Jamal (Jussie Smollett).

The Fox drama ended on a major cliffhanger at the end of season 2. Lucious married Anika (Grace Gealey) to prevent her from having to testify against him. But after the vows, Rhonda (Kaitlin Doubleday) accosted Anika as revenge for pushing her down the stairs and causing her miscarriage. When Andre (Trai Byers) discovered the two of them, they were grappling on a balcony — and it seemed like one of the women was pushed over.

"Empire" returns for season 3 on Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 9 p.m. on Fox.

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