by JC Kang
Cyrus pointed up. Kaiya followed his finger’s path to the pyramid. Guanyin’s Tear sparkled at its top again, and Fleet now glided down the side, Greystone in hand. If not Fleet, then—
Brehane placed a hand on her chest. “I wanted to study the armor. I have never seen or felt magic like it before.”
It made logical sense, but it still seemed inappropriate to leave her Insolent Retainer’s body naked. She should be angry, and yet, only the logic of the choice resonated in her. The Tiger’s Eye still held in check her emotions. She pulled the cloak back over her sworn sister’s head.
Cyrus bowed. “I will ensure her remains are prepared for their final journey. She will leave this world the way she came, soul bared to Athran.”
Kaiya nodded. Better that than to leave her to the carrion birds.
“Ten Thousand Years!” rang a chorus from the valley below.
With one arm in a makeshift sling, Sameer pointed down to where a sea of soldiers bowed in a ripple. “Come. You have an empire to save.”
CHAPTER 41:
Brotherly Love
All the towns and villages Zheng Ming marched through had been devoid of enemy garrisons, or even small squads of light infantry enforcing Teleri rule. Now, he rode his horse up to the abandoned earthworks outside of Huajing, Ma Jun at his side and an army behind him. Up ahead, the north gate stood agape. Only a small complement of Teleri soldiers defended it. Just as his scouts had reported.
Shouts, screams, and gunfire pierced the clear afternoon sky.
He pulled his horse up out of musket range and withdrew a looking glass. The Bovyans atop the gate…faced inwards. Toward the city. He passed the scope to Ma Jun. “What do you think?”
Ma Jun squinted through scope and lowered it. “If the Teleri aren’t looking at us, they must be fighting someone on the inside.”
Ming’s thought as well. He turned to an aide. “Have the musketmen line up in ranks of three on the river bank. I will lead spearmen though the gates. If the enemy sees us, lay down volley fire.”
The aide bowed and turned to relay the commands. In short order, the provincial army had deployed along the river.
Ming drew his dao and pointed at the gate.
His infantry surged across the bridge. Ming followed, watching. When Bovyans turned to see the commotion, his musketmen began volley fire. The enemy remained huddled low behind the wall’s crenellations. Any who rose to shoot a crossbow met a barrage of muskets from both sides.
It was almost boring. By the time Ming passed through the gates, the gunfire had fallen silent, replaced by groans. Hua soldiers crowded the square near the gates, cheering. Ming searched for a commander.
“Lord Zheng!” A young man in a uniform too big for him bowed at his waist. “Young Lord Zheng Tian told us to keep an eye out for you. He is nearby with your brother Shu. Come with me.”
Ming dismounted and left his horse with an aide. “I would like to present myself before the Tianzi.”
The messenger held his head at an angle which made it hard to see his face. “The Tianzi has sequestered himself in Sun-Moon Castle. No one has heard from him in weeks.”
Weeks? Ming tugged his gloves off as he followed, Ma Jun in tow. “Then who is in charge?”
“Chief Minister Song is administering civilian affairs while General Tang leads the counteroffensive to retake the city.”
No hereditary lords? With no one at the top, it was a wonder anything could get done. Ming cocked his head. “Who came up with such a strange idea?”
“The regent.”
So a regent had been appointed, for the first time in nearly three centuries. Ming exchanged glances with Ma Jun. If the regent had left a minister and general in charge, he couldn’t be all that competent. “Who is the regent?”
“Princess Kaiya.”
Ma Jun’s lip twitched into a grin.
If Ming’s jaw hung any lower, he could probably lick the ground. “Where is she?”
“She drew the main Teleri army out of the city by fleeing south.”
Ming’s head spun.
Ma Jun asked, “How many Teleri occupy the city?”
“Four thousand. They control the southeast quadrant, along the White Duck Stream from the south gate to Qingjingtian Amphitheater.”
So many memories. Qingjingtian was where he’d shot his friend Xie Shimin and saved several dignitaries. White Duck Stream had been where the insurgency began, with an attack on him. Ming pictured a map of the city in his mind. An assault across the stream would be difficult for either side, depending on their numbers. “How many men do we have at our disposal?”
“Nine thousand imperial troops hold positions along the stream. Sixteen thousand Linshan provincial soldiers control the northern front to the east gate.”
And fifteen thousand of his own men. Ming gritted his teeth. With a ten-to-one advantage—
“Lord Zheng!” a sultry voice called.
He turned.
A pretty girl, maybe sixteen or seventeen, batted long eyelashes at him. Wearing a plain pink dress, she looked familiar. She exposed the curve of her neck in a flirty tilt of her neck.
Now if only he could remember where he’d seen her. She was certainly too young for him to have slept with, though give it a year or so… He flashed his most charming smile. “It’s been so long. My day is brighter now that you have come into it.”
She pouted. “You don’t remember me, do you?”
Ming tried to keep his smile enthralling, but undoubtedly looked sheepish despite his best efforts.
Her pout curved into an alluring smile. “Lin Ziqiu.”
Lord Lin’s daughter. No wonder. “Last time we met, you were just a little girl.”
She swatted him on the shoulder in the most playful way. “No, last time was a year ago. You were about to give Princess Kaiya an archery lesson. I guess you only had eyes for her.”
Ming hid a grin. If only the girl knew. The princess apparently had eyes for others, anyway.
“Well, come along now.” She pointed toward a restaurant. “Your brothers are waiting for you.”
Brothers? As in more than one? Ming followed her, watching the sway of her hips. She knelt at the door and bowed as she pulled it open. Ming flung his hair over his shoulder and winked as he passed through.
“Eldest Brother!” Panting, Shu rose from a chair.
At Shu’s side, Tian bowed. “Eldest Brother.”
The Kanin shaman and Fang Weiyong rose from a seat and embraced Ma Jun in a bizarre greeting. What was it with the natives? Not to mention Ma Jun and Fang Weiyong.
Ma Jun, in turn, wrapped his arms around Tian. “Do you have your memories back yet?”
Tian shook his head.
“I see.” Ming glanced around the room. A handful of other teenagers, all dressed in plain clothes, turned their heads at angles when his gaze fell on them. Whoever they were, they didn’t seem to be part of any army. He turned back to Tian. “I had expected to meet with our generals to discuss a strategy for finishing off the Teleri.”
Tian gestured to the others. “My friends and I help the army. However, we don’t have any say, except for the north gate.”
The door closed and Ziqiu sashayed in. “Young Lord Tian urged General Tang to delay an assault on the north gate until we rescued Young Lord Shu.” She tilted her chin in the cutest way toward his brother.
Ming looked around again. Someone was missing. The discourse was too normal, without a hint of sarcasm or insult. “Where’s Jie?”
The silent response was awkward. The youngsters all stared at the ground. Yuha shook his head. The only sound came from outside as boots marched across the paved streets.
Tian scratched his chin. “Jie is unaccounted for. After she showed the imperial troops the secret path out of the palace, we’ve heard no word from her.”
“How many days now?” Ma Jun asked.
Ziqiu held up four fingers.
Ming sighed. If anyone were to throttle the
half-elf, it should be him. “I am sure she is all right. She is like a cockroach. It would take a lot to kill her.”
Several sets of eyes glared daggers at him, including all the young people who’d avoided his gaze.
Ming sucked in a breath. “Well, I had better go meet with—”
The door slid open and a young woman slipped in. She bowed and dropped a rolled sheet of paper into Tian’s hands. “An Eldaeri messenger bird arrived at Leina’s house,” she said.
Leina… Ming conjured an image of the exotic beauty he’d slept with on New Year’s Day, just over a year ago. Now why would a messenger bird go there? Tian unrolled the sheet, revealing a hypnotic combination of foreign symbols. His lips tightened as his eyes darted back and forth over the words.
“You can read that?” Ming asked.
Tian nodded. “Leina gave us the codes.”
Which meant— “Leina was a spy?”
Ziqiu nodded.
Ming’s heart felt like lead. It must’ve been her who planted the false evidence connecting him to the insurgency a year before. How gullible he’d been. “Where is she now?”
“Dead.” Tian studied Ming’s expression.
Ming shuffled on his feet. “So what does the message say?”
Tian looked back. “It appears the Teleri embedded a Nightblade in Peng’s rebellion. He has won Peng’s confidence. Peng has convinced Lord Wu to turn on the imperial army. Peng also has a secret he won’t share with anyone.”
Yet another betrayal. If the princess had met up with the imperial army, she’d be in danger. Ming sighed. “We need to warn her.”
“Her?” Ma Jun raised an eyebrow.
“How?” Ziqiu gazed at him with adoring eyes. “The Teleri army stands between us and the princess.”
Ming looked at Tian. Surely his little brother had an idea.
“We can’t reach the regent,” Tian said, “but we can send the emperor false information with the messenger birds.”
Ma Jun grinned. “Something that will scare the Teleri into retreating.”
“Or something that will get him to fight Peng first,” Ming said.
CHAPTER 42:
Illusion of Power
Peng Kai-Long watched as the last group of imperial commanders swore their loyalty with three kowtows. Their soldiers, lined in orderly square ranks, followed suit.
“Ten Thousand Years to the Tianzi!” yelled General Lu.
“Ten Thousand Years!” repeated the imperial and provincial generals.
“Ten Thousand years!” droned the rank and file as they bowed in a wave from front to back. They knelt, pressed their foreheads to the ground, and stood again. Three times, each time repeating Ten Thousand Years. The Guardian Dragon circled above them, his red eyes and five claws gleaming as the Godseye Conjunction ended.
Kai-Long’s heartbeat roared in his ears. His stomach somersaulted. The Mandate of Heaven was his. All without a shot fired, not a single Hua casualty. His genius! Years of planning, all culminating in a provincial lord’s second son rising to the Jade Throne. Guns, firepowder, and a fleet of trade ships at his beck and call. Hua would be wealthy and powerful again.
With all eyes on him, he puffed out his chest. “Men of Hua! On this auspicious night, when the Godseye looks down on us, the Heavens have spoken. I humbly accept their mandate to bring order and prosperity to Hua!”
The men broke out into resounding cheers.
Kai-Long raised a war fan, and the soldiers fell silent. “These are uncertain times. The Bovyan scourge tramples upon our sacred land as we speak. The infant Tianzi and the regents failed to stop them, and indeed let them in, either with incompetence or maybe even treason.”
Jeers directed at Lord Liu Yong and Princess Kaiya erupted among the men. More than one used words reserved for prostitutes to curse her.
Kai-Long raised his fan to silence them again. Rival or not, it would not do to have the Wang royal blood—his own blood—deprecated in such vulgar terms. “I have annihilated one foreign invader; now it is time to crush another. Rest well, for at dawn we march.” He chopped the fan northward, snapping it shut.
The armies roared in bloodlust. Kai-Long closed his eyes to revel in their applause. Convince a people their precious homes were under attack, and a clever man could bend them to his will. Just like his ancestor, the Founder. Once Kai-Long defeated the Teleri and consolidated his rule over Hua, he would liberate Ankira from the Madurans and civilize the Wilds.
A hush settled over the ranks of men, their clamor falling from its crescendo. That wasn’t supposed to happen, not unless he silenced them himself. Kai-Long opened his eyes. At the far end, the sea of soldiers began to part. He squinted. Several figures approached.
Cousin Kaiya among them.
Whore. Slut. Harlot. Kaiya flinched at the barely audible murmurs. Geros had whispered those insults in her ear, and now her own countrymen dared utter them. Hurt as the words might, none stung as much as traitor. Not when she had sacrificed so much for the nation.
Kaiya’s lip trembled as she fought back tears. Curse the Tiger’s Eye, coming and going at the most inopportune moments! Now, when she needed to be resolute, it failed her, stripping her of her wits. The power of her voice, gone. Her dignity, torn away. All she had was some rock cradled in her arm and no idea how to use it.
Cousin Peng had won the soldiers over with some flowery words, and an illusion of a flaming pearl. The Guardian Dragon of Hua fluttered in circles above, his ruby red eyes sparkling in the moonlight. Certainly a great, magical being should be able to see through the deception. Hopefully Brehane would be able disperse the magic.
A reassuring hand pressed between her shoulder blades. Jie had always been the one to do that, but now, the deep pulse vibrating into her heart could only come from Doctor Wu’s steadfastness. Brehane and Sameer followed several steps behind, their breaths short and shallow. Yes, they were as nervous as her.
“Don’t worry,” Brehane said. “I feel the magic. I can dispel the pearl illusion.”
The Mystic’s wobbling voice did little to inspire confidence, but Kaiya nodded. With one hand, she reached over and grasped the pole of an imperial banner. The soldier holding it bowed and released it. If at least some men recognized her legitimacy, perhaps not all was lost.
She held the banner aloft. “I—” Her voice choked until she cleared out the lump. “I, the regent for Tianzi Liu Yiping, demand an audience with Lord Peng Kai-Long.”
Around her, several of the imperial troops sank to a knee, fist to the ground. Still others remained standing, their raised heads not concealing their scowls. At least in the eyes of some, Cousin Peng had succeeded in painting her as both conspiratorial and incompetent, if the combination was possible.
His voice now rose above the silence, from his place far ahead. “I thank you for your service, but as an adult Tianzi, I do not require a regent. Men, please escort the princess to a tent of honor.”
An assassin’s knife would doubtless find her throat in that tent. Kaiya straightened her back and squared her soldiers. Even without the power of her voice, she still knew how to project the image of imperial prestige. “Jue-Ye,” she said, using the address for a Tai-Ming lord, “You have not made your oaths in the Temple of Heaven. You do not even hold the imperial seal. Until then, your claim might be considered…treasonous.”
Though his smirk was indiscernible from the distance, it carried in his voice. “Look above, Kaiya. The Guardian Dragon of Hua has already appeared twice to anoint me, to celebrate the defeat of a foreign invader and the unifying of our brothers in arms. Both tasks you failed to accomplish.”
Over half the soldiers pounded the ground with their spear hafts, cheering, “Peng, Peng, Peng.”
Behind her, Brehane barked several syllables in the language of Shallow Magic, setting her considerable power against whoever conjured the flaming pearl illusion. Her spell stopped on a hard grunt. Weapons rasped out of sheathes. Someone crumpled to the ground.
>
Kaiya spun around. Brehane sprawled in the trampled grass, her eyes staring up into her skull. A soldier raised the butt of his spear. Had she completed her spell, or had the strike to her head cut her words short? Other warriors surrounded Sameer with naked blades as he brandished his naga, left-handed.
And up above, the Guardian Dragon still danced in circles over Cousin Peng, still held in thrall by the fake pearl.
No, there could be no bloodshed. Kaiya lifted the banner. “Men of Hua, stand down. Sameer, sheathe your weapon. Fleet…” She looked around. The madaeri was nowhere to be seen. However, several of the Hua soldiers backed off. Sameer lowered his weapon. Doctor Wu pushed through the men like a breeze through flower petals, and kneeled by Brehane. Silence fell over the armies again.
“Bring the traitor and her friends to me.” Peng’s snarl echoed in the valley.
Hands seized her elbows, though she cradled the Pearl as if her life depended on it. It probably did. Another soldier shoved her forward. She caught her balance and straightened again. Other men pushed forward, either to her aid or to restrain her.
“At ease.” She kept her voice level and authoritative, just as her father would have. The soldiers back off, giving her space. Lifting her chin, she strode forward. The ranks of men cleared a path, though their expressions varied from anger to sympathy, lust to admiration.
Each step drew her closer to Cousin Peng, while the sounds of Sameer’s and Brehane’s breathing disappeared into the thousands of breaths around her. Nobody was there to protect her if Peng decided to behead her on the spot. At least when she’d faced down Avarax, she’d had Sameer, Jie, and an army of Paladins and priestesses there to support her. Now, with Jie dead and her friends all held at the back, she only had herself to rely on.
Then again, Peng was no dragon, despite what he might think of himself. She had thwarted his plans several times. Her steps matched the beating of her heart. Firm. Resolute.