by JC Kang
With Yangyang and Meisha following her lead, Wen sashayed up to them and bowed low. “Thank you, Lord Shi, for honoring me this afternoon.”
“Rise,” Lord Shi said.
Her friends straightened with her. Wen bowed her head to Shi Han, though not before making out the outline of the key beneath his high-collared gentleman’s robe. “And to you, Young Lord Shi, for the amazing experience.”
“Oh?” Lord Shi looked sidelong at his son.
Wen turned her head at an angle and raised a hand in front of her cheek, as if hiding a blush. At the same time, she looked to the line of guests by the gangplank. How much time did they have before they shoved off? “Young Lord Shi was absolutely toe-curling.”
Guffawing, Lord Yang turned and clapped a hand on Shi Han’s back. “Well done, Little Han. I’m sure Yang Lin here did a fine job during his First Pollination, but I don’t remember the Blossom complimenting him.”
Shi Han’s mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. With the Blue Moon fully open and casting its cerulean light, it was hard to tell what shade he was blushing.
“This is Bai Yangyang of the Lily Pond, and Lan Meisha of the Orchid Palace.” Wen gestured to her friends.
The two bowed with the grace of the Floating World. “We are pleased to serve.”
“Heavens, forgive my rudeness.” Wen covered her mouth and bowed low again. “I just realized we are blocking your view of the moon.”
“Oh, this view is quite nice.” Lord Shi’s eyes never moved from her chest. He extended his hand. “But perhaps we can enjoy the view together.”
Behind him, Shi Han was frowning. The unspoken friction between them would make it easier to get Shi Han alone. Wen took the father’s hand, and he tugged her into his lap. He lifted her leg and brought it up and over so that she straddled him. With a contrived gasp, she placed a hand on his shoulders to keep him from pulling her closer.
“I’m jealous.” Lord Yang beckoned to Yangyang and Meisha as if he owned them. Of course, he would assume Lord Wu had paid for their services tonight.
Giggling, Meisha obeyed. No sooner did she slide sidesaddle into his lap, than his hand crept up her skirts. As disgusting as entitled men were, it was also their weakness; one which the Black Lotus sisters would exploit tonight.
Yangyang made a cute wave of her hand at the sons. “I want to experience just how good Young Lord Shi is, too.”
“Woooo,” Lord Yang said over his shoulder. “Yang Lin, do you hear that? You must bring honor to our family name, and not let Young Shi Han outdo you.”
Though watching as Yangyang moved between the two sons, Wen found Lord Shi in the corner of her vision. He was staring at his son, frowning.
If Shi Han was bothered by the glare, it didn’t show. He was grinning ear-to-ear—no, he knew exactly what he was doing, the way he shot glances at his father.
Get his key, Wen signed.
Yangyang gave a slight nod, and started massaging Shi Han’s shoulders. Nibbling his ear, she pressed her bosom against his back. He let out a light groan, and she guided one of his hands to the back of her head, then the other to her thigh.
Not to be outdone, Yang Lin came up behind her, nuzzling her neck while his hands explored under her skirts, and she let out a gasp worthy of a celebrated stage actress. A wide grin spread across Yang Lin’s face, and he looked to his father for approval.
So amateur, but to be expected of a young buck. And Lord Yang was too busy fondling Meisha to notice.
Now, it was only Lord Shi, the elder, paying attention to Yangyang and her ample bosom. Wen cupped his head and turned him to face her. “Lord Shi, I imagine you taught your son everything he knows?”
“I’ve held back many secrets.” Attention now fully on her, he grinned.
Wen rested her hands on the back of his neck, and leaned in so that his face was in her breasts. Behind him, Yangyang had already loosened Shi Han’s collar, while Shi Han rocked back and forth.
Eyes closed, Wen signed. Maybe he was imagining Tang Li, but either way, he was totally unaware of Yangyang slipping the necklace with the key over his head and passing it to Wen.
Fingers moving quickly, ignoring Lord Shi’s lips on her chest, she loosened the key from the thin chain and attached the fake.
Young Lord Yang started to look up from behind Yangyang’s neck.
Block his view, Wen signed, closing her fist around the keys. Part of the chain still dangled.
Yangyang let out a decadent sigh and leaned her head back into Yang Lin’s face. With one hand, she guided Shi Han’s hand deeper into her skirts. Letting out another moan, she reached out. Wen passed both keys to her. Yangyang slipped the real key into her cleavage while setting the fake back around his neck.
Got it, she mouthed. Letting out a gasp, she bucked her hips and pulled Young Lord Shi’s hands out from under her skirt. The mortification in her voice would win the praise of the stodgiest opera troupe director—who would happen to be Old Feng. “Oh, Heavens!”
Lord Shi pulled back and looked over his shoulder. Lord Yang craned around. Both sons looked up, eyes wide at the red staining Shi Han’s fingers.
“Heavens,” Meisha said, sliding off of Lord Yang’s lap and putting an arm around Yangyang. “Are you all right?”
Covering her mouth, Yangyang made a swift exit toward the gangplank.
“I’m sorry!” Shi Han called after her. He turned back and met Wen’s gaze. “What just happened?”
Wen rose, then bowed low. “Please. Please forget this happened. It’s a Blossom’s worst nightmare.” Well, not true, since abusive patrons were the worst, as Lilian’s story proved.
“I don’t understand,” Shi Han said, shaking his head.
Wen lowered her voice to a whisper. “It’s her Best Friend.”
“Her what?” Confusion scrawled over his face.
At the exit, Yangyang disembarked, and Meisha flashed a clear signal.
In the meantime, for the third time in a day, it looked as if Wen would have to teach a young man about female bodies. She looked up to the Iridescent Moon, now waxing to its second gibbous. What time could the safe be opened?
Chapter 14
Today was the day Tian truly became a thief. First he’d stolen a time piece, and then, just minutes later, a key. Now he was making off with a horse. Well, the horse belonged to his family, but Father would still say it was stealing.
He looked over his shoulder toward the imperial barge. Father and Mother were both on board, enjoying the moons-viewing party with other great lords.
He’d been so close. How nice it would’ve been, to hug Mother and reassure her that he was all right. That new people cared for him.
And, of course, there was Princess Kaiya. She’d almost seen him near the city walls, but with him being prone and having lost weight, combined with the imperial guards urging her back into the palanquin, he’d escaped undetected. Part of him wished she’d seen him, even if it meant death.
Now, though, he had a mission. Yangyang had hurried off the barge, looking so distraught he’d wondered if something had gone wrong. Yet she flashed him a grin as she walked past, slipping the key into his hand.
Ignoring the hails of the guards at the city gates, he rode hard down the street. It was slower going than in an open field, especially with all the commoners flocking to parks and open spaces for the moons viewing.
They might have a one-hour window to succeed, and he might have a way to make that longer—as long as they had both keys in and the combination deciphered before midnight. He looked up at the moon, to see it waxing to its second gibbous.
Three phases to go.
Three phases to get this key to Jie, and then help her get the second key from the steward.
He reached the road leading to the warren where Lord Shi’s home was located in seven hundred and sixty-three seconds—three hundred and sixty-six seconds slower than Father’s charger could run in perfect conditions. He guided the horse in, and
through some twists and turns. People heading out to the main street made way—he was on a large horse, after all, bearing the livery of Dongmen Province.
About a block from Lord Shi’s courtyard home, a light flashed twice from the roof of the main building. Squint as he may, even in the light of the full White Moon and fully open Blue Moon, all he saw was a dark shape.
It was Jie, no doubt, so he flashed a hand signal. Have key. Meet at central well.
He led the horse to a small square, occupied by a circular pool fed by a hand pump. He dismounted and loosened the horse’s cinch. She was a docile mare, so he removed the tack and let her drink more easily. He splashed water on her, then checked her hooves. Passersby muttered, some about how a horse was getting the water dirty, others about how thankful they were to have their own well. Still, none dared to challenge what looked to be a lord’s courier.
Lord’s courier! That would be a way into Lord Shi’s courtyard home. He leaned in, scooped up some mud from the bottom of the pool, and filled the timepiece with it.
“It took you long enough,” Jie said from behind.
Tian’s soul just about jumped out of his body. He’d expected the surprise, and she’d still snuck up on him. He turned.
She wasn’t there.
“Over here,” she said from across the pool.
She was kneeling there, no doubt smug at throwing her voice with a Ghost Echo to trick him.
Maybe he’d be able to do it one day, as well. He held the key up.
Grinning, she walked around the pool and took it. “Now, we need to get the other key from Steward Zhu. I was thinking—”
“I can get in, claiming to be a courier for my father, with a message.”
She studied him. “You look more like a very young horse thief than a courier.”
He tapped his chin. Maybe he should’ve borrowed livery, as well. “Then we can just go up and beg?”
“Tang Li is there, and she would recognize me. Steward Zhu would be suspicious, since he saw me this morning. We’ll stick with your courier plan. It only has to work for a split second, and the horse is convincing. It has to be you. But I have an idea.” She started brushing the dust and dirt off of him, then pointed at the pool. “Go rinse your face.”
“But people drink from that.”
“So do horses, apparently.”
He frowned.
“Anyway, you will need to look clean.”
“Do I have to hold the Steward’s hand?”
“Yes, but not that way. Let me tell you about sympathetic movement.”
“What’s that?”
“Hold out your right hand.”
He did, and she grabbed it, and then leaned back hard. His grip tightened around her hand to keep her from falling. When he pulled her straight, she pointed to his left forearm. A leather strap with a key was attached.
“How?” he asked.
“When you tense your muscles on your right arm, your left arm tenses, too, and it is easy for you to ignore sensation there. This morning I brushed up against Steward Zhu’s pressure points, and hopefully he will still be even less sensitive on his key arm.”
It was just too fascinating. He hung on to her every word, and nodded.
“Now, let’s practice. Slip the key onto my arm.” She held out her right hand.
He caught it as he leaned back, and as she pulled him up, he slid the strap around her arm.
She shook her head. “Too obvious.”
They repeated the process several times, while she explained her plan. To passersby peering through the bright moonlight, it looked like they were playing a game along the rim of the pool. Most muttered complaints. It was only the mare who didn’t seem to care about their practice.
“You’re almost there,” Jie said. “One more time.”
She put out her hand. When he reached for it, she pulled back, and he missed. Hands flailing for balance, he splashed into the pool.
He sat up, spluttering water out of his mouth. “Why did you do that?”
“Besides it being fun?” Jie grinned. “We are playing up to Steward Zhu’s interest in young men. He’s more likely to help a shivering young lad than me. Now let’s go.”
Frowning, Tian climbed out of the pool and handed her the timepiece. He tightened the horse’s cinch, set the bridle, and then climbed into the saddle. He spurred the mare on, going as fast as possible through the narrow streets before pulling up short in front of Lord Shi’s home. He swung out of the saddle, then dropped to one knee, fist to the ground. His teeth chattered; whether it was a total act, or the chill from riding in wet clothes at night, he wasn’t sure.
“What is it?” the guard asked.
Tian held the lines he’d rehearsed in his mind. “An urgent message for Steward Shu from Lord Shi, courtesy of Lord Zheng.”
The guard bowed. Turning around, he climbed the three steps, opened the gate, and passed through.
Jie peeked out from the stone lion to the left of the door. She gave him a quick nod, then ducked back as footsteps approached.
“Good evening.” Steward Zhu appeared at the door, the guard behind him.
Tian rose and, teeth chattering, started climbing the steps. His heart raced. Hopefully he wouldn’t mess this up. Hopefully, the steward wouldn’t let him fall and crack his head. “I have an urgent message from—” Falling toward the left, he flailed his arms and reached for the steward’s right hand.
The steward reached out and caught Tian, his other hand grabbing the stone lion for support. Jie’s little hands reached into his sleeve. Tian pulled himself up and reached for the steward’s left hand. The second he released the lion, Jie cut the key off, and when he reached to help Tian, Tian slid the fake key on.
“Are you all right?” the steward asked.
Tian nodded. “Yes. Thank you. As I said, urgent message. Lord Shi needs your help at the quays.”
“What happened?”
Tian leaned in and whispered, “Clothes. He soiled his clothes.”
The steward covered his mouth, looking very much like the clan sisters around Hummingbirds. He beckoned Tian in. “Come in, come in. While I’m getting some clothes for the lord, I’ll get you some, too. Otherwise you’ll freeze.”
Going into the compound was never part of the plan, but he could be a distraction, to make sure no one walked in on Jie. He handed the reins to the guard, who just stared at them, dumbfounded.
✽ ✽ ✽
Standing on Lord Shi’s bed, heart galloping like a horse’s hooves, Jie studied the safe. She had all she needed to unlock it: both keys, her ears for the combination, and Tian’s solution for bypassing the moonstone’s time constraints. Soon, very soon, she’d learn more about Lilian’s betrayal. It wouldn’t make her death or Yuna’s any less painful, but at least she’d know why. She’d figure out what to do about the clan’s orders later.
After swiping the steward’s key, she’d gone back up along the back and returned to the room. Tian, too, was down by the east wing, waiting for the steward to bring him a set of dry robes; though maybe he had other intentions as well. Hopefully his rush to bring clean clothes to his master would keep Tian safe in that regard. The half of her that needed to protect Tian warred with the half that needed to know about Lilian.
Her selfish half, no doubt inherited from a worthless elf father, won out. She had to take several deep breaths to calm the pounding of her heart in her ears. Ear to the safe door, she twisted and turned the dial. The clicks from the extra gear harmonized with those of the combination disk, creating a louder sound in the disk’s notch; it was probably enough to trick pathetic human ears, but not half-elf ears. Twelve turns later, the safe door emitted a clunking sound.
Her grin formed of its own accord. One step closer to finding out more of Lilian’s story.
Down below, Tang Li’s chirpy laugh rang out. “Little Tian, you’re so adorable. Where did Lord Zheng find you?”
“I’m from his province,” Tian answered. Th
e girls had tried to teach him to lie, but he just wasn’t good at doing it convincingly, when he did it all. This, though, was the truth, if not the whole truth.
“He is adorable.” The steward’s voice was just a little too friendly. “These robes are a touch too big for him, but they should do. Go in, change out of those wet clothes.”
Jie’s gut clenched. She really should create a diversion. But the safe…
If the stories about the dwarf lock were true, the keys wouldn’t actually turn until the moon was at the right phase—but Tian’s idea should work, at least until midnight, when the Iridescent Moon waxed to full. It was worth testing their fit now.
Below, the door to the east wing opened and closed, while the steward and Tang Li chattered outside. Tian was safe, at least for the time being.
Here, the key from the steward slid easily into the bottom hole. Her heart was fluttering so fast, her head felt woozy. She inserted the one stolen from Shi Han into the top.
It jammed a quarter of the way in.
No, no, no, there had to be a mistake. She swapped positions, with even less success: the steward’s key didn’t fit into the top at all, and Shi Han’s again went one quarter of the way in. Not only that, as soon as she pulled the steward’s key, the safe’s dial whirred, more clicks and clunks sounding in a symphony inside.
Shit.
If her heart was racing before, now it was clenching. She closed her eyes. Shi Han carried a decoy. Fixer Zhang’s key was also a fake. Where was the real one?
A near-imperceptible hum buzzed in her ears. She opened her eyes.
It was coming from the steward’s key. Just like this morning.
Shi Han’s key, however, was silent.
She held the steward’s key up to the moonlight.
It glowed a faint blue, like the Paladin swords forged by the Blackhammer clan.
The other key only reflected the moons’ light, but didn’t actually glow. Shoulders slumping, she let out a quiet sigh.