The next few days flew by, riddled with anxietyโand yet,
they were happy ones, too. I taught Prince Yanming to hold a sword and let him trounce me each time we sparred. He showed me how to fold paper animals, and we sang silly songs that we made up together. When he discovered that I knew just one story of his beloved dragonsโhe gathered his books and together, we read of how the dragons saved
the merfolk from sea monsters, how they purified the waters when a swarm of venomous jellyfish tainted the ocean. It was little wonder their absence had left such a void in the Eastern Sea. And when he flung his arms
around my neck, squeezing me with his soft arms, a
warmth bloomed inside me. He slipped through the wall around my heart, becoming the childhood companion I never had, the sibling I never knew I wished for.
All too soon, the day of our ruse arrived. I sat in a room with Wenzhi, as two palace attendants fussed over me,
assisting with my transformation into Lady Anmei.
โCould you try to act demure and gentle?โ Wenzhi suggested. โTake smaller steps when you walk. Your gaze should be softer. Lady Anmei is a delicate flower, so could you try not to beโโ
โA thorn?โ I bit out, my temper frayed thin. For the past hour, he had been lecturing me on the behavior I should emulate. I shot him a deceptively sweet smile. โPerhapsย youย should dress as Lady Anmei yourself, since you seem so
well versed in her mannerisms.โ
A choked sound erupted from one of the attendants, which she quickly gulped back.
Wenzhiโs eyes curved with humor, yet he continued as though I had not spoken. โTry to appear a little afraid or
nervous. Not everyone can be as sure of themselves as you are.โ
I swung around, dislodging an attendantโs attempt to fix a gold flower to my hair. โSince I met you, Iโve been afraid more times than in all my years before. Who wouldnโt beโ getting speared by darts, scalded by fire, attacked by
monsters?โ
โIf you were afraid, you kept your wits about you. Most of the time.โ He sat down and unrolled a scroll crafted of bamboo strips, each crammed with tiny characters and
bound with silk. Soon, he was engrossed in his reading like he had forgotten I was there.
His indifference bothered me, more than it should. I
glanced into the mirror, a stranger gazing back at me. The attendants had drawn my brows into delicate arches,
brushed my cheeks with rose powder, and colored my lips a light coral. My hair was pulled into smooth coils, adorned with jeweled flowers from which strands of turquoise beads cascaded. The lilac silk of my dress was embroidered with colorful shells and seagrass, a crimson sash tied around my waist. An open coat of azure satin flowed to my feet,
encased in slippers of gold brocade.
The attendants flattered me, telling me I looked beautiful, before they left the room.
โAre you ready?โ A note of impatience rang in Wenzhiโs voice as he turned to me.
In the sudden quiet, I found myself holding my breath. โYou look different,โ he said finally. โThough such as you does not need all this . . . gilding.โ
โGilding?โ I was torn between laughter and mortification. โMight I remind you this was your idea?โ
He shrugged. โA good one, but I did not say I liked it.โ
It was no compliment, yet the intensity of his stare sent a tingling rush through me, like a cool breeze gliding over my skin. Before I could reply, he picked up the scroll and
resumed his reading. As I rose to find a book of my own, I stumbled, tripping over the hem of my coat.
Wenzhi shot up to catch me, his fingers closing around my arms. Light kindled in his eyes, my heart racing like I had run a long way. But I had learned such feelings were dangerous and the wounds they could inflict more painful than those from a blade.
I pulled away, averting my gaze. His hands dropped to his side, an awkward silence descending over us.
Fortunately, Prince Yanming arrived soon after. At the
sight of me, he burst into laughter, dousing my brief pride in my appearance. โYouโre wearing Lady Anmeiโs clothes!โ
โSheย isย Lady Anmei for today,โ Wenzhi reminded him
sternly. โRemember what your brother told you, Your Highness.โ
The mirth vanished from Prince Yanmingโs face as he nodded, his body shaking a little. Of course, he was afraid, knowing he and his loved ones were in peril.
Crouching down, I clasped his shoulder. โDonโt worry,โ I told him. โItโs a little dangerous, but youโll be safe. Your brother is waiting in the forest with his guards and we
wonโt let anything happen to you.โ
His teeth gnawed his lip. โWhat about you? I donโt want anything to happen to you either.โ
โNothing will,โ I promised, wiping the sweat from my palm before taking his hand. โI will take care of us.โ
An odd look crossed Prince Yanmingโs face. โBut . . .
youโre not a very good fighter. I always beat you and I only just started learning.โ
Wenzhi snorted while I glared at him. โDonโt worry,โ I
told Prince Yanming, his brow still wrinkled in a frown. โIโm better with the bow.โ
Together, we walked in silence from the palace to the shore. A large tent had been erected there for our use, far from the shoreline. A visible target for Governor Renyuโs forces, and one which I hoped would prove irresistible.
Once we were inside and the flap had been lowered, I set about concealing weapons, bows, and quivers of arrows around the tent.
Afterward, we took a long stroll on the beach, the noon sun beating down upon us. The residents had been
escorted to safety, leaving disguised Celestial soldiers in their placeโwhile Prince Yanxi and his army hid in the
forest that bordered the beach. I did not let go of Prince Yanmingโs hand, as I scanned our surroundings for any sign of danger. Yet there was none, the sea tranquil and clear.
Soon after we returned to the tent, Prince Yanming fell asleep, perhaps exhausted from the strain of the day. I
covered him with a blanket, watching his chest rise and fall, the serenity of his face striking me deep. I would keep him safe, I promised silently, no matter what happened
today. Looking around for something to distract myself, I
found some books and a weiqi board set up in a corner, its black and white stones gleaming invitingly. But I was in no mood for either. Waiting to be attacked shredded my nerves raw, unlike Wenzhi who sat in a chair, reading his scroll
with unflappable calm.
An urge gripped me to disrupt his concentration. โWhen did you come to the Celestial Kingdom?โ I asked.
โA while ago.โ
Undeterred by his curt response, I pressed on. โWhich of the Four Seas are you from?โ
He raised his head then, fixing me with a pointed stare. โWhy the sudden interest?โ
I sighed. โThere isnโt much I can do here other than talk.
Unfortunately, I donโt have much choice for company.โ โWhy donโt we talk about you?โ he suggested. โWhere
are you from?โ
โThe Southern Sea.โ Caught unaware, I said the first
thing that entered my mind, what I had been schooled to say before.
โThe Southern Sea,โ he repeated slowly, setting his scroll down. โAnd yet, youโve never seen the ocean before?โ
My face flamed. How fortunate that it was covered under a layer of powder. โI left when I was a child and donโt remember anything. What of your family?โ I was eager to
shift the conversation away from me.
He was silent for a while. โI have kin in the Western Sea, but I havenโt seen them for a long time. My responsibilities keep me well engaged.โ
โDo you miss them?โ I asked, thinking of my mother.
โSome more than others,โ he replied, with a tight smile.
He picked up his scroll again, a sign that our
conversation was over. I had finally met someone as
reticent as me. Was he unwilling to speak of his family
because the Western Sea had sided with the Demon Realm in the war? Perhaps it was prudent not to remind others of it. Though the Celestial Kingdom was now at peace with
the Four Seas, immortal memories were long. I opened my mouth to ask another question, then hesitated. Not everyoneโs past was a path through sunlit fields. We each had our own corners that we preferred to leave in the shadows.
The sun dropped lower in the sky and still, there was no sign of the merfolk. Had our plan failed? Was Governor
Renyu too cunning to fall for our ploy?
โHow much longer must we stay here? Canโt we leave now? Maybe the bad governor wonโt come.โ Prince
Yanming had been restless since he awoke, unused to being confined.
I glanced at Wenzhi. โShall we take another walk outside? To reassure them that weโre still here?โ
โThey could be waiting until nightfall to attack. Merfolk are adept at seeing in the dark,โ he said.
โWhat if we spread the word that Prince Yanming is leaving soon? The guards and attendants can make a
pretense of the preparations, while we walk near the water. After that, His Highness should be escorted to safety.โ Our danger increased with every passing moment. However, it would be better to provoke the merfolk into action than let their plan unfold as they wanted.
He nodded, calling in the guard to relay his instructions. Before we left the tent, he passed me a small dagger with a silver hilt. โKeep this on you at all times.โ
I took it, tucking it into my sash, concealed beneath my coat. It was more an ornament than a weapon, yet this was all I had to defend myself. No, I reminded myself. I still had my powers, and even with my bare hands, I was not helpless.
The ocean was restless now, its gray-green waters turbulent. Foaming waves crested high before crashing against the shore. Breaking free of my grasp, Prince
Yanming ran ahead of me. I chased after him into the water, drenching my slippers and skirt.
An inky shadow fell over us as though night had fallen, cold dread congealing in the pit of my stomach. Towering above us was an enormous octopus, blocking out the sun itself. Giant tentacles, each twice the length of a grown man, lashed outโsplashing water and flooding the beach. Riding upon the creature was a warrior in pearlescent armor that reached his knees and left his arms bare, a
crown of red coral branches woven into his hair. Around his neck gleamed a large pendant, a gold disc encircling a
glowing yellow stone. In one hand he held a spear and in
the other, a shield studded with vicious spikes. His eyes were as pale as a glacier and when they locked on me, I froze.
Governor Renyu.
Wenzhi shouted in warning as the governorโs lips curled into a smirk. The octopusโit was almost upon Prince
Yanming! Dashing deeper into the water, I swept him up, clutching him tightly as we raced from the rising tide. A tentacle lashed out behind me, slicing my calf. I choked back a cry, forcing myself onward through the churning current as the stinging seawater stripped the blood from
my wound. Just as we reached the shore, the water foamed with thousands of quivering jellyfish, poisoned stingers
coating their translucent tentacles.
The merfolk rode the crests of the swelling waves,
roaring as they stormed the beach. With an answering shout, Prince Yanxiโs men surged from the forest. The Celestial soldiers threw off their disguises, their armor gleaming in the late afternoon light. A sudden tension
ripped through the air, shimmering and flickering with the energies of the warriorsโas the armies collided.
Bolts of fire and ice hurtled into hastily erected shields. Swords struck in a thunderous clash, ringing through the billowing sand. Prince Yanming trembled in my arms as we sprinted to the tent. But when agonized screams erupted
from behind, I halted, whirling around. My heart plunged at the sight. The giant octopus was wrapping its tentacles
around Celestial soldiers, hurling them into the ocean where venomous jellyfish swarmed over them, dragging
them beneath the waves. Wenzhi shouted for them to move to higher ground, but his words were lost in the chaos. His energy erupted in a blaze of light, solidifying into a
towering shield along the shoreline.
Yet the area was too wide, his magic spread too thin.
Flanked by several warriors, Governor Renyu raised his hand, blue light streaking forth to strike the barrier. Once,
twice, and then againโuntil at last, Wenzhiโs shield shattered. I would have darted for a weapon but if I
discarded my pretense, the governor might sense a trap.
The merfolk pressed on, eagerly now, as our soldiers
scattered like windblown leaves. Wenzhi was shaking, I had never seen him look so distraughtโso anxious, furious, and frustrated.
โGo,โ I urged him. โYou donโt need to stay with us. Iโll watch over Prince Yanming.โ
He stilled, his eyes fixed upon the carnage. โWhat will you do?โ
โIโll stay in the tent. It will be safe there.โ
Without waiting for his answer, I stalked away with
Prince Yanming. Several soldiers waited inside the tent to escort him to safety. But when they tried to take him from me, he clutched me tighter.
โArenโt you coming?โ His voice shook.
I brushed his cheek with my knuckle. โYour Highness needs to leave now. Your brother is waiting for you. Iโll join you soon.โ
โDo you promise?โ
A heartbeat of hesitation before I nodded. I hated lying to him, but if the governor found this place deserted, he might leave before we could apprehend him. Every moment I
bought with this farce increased our chance of capturing him.
My heart thudded as I watched Prince Yanming and the soldiers slip through the back of the tent, disappearing into the safety of the forest. Only then did a little of my tension ease. I sat down to wait, agitated at doing nothing while outside, blood soaked the sand. We had hoped to trap Governor Renyu, but he had caught us unaware by the
ferocity of his attack and the sea monsters under his command.
Tossing off my sodden coat, I pulled out a bow and quiver, placing them on the table within reach. Part of me wanted
to clap my palms over my ears to drown the clash of steel, the screams, and groans. How much longer could I bear this? When a loud cry pierced the air, I dashed to the
entranceโstumbling to a stop as the silhouette of a limp form slumped against the tent walls.
The flap lifted. A figure loomed in the entrance. I took a step back, my body stiff with anxiety.
โYou must be Lady Anmei.โ Governor Renyu greeted me with a mockingly low bow. โRumors of your charms were not exaggerated.โ
His aura filled the air, pressing around me in the confined space; strong, to be sure, yet wavering as an inconstant tide. Was his grip on his power unsteady? I had no time to ponder as he entered, towering above me, the parts of his body I could see corded with muscle. His cold stare sent a shudder through me as did the cruel slant of his mouth and the blood sprayed across his cheek.
I darted for the bow on the table, but he swept it out of my reach and tossed it outside with a bark of laughter. โDo you know how to use it?โ
I shook my head, shrinking away as my fingers inched
toward the concealed dagger. If I had the bow, there would already be an arrow through his chest. But as he had the
advantage for now, I would not drop my disguise. As long as he believed I was Lady Anmei, he might not harm me.
โWho are you?โ I asked, trying to draw his attention from my hands.
โYou have nothing to fear. All I want is the little prince.
Help me and you will be well rewarded.โ His gaze slid across the tent. โWhere is he?โ
His voice was rich, deep, melodiousโthe most beautiful one I had ever heard. My suspicion of him melted away,
replaced by warm admiration. Governor Renyu appeared honorable and kind. Why had he been so viciously maligned? The disc around his neck gleamed brighter, like the eyes of a serpent aglow in the dark.
The image jarred me, my instincts prickling in warning. I blinked, tearing myself from the tantalizing promise of his words, forcing myself to listen to the screams outside. In a flash, it struck meโhow he held such sway over the merfolk. There was magic in his voice which compelled others to believe him. Had it come from the shining
pendant around his neck? Whatever it was, it had almost worked on me, even overcoming my hostility. Little wonder that the merfolk were so loyal to him, willing to risk themselves to protect him, to fight for him on the mere
promise of his words and illusion of his honor. I had never encountered such power before, though. Was he a Demon? One of the dreaded Mind Talents?
I dared not let my fear show. He expected my admiration, my obedience. That I would yield to his will as a blade of grass to the wind. Widening my eyes to appear guileless, I gestured to the bed where Prince Yanming had napped earlier. The covers were bunched up over the top, giving
the semblance of a small body beneath. โHeโs sleeping,โ I said.
His mouth curved into a vicious smile. โOnce the Eastern Sea is mine, Iโll dispose of the brat and weโll rule together. The other kingdoms will fall to me, too, and youโll be the
Queen of the Four Seas.โ He stretched out his hand, promising what he believed I wished to hear.
Anger flared in me, to hear him speak so of Prince
Yanming and his despicable plansโyet I was glad for it to bolster my wavering will. I stared at the yellow gem against his chest. This close, a strange power emanated from it,
raising the hairs on my skin.
โWhat makes you think youโll win?โ
โThe merfolk obey my every command, as do the sea creatures. You have nothing to fear with me by your side.โ
His words spilled through me like liquid honey, even as my insides recoiled. How tempting it was to agree with him, to earn his approval. No, I could not succumb; I could
not end up one of his unthinking minions. My nails dug into my palms as I channeled a surge of energy into my ears to seal off my hearing. Cloaked in sudden silence, I could
barely hear my own breathing. My gut twisted at the
thought of fighting him this way, but I feared more falling under his control.
I fixed my gaze upon him. There would be no telltale
rustle of a step or the whistle of a sword to alert me. A risk, though a necessary one. As he moved toward the bed, I
grabbed the dagger from my sash and hurled it at him. He swung aside, the blade slicing his cheek. Without a pause, he lunged forward, tearing the covers from the bedโ
snarling to find it empty. At once he spun to me, but I
darted for the nearest bow, drawing and releasing an arrow in the same heartbeat. With a sweep of his shield, he batted it to the ground. I shot one after another in a frantic pace, until my fingers stung from the grooves riddled across their tips. He was quick, though, evading each one with startling speed. My elbow slammed into a shelf as I groped for another arrow. As his knuckles whitened around his spear, I flung up a shieldโjust as his weapon slammed against it.
My last arrow sank into his shoulder. I dove for a new quiver, so intent upon it that I did not sense the shift in the air until something stabbed my calf, spreading like wildfire. Two silver needles protruded from my leg, pinning the silk of my dress to my flesh, stained with the greenish liquid I
had seen once before. Sea scorpion venom, rushing
through my veins. My shield was no moreโdispelledโ
leaving me as helpless as a rabbit snared in a trap while the hunter stalked ever closer.
His lips peeled back, stretching wide, yet all I heard was a faint humming. I loosened the seal over my ears, until the faintest whisper slid through. All I had left to slow him with were words.
โCoward,โ I hissed, trying to delay the inevitable end, to goad him to rashness. โFight me without such tricks.โ
โLosers complain and winners . . . well, winners have better things to do.โ He spoke with a smug complacency that sent fear shooting down my spine.
The pull in his voice was still there but fainter now; I
could barely hear it. I reached for my powers, struggling to steady myself against the searing agony of the poison.
The gem around his neck glowed like sunstruck gold. As I stared at it, I asked, โYour pendant, is that how youโre
controlling the merfolk?โ My voice sounded as though it came from far away. โSuch magic is despicable.โ
โDespicable, because you cannot wield it? Because you fear it?โ He cocked his head to one side, though I did not think he expected an answer. โThe merfolk have always harbored such suspicions against the Sea Immortals. I
merely lit the spark of their prejudice, nudged their will to mine. How is this any different from holding a sword to your enemyโs throat? Why should one victory be deemed honorable and the other, not?โ
โItโs not the same,โ I ground out. โYouโve taken away their freedom to choose, to judge on their own. To compel them to acts they might rather die than commit.โ I fixed
him with a scornful stare, even as I shrank away inside.
โBut no enchantment is unbreakable. Youโll pay when they break free.โ
โDeath is the only release for those under my control.โ A cruel light gleamed in his eyes. โThere were a few who
angered me with their incompetence, others who were too difficult to dominate. Just before they died, such clarity
shone in their faces. Rage, too, that they had been taken for fools. It made their end all the sweeter. As yours will be.โ
His spear flashed. Fighting through the pain, I seized my powersโbut then his fist slammed into my temple. Pain
engulfed me, my energy dispersing. If my feet could move, I would have fled, but I could not even choke out a scream through the crushing numbness which sank over me.
My arrows, I still had them. While my legs were rooted fast, my arms were still freeโat least for nowโuntil the
poison spread. I grasped around my back, fumbling inside the quiver. As I seized one, the governor snatched it from me and snapped it into twoโgrinding the metal tip against my palm, until he drove it through my flesh. The agony
stripped my mind bare. I could not cry out, I could hardly breathe. With a malicious sneer, he wrenched the bow from my grasp, throwing it beyond my reach. Picking up his
fallen spear, he pressed it to my chest, exerting just enough pressure to pierce my skin with its venomous tip. Blood
blossomed on the silk like a crimson hibiscus unfurling its petals. I gasped then, my upper body convulsing before it froze. From the curl in his lips, I knew he relished my
suffering.
My heart recoiled, stabbed by regret. Would I ever see my mother and Pingโer again? Liweiโs face flashed through my mind, and oddly, Wenzhiโs, too. Such scorching pain
raced through my veins, swifter now, my breathing turning harsh and ragged. I shut my eyes to block out the horror of being so utterly at his mercyโweaponless, poisoned, and trapped.ย No,ย I told myself furiously.ย I still had my training. I still had my wits.
I still had my magic.
I fought for calm, grinding my jaws until they ached. My power flew into my grasp, a gale surging into the tent and flinging him against the ground. Something fell from his head, his crown of red coral, the branches breaking into shards.
His eyes blazed with shock, then rage. He raised his hand, gleaming with his own magicโbut I was relentless, reckless even, as I hurled a stream of enchantments his wayโnot daring to allow him a chance to retaliate. Wild gusts lashed him, coils of air bound him, bolts of flame
singed his skin before they were doused. If I were not incapacitated, rooted to the spot, I might have collapsed
from the strain. Never had I fought so, relying on my magic alone. Teacher Daomingโs warning not to drain my energy rang through my head, yet if I stopped I would die. There would be no mercy from him, no second chance. Backed
against the tent walls, the governor deflected each blow
until sweat poured from his brow and his breathing was as labored as mine. A fierce pride gripped me, that I was no longer the prey he had stalked.
Someone appeared in the entrance. Wenzhi! Covered in blood, sand, and dirt, his face taut with exhaustion, or was it fury? As Governor Renyu staggered to his feet, Wenzhi
charged at himโsword slamming against spear. The governorโs mouth worked furiously, uttering words I could not make out. What was he saying? What if Wenzhi fell under his control?
โHis pendant!โ My cry dissolved into a broken whisper; I had not the strength for more. Fear clutched at me that it was not enough, that he did not hear me. And my bow was too far away, my magic almost drained. My hand throbbed with painโthere all along, yet overshadowed by the agony raging through my body. I glanced down to find the broken shard of arrow still embedded in my palm.
A mu๏ฌed crash sounded as Wenzhi flung the governor into a shelf. He sprang back up, his pendant gleaming brighter. A chill swept through me that any moment now, he might unleash its power. I could not move, not even to
twitch my finger; the venom had incapacitated me entirely. Yet I could not let Wenzhi fall under the governorโs control. Gasping for air, I scraped my energy to form a current of windโslender, but swift and strongโwhich tore the arrow shaft from my flesh and hurled it at the governor. It struck his pendant, slamming against the stone. The yellow gem cracked, the light fading from it.
Governor Renyuโs mouth opened in a rage-filled shout, but it was as whispers to my ears. I was afire with pain,
numbed to all else. Wenzhi whirled with deadly grace, his
foot colliding into the governorโs side. As the governor
staggered back, Wenzhiโs blade slashed across his ribs, the pearlescent scales of his armor splintering. The governorโs mouth rounded as a strange expression crossed his face.
Was it shock? Disbelief that his enchantment had failed? Whatever it was, I was glad for itโa vicious satisfaction flaring in me.
Governor Renyu was panting, his movements growing more frantic as he flung off Wenzhiโs brutal blows. He was careless now, reeking of desperation. As Wenzhi raised his
arm, the governor flung his spear at himโbut Wenzhi spun to the other side, plunging his blade smoothly through Governor Renyuโs armor, right through his ribs. He lunged forward, driving his sword deeper until it was buried to the hilt, its tip sliding from the governorโs back, silver coated in crimson. Wenzhiโs face was twisted into a feral expression as he tore his sword free. Blood sprayed in the air as Governor Renyuโs body lurched, a wet wheeze slipping
from his mouth as he staggered back. His hand fumbled over his gaping wound as his blood, so much of it, streamed through his fingers. The governor crumpled then, his head slamming against the groundโhis eyes rolling up, his limbs twitching, before all went still.
Dead. He was dead. There was no pity in me for him, nor was there joy. Just a bone-deep relief that it was over, that we were alive.
Wenzhi dropped his sword, rushing to me. He gripped my shoulders, his eyes widening at the sight of my injuries.
When his lips moved, I strained to listen. โWhere are you hurt? Why arenโt you moving?โ
Despite the comfort of his touch, a coldness spread over me as though I was buried under a layer of snow. My vision blurred as I gazed up at him, the last thing I saw before the darkness claimed me.
