The Eternal Spring Forest had been the most beautiful place in the Immortal Realm. It was said the Celestial
Emperor himself had planted this forest in his youth, with branches cut from the first tree of the world, sprinkled with the dew from an enchanted lotus. Beneath the graceful
canopy of towering trees were crystal-clear ponds and
silvery rivers, gleaming with fish. Those who wandered to the heart of the forest spoke, enthralled, of trees in eternal bloom, their branches laden with flowers in all colors. Ripe fruits, sweeter than nectar, grew as abundantly as the
wildflowers amid the soft grass. The idyllic perfection of
the forest had attracted birds, beasts, and immortals. Even the powerful Lady Hualing, the first Flower Immortal, had been enchanted by this place, leaving the Celestial
Kingdom to make her home here—peonies, camellias, and azaleas blossoming in her wake.
But this paradise did not last. After Lady Hualing had been stripped of her position, no longer did she raise her hand to plant the flowers, no longer did she revive the
faded blooms. And after she had disappeared—the lush canopies browned, the shimmering ponds dried into pools of sinking mud, and the trees withered, never to bloom again.
I stepped off my cloud, struck by the deep silence of this place. Not a chirp from a single bird, not even the flutter of a dragonfly’s wings. A white fog shrouded the forest,
glazed with an unwelcome chill. The trees stood tall and straight, their shriveled leaves clinging to the branches in eternal death. Scattered around were murky pools which we steered clear of, to avoid being sucked into their bottomless depths. The stagnant air reeked of decay, a sad mockery of the promise in the forest’s name. As we walked deeper through shadow and mist, my skin crawled as my fingers tightened around the Phoenix Fire Bow. If only I
could have brought the Jade Dragon Bow along, as Sky-fire was more powerful than flame. But I was unsure if I could wield it, having never released its arrow before. And I feared, too, using the bow in front of Celestial soldiers who might claim it on the emperor’s behalf.
Two soldiers ran ahead to scout the way, while the other eight remained. “It’s no use to summon a cloud here,”
Liwei explained. “The fog is too dense and some enchantment keeps it in place.”
“Can’t we dispel it?”
“It’s not a simple spell. Besides, the fog conceals our trail for now and we don’t want to alert anyone to our
presence.”
“How will we find Princess Fengmei? Even with the scouts?” I asked.
“I can sense her aura, though I need to get close enough,” he said.
His revelation pricked me. Was he more intimate with the princess than I had imagined? I reminded myself to avoid
speaking to him, to forestall my mind spiraling into such depths.
However, he had no such qualms. “Captain Wenzhi will be leaving the Celestial Kingdom soon. What will you do
then?”
While his manner was conversational, pleasant even, my reply stuck in my throat.
He continued in that low and earnest voice. “My feelings for you remain unchanged, but I will speak of them no more. What you said yesterday . . . what you asked of me. You were right.”
I nodded woodenly, thinking if that was true, what was this stifling heaviness which sank over me now? I clenched my hands, furious with myself. How could I still be stirred by Liwei, despite my feelings for Wenzhi? Was I so fickle
and inconstant? My future with Wenzhi was bright with hope, not mired in past regret—and I would not discard this chance at happiness.
Footsteps padded toward us, cautious and soft. I glanced up to find one of the scouts approaching. “Your Highness, there are soldiers about five hundred paces ahead. Armed and guarding a pagoda.”
“Proceed with caution. They must not know we’re here,” Liwei warned.
We drew our weapons, making our way stealthily onward. In the clearing before us, the pagoda loomed—eight stories high, almost as tall as the surrounding trees. The tiered towers were of crumbling wood, its latticed windows and
ornamental eaves, faded from what might have once been a brilliant red. How seamlessly it blended into the blighted landscape, a dilapidated blur of browns and grays. How
desolate it appeared, despite the dozen soldiers surrounding it, clad in burnished bronze armor.
“Do you recognize the armor?” I asked.
“No. But that can be easily disguised.” Liwei closed his eyes for a moment, his brow creasing. “Princess Fengmei is inside; I can sense her. We must take the guards out
quietly, to avoid raising the alarm.” He addressed us all in hushed tones. “Start with those closest to us, working our way to the pagoda. We must be quick to avoid them crying out, else the princess will be in danger.”
At Liwei’s signal, I released a flaming arrow, which sank into the chest of the nearest guard. As a choked gurgle
rolled from her throat, I shot the one beside her, his eyes bulging as he crumpled to the ground. Liwei and his
warriors moved swiftly to surround the remaining soldiers, striking them down to an ominous chorus of strangled gasps and whispered screams.
The skirmish was over. Sweat beaded my brow despite
the chill that shrouded my skin. It had been easy—too easy. Liwei’s gaze swung to mine, echoing my unspoken suspicion.
“The pagoda,” he said. “There might be more guards there—”
A roar erupted from the forest, drowning the rest of his words. A stream of enemies swarmed toward us, the
sunlight striking their bronze armor as they flooded the clearing. With a blow from his sword, Liwei struck down two of them. I shot another who raced toward him—just as an enemy soldier slumped unconscious by my feet. In the tumult, I had not heard him. He might have caught me
unaware had there not been that strange black-feathered arrow protruding from his chest.
I swung around to search for the archer, but Liwei shouted, “Get the princess!”
He raised his sword, blazing with flame as he swung it in a wide arc, throwing back the assailants who surrounded him. Their weapons glinted silver and gold, while some
carried dark metal chains in their hands. The sight of them infuriated me, that they were so certain of taking him prisoner. The rest of his warriors were engaged in a furious battle around him, outnumbered yet holding their ground.
We still had a chance . . . at least for now. If I found the princess in time.
I wanted to stay and fight, but I raced into the pagoda,
leaving the battle outside to Liwei and the other Celestials. Fear sliced my heart, even as I reminded myself fervently of
Liwei’s skill with a sword and his powerful magic. He could hold them at bay until I returned. The sooner I found Princess Fengmei, the sooner we could all flee this
accursed place.
I sprinted up the wooden stairs, half expecting to be
confronted by guards around every corner. Yet the place was oddly deserted as I reached the highest floor without encountering a single enemy. I wrenched open the thick wooden door at the top, but it held fast. Impatient now, I summoned a blast of air that shattered the lock.
Princess Fengmei leapt to her feet, amid the chunks of
wood and splinters scattered on the floor. Her heart-shaped face was pale and her brown eyes wide as she stared
blankly at me, as though unsure whether to shriek in terror or weep with relief. Her head tilted to one side as she
scrutinized me, perhaps trying to recall where we had met before.
“I’m with the Celestial Army. We’re here to rescue you.
Quick, Prince Liwei is under attack!” My voice pulsed with urgency.
She brightened at the mention of Liwei’s name, as she
raised her wrists to me. They were bound with black metal manacles, joined by a thin chain. “Could you remove
these?”
I drew my sword and slammed it against the delicate chain. The blade rebounded, my arm throbbing from the effort, but not so much as a scratch appeared on the metal. Sawing away at the links did not work, nor did hammering at them make a dent. All the while, my mind raged with thoughts of Liwei below, the arrows flying toward his
unprotected back, the blades thrust at his chest.
“Stand still.” I drew an arrow, releasing it at the manacle around her right hand. Crimson fire rippled across the metal, cracks appearing before they shattered. With my
next breath, I shot another bolt at her left wrist, the second manacle falling away.
Princess Fengmei’s lips curved into a trembling smile. “You . . . you shoot very well,” she said softly, brushing away the clouds of black hair which covered her face.
Her delicate beauty sent a twinge through my heart. I swallowed hard, bending to toss away the broken links of metal around her feet. They stung like ice clinging to my skin.
“What are these chains?”
Her shoulders slumped. “I have no idea. When they put them on me, I couldn’t draw my energy.”
My stomach churned violently. These chains . . . I had
seen the soldiers below carrying them. And in the Eastern Sea, Liwei had told me of the ore from Shadow Peak that could bind an immortal’s powers.
“Hurry!” I pulled her up to her feet. “Prince Liwei is in danger!”
Something whistled through the air; a sound every archer knew by heart. I threw myself to the ground, dragging the princess down. Pain slashed my arm as I stared in disbelief at the blood oozing from the cut. Scrambling to the window,
I lifted my head an inch only to see a sharp glint hurtling toward me. I ducked, flattening myself on the floor as another arrow plunged into the room.
I drew a blazing bolt of flame, releasing it through the window. In the next moment, two arrows tore toward me, missing by a hair’s breadth as they clattered on the floor. I ground my teeth. This archer was formidable. It was little wonder there were no guards here when any rescuer would have long been shot dead. The black fletching was familiar
—identical to the arrow that had struck my attacker outside. Had I been the target all along? Had the archer missed before? It seemed improbable given this person’s skill—though more improbable still was the idea that this archer had saved me, only to murder me later.
I sucked in a breath, furious at my unseen assailant.
Precious time was ticking away. If those chains could seal
an immortal’s magic, Liwei would not stand a chance. I drew another arrow, leaping up to gain my first look at my foe. A tall figure—a man—stood on a wide tree branch, a drawn arrow at the ready. His face was concealed by a helmet, but his eyes gleamed silver bright as they bored into me. Taken aback, my fingers slackened on the string,
the flame vanishing. I braced myself, expecting an arrow to plunge through me now . . . but the archer lowered his weapon. We stared at each other for a heartbeat of silence, before he stepped backward into the shadows and was gone.
There was no time to ponder this. I grabbed Princess Fengmei’s hand as we raced down the stairs together,
toward the fury of battle—only to emerge into the deathly quiet of a graveyard. Bodies were strewn all around, dozens and dozens in bronze armor. My spirits plunged as I counted ten in gold and white, the armor of the fallen Celestials. I raced from one to the next, searching each
body for any sign of life. But their eyes were vacant, their auras faded to nothingness.
“Where is Prince Liwei?” Princess Fengmei’s voice shook as she stared at the carnage in horror.
“I don’t know,” I whispered, numb to everything except the dread creeping over me, turning my flesh to stone.
