“My lady!” said Xiang, the most senior of Sky’s guards, who had replaced Luo Tao following his betrayal.
Improvising on the spot, I feigned dizziness. “What time is it?” I asked, stumbling forward.
“Nearly sundown, my lady—”
I had just passed Zibei when I pretended to trip and fall. Zibei reached out to catch me, as I knew he would. My hand closed around the ring of keys at his hip before I fumbled for the right one.There.He tried to help me up, but I bought time by bending over, letting my body become deadweight as I unlatched the key from its hook.
Quickly I slid the iron key from its ring.
Then I straightened. To my annoyance, Zibei did not let go of me. Instead, I felt his thumb stroke the inside of my elbow.
“I’m so sorry,” I said, wrenching free from his grasp. “I should probably rest.”
Xiang looked concerned. “Do you need me to call for the physician? The prince likely will not return for another week.”
“It’s okay,” I said, hurrying back inside. “I would prefer to be left alone.”
I closed the door and locked it out of habit, never mind that myguards all had keys. Hurrying back to my bedchamber, I changed into dark robes that would blend into the night. Then I slid the key into the first of my iron bands. But I hesitated.
I stood there, frozen, equal parts fear and anticipation quickening my pulse. It had been so long since I’d tasted the thrum of lixia in my veins. I longed for that power, but also, I was afraid of it. Afraid of who I could become under its influence.
My desire superseded my fear. I turned the key and the first manacle fell open, clinking softly onto the rug below. Suddenly, I couldn’t stand my irons a second longer. Trembling now, I jammed the key into the second manacle, my impatience making me clumsy. The key turned. I shoved the iron off my wrist.
I was free.
I gasped less from pain than from shock—I was flying, no, falling—falling from the sky in a thousand-li drop. My qi surged forward to meet the incoming rush of lixia, which matched my qi like yin to yang. I had forgotten what true power felt like. Like a man living underground, I had forgotten the kiss of the sun. How the light sparkled upon water, how its brilliance touched everything as far as the eye could see.
This life I’d been living ever since the war ended—it was but a half-life. This true power—this immensity, this richness of breath and sight and sound and every sense imaginable—this was what I had lived for. This was what I had killed for.
This was what my mother had died for.
I could feel my jade humming, urging me toward the spirit realm, but I ignored its call. I did not have time.
At the periphery of my senses, I could feel the dragon stirring with curiosity. His presence was like a haixiao wave gathering power, threatening to tip at any moment. But I was no longer afraid. He could not kill me.
“Qinglong,” I whispered.
I felt the flick of his tail against my mind—irritated, yet intrigued. “So the rat has finally emerged from her little hiding place.”
“Rats are ever so hard to catch, aren’t they?” I replied, pacing the length of my room. “You and I have had our differences in the past, but I’ll be honest with you now—our goals are one and the same.”
“Oh?”
“I want the throne,” I said bluntly. “And ifyoursummoner controls the throne of the strongest kingdom in all of Tianjia, think of the influence you’ll have. In the spirit realm, and the human realm.”
“Interesting,” he hissed. He said nothing else, but I felt him prying at the edges of my consciousness, searching for a chink in my armor. I strengthened my mental shields in response, and he hissed with impatience.
“Those tricks won’t work on me anymore,” I told him.
I could feel his amusement nettling my skin. “Is that so?”
“Yes. And if you try again, I’ll bring back my irons, and you’ll be without a vessel once more. Which do you prefer?”
His amusement strengthened, but he did not deign to answer me. As his presence faded from my mind, I couldn’t be sure if I’d imagined it, but I thought I felt a hint of respect within his obstinate silence.
I hid my discarded irons under my bed, then went out through the front door—only to find Zibei stationed in the corridor. I’d forgotten about him.
“My lady,” he said, in a manner that was less formal than familiar.
