“Oh God.”Leander dropped onto the couch, his legs losing all strength.
“Second son will return.He is a capable and strong son,” Father Xiaobo said.
“And if he does not?”Brother Zhiyuan demanded.“Shall we allow the outsiders to live in his house forever?Shall we feast an outsider while our blood is missing?Will we stop speaking the name of Heng and speak only of Lian and his child?”
“We have to go to the city,” Xi whispered in horror.
“No,” Mother Huiling said, but Leander understood Xi.If Heng was in some danger, it was their fault.But they didn’t have the skills to challenge someone with enough power to target Heng.Maybe as a cop, Xi was used to confronting bad guys, but Leander survived through avoiding conflict.Fear gnawed at Leander’s gut.If the government had sent in a spy, that spy would kill Heng and Xi and Leander because getting any of them out of China would be too difficult, and Leander was terrified of dying, and only slightly less terrified of having Xi die.He would rather let the whole Ring City die first.“We have no power to help him,” Leander said.
Xi looked at him with an expression of pure misery.“Tecca was right.I know dangerous people, but they are more interested in my skill than they are in a Chinese magic practitioner.If they took Heng, they will release him in return for me.”
“What if it’s the American government?They will release Heng rather than start an international incident, but if they think they can use him as bait for you...if you show up in town...”Leander couldn’t give up on Heng, but he couldn’t surrender Xi either.Leander was a selfish, selfish man.He couldn’t be alone again, not after having a taste of companionship.
Xi stood.“I’m going to Yaan.”
“Xi,” Leander said.He wanted to demand that Xi stay here.He wanted to beg Xi to stay safely within Ring City.But he was surrounded by the Nie family who may have just lost their son because of the monsters Leander had brought into their lives.He selfishly could not make himself seem so small and petty in front of people who’d offered him such charity.
“I’ll go with you,” he said.He turned to Mother Huiling.“I ask that you keep Shanlin safe.We will return when we can.”
“You should stay here,” Xi said.“If it’s the government, we shouldn’t both go.If it’s my people, they won’t hurt me, but they would hurt you.Either way, you should stay here.They won’t find you here.”
“I am too selfish and obsessive to let go of you.Isn’t that what you always admired about me?”Leander demanded.“I’m going.”He wanted to run into the forest and hide and lose himself to the calm of trees and the joy of flowers, but he forced the words out into the world, and once he’d said them, he had to follow through.
“No,” Xi said, but all three members of the Nie family watched.They expected Leander to go—he could see that.If he didn’t, he would lose all respect in their eyes, and with their respect gone, their protection would follow.Leander told his fearful heart that searching for Heng was the safest path.Not a safe one.Not by any reckoning.But in the long run, it was the safest .And as a coward, he should take the surest, safest road to safety.
“We’ll go together,” Leander said firmly.“And if necessary, we’ll kill whoever has come after us.”His throat burned as stomach acid rose, but he had cast his die, and now his only choice was to follow through.Maybe he was terrified, but this was China.Family mattered.Honor mattered.And the countryside was full of deliciously poisonous flora.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Leander stepped outof the crowd, moving to a spot behind a Chinese juniper.The gnarled trunk and untrimmed branches gave them privacy.
“Did you spot someone?”Xi asked, his suspicious gaze darting around the street.
“No, but we’re near the hotel.”
“Okay,” Xi drew the word out and stared at him with confusion.“But why are we stopping?”
