Mr Lee stops, his hands clasped behind him, forcing me to stop as well. I eye him warily.
He raises his chin to gaze at the clock tower. ‘You looked like you wanted to take a bite of me,’ he says. There’s no accusation in his tone. But when he turns those soft brown eyes on me, like a rotted puppy, unease knots the muscles between my shoulders.
‘I’ve never been that close to a mortal before. You startled me, that’s all.’
He gives me an odd look. ‘I was draped over your shoulders last night and hung off your back. I think I have been that close to you before. Closer in fact.’
My cheeks go hot again. I stare at my slippers, dust already shading the pale blue silk a dark grey. ‘That was different.’
‘How? I want to know what made you react like that, so I don’t make you uncomfortable again.’
I snap my gaze to his, offended. Who isheto coddleme, a yaojing? And yet, his gaze is clear and earnest. Free of arrogance. And foolishly, also free of fear. Having Big Wang’s calling card stamped into his forehead has clearly addled his mind.
‘Me? Uncomfortable? Now listen here, mortal:youare inmyterritory. Your face was inmyspace, breathing your qi all over me. Of course I’m going to react. Never forget, not only can I drink you dry of blood, but I can also drain you of every last drop of yang qi. You’d be nothing more than a desiccated husk.’
‘But you wouldn’t.’ It’s not a question.
‘Don’t be naïve.’
He bows his head and when he raises it to me, his eyes are gooey. I shudder.
‘I don’t believe you would ever hurt me,’ he says like the fool he is.
‘Are you kidding me? I want to crush your brains into porridge. I want to slap you so hard you go flying back through the veil.’
I stride away, well, try to, but the damn sword trips me again. Mr Lee reaches for me, but I jump clear of his helpful hands.
I snarl. ‘Did you not hear a single word I said?’
He bows low. ‘This worthless one bears a karmic debt from your benevolence. Without your help I would not have made it safely to Yan Luo Wang. I must do everything in my power to prevent harm from befalling you or I would bring dishonour on my ancestors.’
‘Your ancestors crossed the Naihe Bridge long ago. They won’t know and they won’t care.’
‘Iwill know.Iwill care.’ There’s an edge of steel in his voice now.
I give him a once-over. He’s standing straighter, nostrils flaring righteously. I shake my head in disgust. ‘You have fermented tofu for brains.’
That gooey gaze drips all over me and makes me feel odd. He nods solemnly but as he turns away I see his cheek lift. He is laughing at me. I roll my shoulders.Yi, er, san, I count, working through my embarrassment and irritation. I need to deal with the rotted sword. I will not trip on it again or give the mortal the satisfaction of catching me. I am yaojing. He should not forget that.
It occurs to me it may be easier to simply abandon the mortal. I have a feeling he will only cause me mafan. But if Big Wang finds out I directly disobeyed him... I wrinkle my nose, remembering the awful itch of garlicand refocus on the sword.
I’m messing with the holster and the leather contraption wrapped around my waist, trying to get it off, when a lady ghost, with the tell-tale unkempt long hair and flowing white robes denoting wrongful death, wafts towards us, her dark tresses swaying in a non-existent breeze. She pauses beside Mr Lee, inhaling deeply. I am torn between leaving the mortal to her tender mercies or slapping the bitch out of my sight. Instead, mindful of my temper, I count to ten slowly and watch to see how far she will go.
‘Master,’ she says to Mr Lee, her voice breathy and high. A gentle gust parts her hair to reveal her face: rosebud lips, dainty sloping eyebrows, and a small, pointed chin. She is beautiful, but not very observant. She hasn’t at all noticed me standing right next to her target.
The mortal sidles closer to me, fear rolling off him. I sneer, insulted anew. I’m ten times more deadly than the ghost, yet he fearsher? The ghost’s nostrils flare, no doubt sensing the vigour of his yang qi. Her filmy gaze travels up his body as if already savouring him. As she reaches an anaemic, thin hand towards him, I slide out my sword and block her hand with its pole.
‘Na-ah. Look, but don’t touch,’ I say and give the sword a shake so blue flames erupt all over the blade. A warning.
The ghost finally clocks my presence. Her soft expression contorts into something ugly. Black shadows pool around her eyes and mouth, spreading outwards like spidery veins. She bares her teeth, and I nearly laugh out loud.
‘You wanna compare teeth?’ I extend my fangs fully and smile nice and wide. A deep growl rumbles in my throat.
She blinks. Her gaze darts between me and the sword of Hell, then at Mr Lee. The black veins fade and she’s once more pale as soya milk. She drops to her knees and kowtows, her hair falling in silky black rivulets around her. ‘This unworthy one—’
I groan. Not that ceremonial drivel. I put the weighted end of the sword on her back and hold her to the ground. ‘If you keep your maw shut, I won’t tell Big Wang you tried to eat his guest.’
‘B-b-big Wang? You mean, Yan Luo Wang?’
