Marianne translates for Mémère who nods, gazing sadly at Jing.
Max exhales, and mumbles, ‘Tell her thank you.’
Marianne closes her eyes briefly, as if pained. ‘My brother offers you abundant gratitude for your magnanimity.’ She stands. ‘You both need to wash up. Come with me.’
The porcelain sink doesn’t stay white for long. Though my wounds have long closed over and are barely visible, dried blood covers my arms so it takes some time for the water to wash them clean. I change out of the ruined dress into a soft oatmeal woollen top and matching trousers. Clutching my dirty clothes I step into the hallway and come face to face with Tony.
His gaze slides right off me, as if I don’t exist, and he slips into the vacated bathroom. With his back to me, he says, ‘Marianne is waiting for you in the salon.’ His voice is worse than cold. It’s indifferent.
‘Wait, please, Tony. Can we talk?’
The door shuts in my face.
A sob crawls up my throat and I double over, the pain in my chest making it hard to breathe.
When the door finally opens, I’m calm. Tony wears a matching woollen outfit, though his is navy blue. He stops abruptly, unable to avoid me this time.
‘I want to apologise, Tony,’ I say, holding tight to my mahjong face. ‘I know you’re angry and hurt. You have every right to be. But don’t walk away, please. We can work this out,’ I say with a confidence I don’t feel.
His eyes darken as he leans in, takes my chin between his finger and thumb. This close I can see the fury in every line of his face. I don’t dare move.
‘I wasn’t wrong, in the end, was I?’ he whispers. ‘Vampires are selfish, cruel, and chaotic. Including you. You took away my right to choose, made a decision entirely for your own benefit.’
I stagger at the hatred in his voice, each word a poisoned arrow.
‘Look at me,’ he hisses, yanking my chin upwards. A smile stretches across his handsome face, hard and mocking. ‘You are angry at Max, but you did this, too.’ He tosses my chin away and turns on his heel, abandoning me without a second glance.
It’s as if my qi chooses to follow Tony, abandoning my body, leaving an empty shell. I sink to my knees, mind blank, body numb.
‘Jing? Jing!’ Marianne shakes me, pulls me to my feet and into her arms.
Wiping my tears, she says, ‘Don’t take Tony’s anger to heart. The transition can be overwhelming for new vampires. On the one hand, they’re grieving their old lives. On the other, they’re trying to navigate their new world. Their senses are heightened, as are their emotions. They also have a constant stomach ache for the first month or so, which can make them grumpy. Give him space. I saw how much he cares about you. He’ll come around.’
‘I’m not sure he will. He’s a man of principle. He believes in propriety and decorum, in integrity and decency. All traits Ilack.’ I bow my head, as my tears fall splatter on the parquet floor.
Marianne gives me another squeeze. ‘Don’t say that. You are all those things, and more. Let me take you home. I’m sure your friends are worried about you.’
I glance towards the salon. ‘What about Tony?’
‘Mémère feels it will be better for everyone if Tony stays with us tonight. Our chevalier will keep watch over him.’
When I get back to the Manor of Gathering Elegance, Gigi, Ah Lang, and Lord Aengus are in my room, waiting for me. I stumble into Gigi’s arms, bury my face in her shoulder. My whole body shakes with silent sobs.
‘What happened, Lady Jing?’ Ah Lang asks. ‘Where’s Mr Lee?’
Bit by bit, I tell them about sangue poisoning, fighting Mémère and Marianne to save Tony, the decisions we made about Max, and Tony’s reaction to it all. My promise to move to Paris, I keep to myself.
Gigi stays with me after Lord Aengus and Ah Lang leave, stroking my hair and letting me cry until I fall asleep.
Thirty-Six
Home
The next day at noon, Ahn pulls up to the private platform where the Immortal Express gleams in the midday sun, meticulously repaired, with no trace of her previous misadventures.
The train leaves as soon as we’re aboard. Down the silkwood hallway, Gigi’s luggage is already in the yellow silk room. I keep walking, towards the next set of lattice doors. My chest feels hollowed out, my heart rattling in the emptiness.
The doors are open.
