“Very well.” Feilin wrung her hands on her lap. “But Master Zhang is difficult to find. We don’t see him often. Sometimes we’ll glimpse him by the pond or in the fields or resting in an unexpected corner. Sometimes we won’t see him for days.”
“I’m sure we’ll find him,” I said, undeterred by the fact that we were chasing a wandering spirit. “We’ll start with those locations you mentioned.”
“Did you mean what you said to Li Feilin?” I asked as we walked along the empty streets of Xiatang. I peeked over my shoulder every so often, expecting to see the shadows move.
Ren glanced at me. “You don’t have to lie so much, you know.” At my confused look, he explained, “You told her I was a painter. I know why you did it; I appreciate your help. But I’m sorry you’ve had to lie for me so many times.”
“I’ve grown accustomed to lying,” I said, my staff tapping against the cobbled road. “It’s the only way to survive in this kingdom.”
“I don’t understand.”
My thoughts flashed to Mistress Ming and the bundles of candy and seeds I’d transported to her in the past year. I bit my lip, then confessed, “I may have… carried certain things over the border and sold them… before.”
Ren shot me a startled look. For an instant, I thought he’d berate me for committing such an obvious crime. What had possessed me to be so honest with him—towantto tell him the truth? I might as well have held out my wrists to the local magistrate.
But then he laughed. “You’re a smuggler?”
“Out of necessity,” I said defensively. “You know I need the money. And my clients are happy to pay.”
His grin was annoyingly charming. “You realize the irony, considering your holy calling, yes?”
“Yes, I know. Laugh all you want. But I don’t regret what I’ve done, in case you’re thinking of turning me in. My family needs me, and I did what I must.”
“I don’t plan to turn you in.” Ren recomposed himself, his smile now tinged with melancholy. “I’m just sorry you had to act so desperately. To answer your previous question, yes, I intend to uphold the promise I made Miss Li. And I hope to change things for you too, Siying. After all you’ve done for me, you deserve to feel safe in your own land.”
I didn’t respond immediately, taken aback by his declaration. In all my years of resenting the royal family, I hadn’t imagined that any one of them would care about what I thought or needed. But Ren seemed genuinely intent on repairing the past—for my sake and others’. And strangely enough, my heart was inclined to believe him.
I pointed my staff at him. “I’m holding you to that promise.”
The light of mischief returned to his eyes. “Oh, I hope you do. If I fail, I give you permission to cover my entire face in Fu talismans.”
“That seems like a waste of spells.”
“Then I give you permission to make me drink ginseng tea for a year.”
“A year?” I put my finger to my chin. “That’d mean I’d have to share your company for a whole year to ensure you follow through.”
He laughed again. “Would that be so terrible?”
“You’ve hardly impressed me thus far.”
He feigned a wounded expression. “How merciless.”
A small laugh escaped my lips, surprising us both.
Ren grinned, forgetting to fake offense. “Is my pain that amusing to you?”
I blushed, which only made me more self-conscious. “Of course not,” I said. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry.” His smile gentled as he tried to hold my gaze. “I was merely teasing.”
That was obvious. But something about the playful air between us made my skin feel unusually hot. I silently chided the autumn air for doing me no favors.
“Come on,” I said, changing the topic. “That’s enough chitchat. We have a spirit to find.”
Ren saluted. “Yes, ma’am.”
I shook my head at him as I started walking off.
