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I plopped down in the grass with a small sigh and glanced toward where Yahui was tending his qilin. After several hours on the qilin my legs felt wobbly. We had stopped for lunch, and so that he could send a message to his disciples somehow.
Most of the countryside we had traveled through was beautiful, forested mountains crowned with blue, blue-green, and violet foliage. Many of the roads bordered rivers and creeks that wound through the bountiful region.
However, not too far off in the distance, everything was a dull, lifeless gray. I frowned slightly, looking for any clear cause. The color reminded me of ash but I saw no charring. There didn’t appear to be any volcanoes in the area that could have affected it, either.
“The people who once ruled these lands, and the Terraces, ruined the land with their practices. It has taken centuries for us to recover what you’ve seen.” Yahui came to a stop in front of me and dangled a folded cloth in front of my face. “In their hunger for power, they stole from nature and made much of the soil inert. Restoring balance and coaxing energy back into this domain has been…trying.”
I frowned deeper, feeling our surroundings with my other senses. “The damage…what caused it, precisely?”
“They called upon light arts far beyond their reach. To sustain themselves and their arts, they called upon natural energy—at the cost you see.” Yahui glanced off in the direction of the gray wasteland. “If a deity truly ordered them to commit such heinous acts…”
Yahui clenched one fist, but his posture and demeanor relaxed again after he took a deep breath. When his gaze flicked toward me, I found his expression unreadable once more.
“Wouldn’t reaching too far with any art cause damage?” I stared back at him, befuddled.
“For most, the damage would be done to their bodies and not their surroundings.” Yahui shook his head. “Their arts weren’t meant for mortals, perhaps not even for immortals. Where they learned such techniques remains a mystery.”
A mystery deities should be investigating, by the sound of it… I unwrapped the cloth from around my box of food and opened the lid. “Will we be hunting in the wasteland?”
“Close to it.” Yahui studied me. “You can’t sense the scars left by light arts?”
“I can sense the scars. If it’s from light arts, it feels unfamiliar. Nothing like the arts I use.” I shook my head.
In the next moment, I felt the flat of a blade pressing into my throat and Yahui’s chest against my back. Darkness like vines snaked around us, coiling around my ankles and waist. His breath was hot against my ear when he finally spoke, “You are certain of that?”
“Quite certain. Does it feel the same to you?” I called an orb of prismatic light to my palm and then shifted so I could see Yahui, offering him the orb. “Here, feel for yourself.”
“You…” Yahui swiftly moved his blade from my throat and snatched a cloth from nearby to press against my neck instead. “What possessed you to turn with a weapon to your throat?! Do you fancy yourself immortal?”
“Mn?” I gave him a blank look. “I didn’t feel anything.”
Yahui let out an agitated sigh and fastened the cloth around my throat. Once that was finished, he took the orb of light from me and shut his eyes briefly. The dark vines around us shuddered and trembled before darting forward and coiling around the orb. I couldn’t tell if Yahui was attempting to crush my power or not, so I turned my attention to my food instead. After a few bites, I glanced toward Yahui again to find him studying me intently.
“Is there anything to drink?” I asked, uninterested in asking his opinion of my power.
“Water will have to suffice. We won’t be staying long enough for anything else.” He offered me a waterskin and waited for me to take it. Once I had, he sat back in the grass with his own food nestled in his lap, his gaze now contemplative. “You don’t find dark arts disturbing?”
“Yours don’t disturb me.” I shook my head. “Whatever spawned the Blighted does. Upon closer observation, your arts feel much different from whatever has been causing that issue.”
When Yahui said nothing, I eyed him. His gaze was focused somewhere past me, his eyes narrowed. When he finally looked back to me, he spoke in a quiet voice, “You will have to pretend that I am your slave. Merchants from Lady Xu’s country will not converse with men.”
“What?” I sighed heavily and glanced in the direction he had been staring. A small party of humans were growing closer, a qilin-drawn cart in their midst. Most of the humans were women, aside from a few men in collars who appeared to be carrying heavy packs on their back.
“They likely will not recognize me, but that won’t stop them from attempting to ‘buy’ me from you—regardless of if you play along,” Yahui stated, shrugging. He placed his waterskin aside. “They could be good for information. Question them. I will busy myself preparing more food so they do not grow suspicious.”
I considered arguing but decided to let it go. There was merit to his statement, given what I had seen of Lady Xu’s behavior. If the rest of her countrymen acted in such a vile manner, there was every possibility that the group was approaching us because they had spotted Yahui. Even I wasn’t oblivious to the fact he was an attractive-looking man. However, his personality could certainly have used work.
“Greetings!” The fanciest-dressed woman called to me, not shooting so much as a glance in Yahui’s direction. “Might we join you?”
“Certainly, though we will not be here for long,” I spoke in a level tone, then took a swig from my waterskin.
“A good plan, that.” The woman nodded to me. “With the rumors of all the Blighted in the area, and the divine beasts, it’s best not to linger anywhere too long.”
“Blighted and…divine beasts?” I shot her a sideways glance. “I was aware of the former, but not the latter.”
“I hear the divine beasts are huntin’ the Blighted.” The woman nodded again before plopping down on the back of one of her male slaves. I did my best not to shoot a disapproving look in her direction. “Under normal circumstances, I’d offer you a pretty sum for that boy you’ve got there. Takin’ away your protection would be like killin’ ya meself though. I suggest goin’ straight to the nearest city you can once you’re done restin’. Not much two people can do against the Blighted once night falls, and the divine beasts don’t care who gets in their way.”
“Thank you for your concern,” I murmured, deciding to play polite for the moment.
Yahui shot me an amused smirk as he approached. He offered me a cloth with two more steamed buns, which I took, and promptly began to munch on. The palace had such good food. I wasn’t sure what I’d do with myself while we were on our hunting trip. Campfires didn’t seem like the best way to create delicious meals, though I wasn’t certain that was true.
“Your family must have excellent connections to have caught a slave as fine as him!” The woman nudged me with her elbow and winked. “Not every day I see someone with a dragon for a slave! Hard to tell how old he is by lookin’ at him… He been with you long?”
“For as long as I can remember,” I stated. It wasn’t entirely dishonest, after all. The dragon’s mouth quirked again, but he was at an angle where the woman and her slaves couldn’t spot it. When an idea of how to flee finally came to me, I called out to him, “Bǎobèi, tell me when we should leave. I don’t want to be traveling when night falls.”
“You call him that?” The woman spluttered at me. “Is that a pet name?”
“That’s what my family has always called him,” I answered sweetly before going back to nibbling my food. Besides, calling him a ‘treasured object’ didn’t seem too far off if he was pretending to be a dragon slave, and especially when the woman seemed to think I was human. Such a powerful slave would have been precisely that to a human.
“Have you come across anything strange in your travels?” I turned to look at the woman. “I want to avoid as much trouble as I can…”
“Steer clear of the Obsidian Terraces then!” The woman snorted. “Lady Xu went and made a bunch of the people there angry while looking for her missing daughter. I hear the emperor almost did her in himself. Couldn’t say I blame him after all I heard, either. I may not agree with men being in charge, but Lady Xu is losing her touch the older she gets. Needs to pass the kingdom to the next in line, I reckon, before we all end up in trouble.”
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“Young Mistress, if we leave now we should arrive just before nightfall,” Yahui called to me, a faint glint in his eyes. The look disappeared when the others looked toward him.
“Very well.” I rose to my feet and then glanced down at the woman and her slaves. It was a pity there wasn’t anything I could do for the poor bastards.
Yahui helped me onto the qilin and then swung up behind me, subtly making it look as if I had spurred the creature into movement instead of him. Once we were out of sight of the woman, I let out a heavy sigh.
“Bǎobèi? Honestly!” Yahui scoffed.
“Well, calling you by your real name could’ve made them suspicious,” I pointed out. “We’re lucky they didn’t know what you look like.”
“You discovered some interesting information, at least. I hadn’t heard that divine beasts had made an appearance,” Yahui remarked as if he hadn’t heard me. “We will have to factor that in as well during our hunts. One or both of us could become targets depending which gods sent the creatures. They could target my disciples as well, and that won’t do.”
I gripped the front of the saddle and gritted my teeth. Killing that woman would have been far more satisfying than allowing her to continue onward with her slaves. “Why not kill that woman?”
“And leave her slaves to fend for themselves? We can’t bring them with us,” Yahui pointed out. “They are safer with her than they are on their own.”
“Death is better than being a slave. We could just kill them too,” I scoffed, crossing my arms in my sleeves. Yahui’s grip on the reins tightened, causing the leather and his joints alike to creak. Darkness rose around us, curving toward me in a threatening manner.
“Those slaves are still my subjects and will return home soon enough.” Yahui’s eerily calm voice made my throat constrict. “I will not allow you to harm them, Mingzhu, even if it means harm must come to you instead.”
“You could have just said, ‘Mingzhu, I have other plans for how to deal with them,’” I glanced over my shoulder at him and smirked when I caught the murderous glint in his eyes. “Bǎobèi.”
“We will have to find other names to call each other.” Yahui sighed, allowing his darkness to recede. “Call me Jun while we are among others. You will be…Lan.”
“Fine, fine.” I pouted, focusing forwards again. “I assume this is merely until we reach our destination?”
“Indeed. We will be traveling through a town later this afternoon, as I wish to question the locals.” Yahui finally loosened his grip on the reins.
We both fell silent. I listened absentmindedly to the sound of hooves hitting the earth, and the eclectic sounds of nature. If I shut my eyes and concentrated, I could even hear Yahui’s steady heartbeat behind me. Only small creatures such as birds and insects were anywhere close to us.
The next hour or two was spent in that same silence. While Yahui guided our steed to the village he had in mind, I sunk into meditation and searched for a solution to my ‘lock’ problem.
When Yahui finally made a spoke, I wasn’t certain I heard him correctly. “What manner of trinkets do you like, Mingzhu?”
“What?” I shifted to look back at him.
He gave me a barely perceptible smile. “I intended to reward you for your help against the Blighted, and make amends for threatening you. Now I’ve threatened you again when I’m meant to be keeping you safe.”
“I don’t care for rewards or the like. If you want to apologize, verbally will suffice.” I shook my head. “There is no need for trinkets.”
“In that case…” Yahui leaned down by my right ear. “I am sorry for threatening you, Mingzhu. A beautiful woman like you should be treated gently…”
When did he…? My lips parted in surprised when I felt his fingertips against my chin and jaw. A faint press indicated he was attempting to shift my face toward his. Is he trying to seduce me?
No. That wasn’t it. I reached up and pried his hand easily from my chin, eliciting a quiet, almost villainous chuckle from him.
“Apology accepted,” I stated, shooting him a brief glance.
“Ah, travelers!” A voice called from ahead. I shifted my attention to find a rugged man waving to us. That certainly explained the sudden intimate gesture. “Best keep an eye on your wife, brother. The ‘merchants’ would kill over a treasure like her.”
…wife? I twitched.
“Thank you for your concern, but she is in good hands,” Yahui drawled, sliding his fingers down one of my arms. “Speaking of ‘merchants,’ we passed one of the humans who has been capturing men. You should be careful as well.”
Yahui nudged our qilin and sped past the man. When we crested the hill, I got my first glimpse of our midway destination. The village looked much poorer than the Terraces, yet larger, and appeared to sit on some manner of crossroads.
“Be careful,” Yahui murmured. “We will have to make this a brief visit.”
A short while later, we wove through throngs of people. Merchants along the streets clamored for attention, soldiers patrolled, children played, and women attempted to lure men. Thick, scented smoke hung in a haze over the entire street.
“Have you heard about the pearl hanging in the darkness?”
“I have! The poor thing.”
“They’re talking about you even here, already?” Yahui’s voice by my ear made me stiffen. “How terrible it must be to be pampered and kept safe by an emperor.”
“Oh? Is that what he’s doing? Pampering?” I retorted, glancing back at him.
“I heard he rapes her twenty times a day when someone angers him!”
“That’s all? With the things I’ve heard about her, I thought it’d be more!”
“The war between him and whatever clan she’s from should be very profitable for us indeed! Bahahaha!”
Yahui clenched his fists around the reins before letting out a small sigh and nudging the qilin.
Where do rumors such as that come from? I suppressed a frown and resisted the urge to glance back at Yahui’s expression. The tension in his body made it clear enough that the rumor displeased him. I wonder, is this one of the ‘risks’ with harboring me that he mentioned? False information and foul rumors which could enrage those who know me?
“Young master, perhaps a gift for your wife?” A merchant approached us, a long black box in his hands. Inside laid a hairpin made of carved jade. To my surprise, Yahui slowed the qilin to a stop.
“I don’t need trinkets,” I muttered, looking away from the merchant.
“Says the beauty who looks as if she wishes to turn her husband into a eunuch!” The merchant let out a hearty laugh. “How about it, young master? What quarrel can’t be solved with pretty things?”
“Do I look like that shallow of a woman to you?” I scoffed, turning to glare at the merchant. He now had a second box open in his hands, revealing shining red earrings. “My forgiveness will not be bought—”
“I’ll take them both,” Yahui stated, pulling out a small bag of coins. “Tell me, what have you heard of divine beasts in the area?”
To my dismay, Yahui used the merchant’s approach as a way to uncover more information about the area. The man was all too eager to share with such a good customer. We learned that the Blighted and divine beasts had warred nightly for the past few weeks, and that anyone beyond the village walls was sure to meet a swift end. However, no one seemed to know what deity had sent the beasts.
“Master Jun, I’m afraid our conversation may have further angered your wife… Are two gifts not enough to earn your forgiveness?” The merchant shot me an apologetic look. “Most women would be dragging their husband home for a ‘reward’ if he bought them such expensive gifts.”
“Reward and punishment don’t have to be mutually exclusive,” I purred suggestively, drawing my nails along Yahui’s forearm. His skin pricked into goosebumps, his hand twitching. I smirked. “If we don’t leave soon, we may become the next casualty of the divine beasts.”
“A-ah…ahem.” The merchant turned red to his ears. “I suppose it is always the quiet ones you have to look out for…”
“Lan,” Yahui spoke in a reprimanding tone, “must you be so shameless?”
“Mmm…there is nothing to be ashamed of.” I glanced back at him with a smirk. “You should be more worried about me than the divine beasts.”
Yahui took the hint and said his goodbyes to the merchant before steering the qilin in the direction that would take us out of the village. Once we were in the wilderness, he gently placed the boxes on my lap. “Keep your presents safe while we ride.”
“I said I don’t need—”
“If you will not accept them, I can find someone else who will appreciate them.” Yahui paused to let the statement sink in, then added, “I felt your reaction when you saw the pin, and the earrings. Accept them or don’t.”
I opened my mouth, then shut it. Yes, I adored how the pieces looked. But Yahui was already harboring me, had paid for far too many clothes, given me a lavish room, and even given me a servant. Why he felt the need to apologize to me with more gifts was beyond me. If it was his violence and threats he wished to apologize for, merely amending his behavior would have been sufficient.
“Thank you.” I sighed quietly.
“I should be thanking you for not running away after all the foul whispers about me you heard,” Yahui muttered bitterly.
Foul was an understatement. His people seemed to believe he was a rapist, a tyrant, xenophobic, and bloodthirsty. They blamed him for every little thing that was going wrong in the empire. Whenever someone spoke up to point out Yahui was behind healing the land, they were laughed out of the conversation. I had a feeling that buying me gifts was more to make himself feel better than it was to apologize to me, but that was fine.
I relaxed back against Yahui’s chest with a small sigh, feeling him tense behind me. “None of them have knowingly set eyes on you. How could they be judged of your character or intent?”
“You…” Yahui whispered. He fell silent but I felt his body relax. “Perhaps you are right, but I can’t go anywhere as myself. Not without an army for an escort, and I need them to protect the Terraces.”
“Then take solace in the knowledge that the foul rumors are spread by your enemies,” I offered with an amused smile. “Rumors can’t be stopped with a sword…but enemies can be.”
“I suppose I owe you another apology,” Yahui remarked, the sudden change of subject catching me off-guard. “This time, for having you play along with this wife and husband facade.”
“It was the logical approach. Pretending to be siblings would have been impossible since I don’t look like a dragon,” I answered dismissively.
“I am glad you are so understanding.” Yahui sighed in relief. “Hopefully we will have no further need of such ploys.”
“Mn.” I nodded, but I was frowning. That comment stung a bit. Was I not suitable or desirable? Clearly not to an emperor, and especially not while my status was unknown, but what about to other people? I bit back a sigh, my gaze dropping to the boxes in my lap. Maybe I wouldn’t wear them after all.
“Have you remembered anything?” Yahui inquired, clearly unaware of my mild frustrations.
“No. I have strong feelings or convictions when presented with various topics, often as if I am recalling rigorous teachings. Anything beyond that is just…deafening silence.” I paused, shaking my head. “It is difficult to describe.”
“Strong convictions? Such as your assertion that intent is what matters?” Yahui murmured. “What else?”
Perhaps deafening silence is precisely why he began talking again? I wondered. “The worst culprit is when someone suggests that I am already married. There is one thing I am certain of in this world, and that is that I wouldn’t lower myself to marrying someone my power doesn’t resonate with. It makes me unreasonably angry just considering the idea.”
“You could have found him already, or been forced to wed for political reasons,” Yahui countered, though his tone belied his intrigue. “So, you remember enough to know that resonance is powerful. I wonder who your teacher was, for their knowledge to transcend what the array did to your memory?”
“Yahui, speaking of the array…”
“Shhhh.” Yahui gripped my chin lightly and pressed a finger over my lips. The sound of qilins and horses caught my ears. “Save your questions for later when you can entertain me.”