by Ryan Kirk
The tension had been building in Jihan for weeks, but it had been a slow, creeping thing, resting somewhere in the background, a terror easily dismissed like a nightmare in the morning. Now it sat at the forefront of everyone’s minds, haunting their waking thoughts.
Delun struggled to focus. Bai, Chao, and the Order of the Serpent all blended together in his thoughts. They each had their purpose, and a convergence of enemies gathered on the board, but to what end? He had spent so much time obsessed with seeking the Order and bringing it to justice that he had lost track of the bigger picture. He would need to solve that problem soon, after the Order was eliminated.
He followed Ping, surprised when the younger monk led him to a large building clearly designed as a warehouse.
Delun stopped outside the doors. He sensed the monks within, a gathering of power larger than any he had felt since approaching the monastery up in Two Bridges. His brothers gathered here in preparation for decisive action. The air quivered with possibility. There were far more wraiths here than he expected.
So much strength, finally gathered together.
The Order of the Serpent would regret its rebirth. None would stand in the way of the monasteries.
Delun stepped inside the building, impressed by the sheer size of the place. Barrels were stacked up along the walls, indicative of the original purpose of the building. The majority of the building was one enormous room. Near the back, several rooms had been built out of stone. In more normal times, Delun imagined they served as the rooms where the men who ran the warehouse would work and possibly sleep.
Nothing struck his attention more than the gathering of monks, however. From living in the safehouse, Delun had imagined the wraiths only numbered about a dozen in and around Jihan. Instead he counted close to four dozen. An entire monastery’s worth of monks and then some had come covertly to Jihan. Unless the Order of the Serpent had more members than a lord’s army, Chao’s plans clearly extended beyond the elimination of the Order.
Ping left Delun to himself, and Delun reunited with a few monks he knew well. The wraiths’ membership had grown over the past few months, the explosions forcing monks to choose action or pacifism. He was surprised at the sight of several monks. The attacks had forced otherwise moderate monks into decisive action. The Order would regret their mistake.
He didn’t have long to reminisce with acquaintances. Soon the crowd hushed as Chao approached a small raised dais to speak with the assembled monks.
“It is good to see you here, friends. The time of our revenge is at hand. Tonight, we expect the Order of the Serpent to gather and strike at the monastery in Jihan.”
A startled murmur rose from the crowd.
“Tonight, we stop the Order and destroy it.” Chao held up a scroll in his hand for all to see. “We have a decree from the emperor himself. The Order is found guilty of treason against the empire. The punishment is death.”
Delun found himself nodding along with all the rest. It was about time. They’d waited more than long enough to avenge their brothers. The emperor’s support only made the action that much sweeter.
“You will be placed into groups. My lieutenants will have plans and details for you all. In short, though, the Order will gather in hideouts all around the city in preparation for their attack tonight. Thanks to our information from spies inside the Order, we know where many of these gathering places are. We will attack, and we will wipe the Order out with one clean move before they can strike again.”
A cheer rose from the crowd, building in volume as a fervor swept over them.
Delun’s voice was loud among them.
Chao stepped down from the dais and men began to circulate, collecting the wraiths into their groups for the evening.
Ping himself found Delun and brought him to Chao.
The leader of the wraiths gave Delun a grim smile. “Does our work tonight please you?”
Delun bowed. “It does. How did you achieve such a feat?”
Chao grinned, and Delun saw a hint of pride. Chao’s plans were coming to fruition, and they delighted him. “Fate played a role, but last night Ping led a group of monks in a daring mission while you distracted Bai. Tonight, I want you and Ping to work as a pair. The two of you will pursue the captain himself. I’ve finally confirmed that the captain is behind it all. Are you up for it?”
Delun nodded. “I am.”
“Good. Here are the details.” Chao passed a stack of papers over to Delun. Delun looked through them with mounting disbelief.
“How have you learned so much, so fast?”
Chao leaned forward and spoke in hushed tones. “Last night, we met with some questioners, sent by the emperor. When I spoke, I spoke the truth. The emperor knows how much we are needed. It was the questioners who provided the information. They’ve infiltrated the Order at the highest ranks.”
Was that how Chao had obtained so much information? It would make sense. The secretive questioners maintained the empire’s deepest collection of spies and informants. It made much more sense than Chao building his own collection without so much as a whisper reaching Delun’s ears.
The information also settled Delun’s quiet fears.
Chao had been cooperating with the emperor the entire time.
The land was on the path to redemption. Delun could almost see the peace ahead.
Delun left Chao, eager to find the captain and end his life.
21
Lei and Daiyu broke their fast early in the afternoon at the Heron. Daiyu had woke up feeling weak, so they kept close to their room throughout the morning. When her strength finally returned, they made their way to the dining room just as most were eating lunch. As they ate, Lei’s gaze kept wandering over to Daiyu, his chest constricting.
She was too young. Both of them had seen over fifty years, a full and healthy life by anyone’s measure. But it was still too early to say goodbye.
She noticed his attention and shot him a glare. “Stop looking at me like that.”
He gave her a short smile and focused on his food. As usual, the Heron’s cook had prepared an incredible meal. Lei dug in and took another bite, but he possessed little appetite to sate.
Their meal was interrupted by hushed voices at the door. A man in a military uniform entered the dining area, ignoring the protestations of the Heron’s owner.
Eventually the officer made it past the owner. Despite the owner’s valiant attempts, he had no choice but to capitulate. Very few people could afford to defy the empire in any meaningful way.
The officer made a direct line for the two of them. Lei met the man’s gaze, warning him away.
The officer was either dense or obstinate. He never broke stride until he stood above the couple and held out a scroll sealed with the personal mark of the emperor. He treated the paper as gently as a newborn babe.
Lei didn’t take the proffered scroll, shocking the officer. “How can I help you?”
The soldier, flustered, sputtered, “I have orders direct from the emperor to escort you to the palace, master.”
Lei raised an eyebrow, then turned his attention to Daiyu. She gave him a small nod, saying volumes with that small gesture.
She would be fine.
There was no point in causing more trouble than necessary.
He should go.
Lei sighed, stood up, and kissed the top of Daiyu’s head. “I’ll be back soon.”
She nodded with the nonchalance of one who already knew.
Lei grabbed the paper out of the officer’s hands. He followed the man out into the street, where a full unit of uniformed men stood at ready attention. Lei shook his head in disbelief, but the officer, with his duty again in progress, didn’t notice.
They traveled through town, Lei surrounded by guards. What must people think about him as they passed by?
He’d never been to the palace before, but even from a distance it appeared appropriately majestic. The walls were tall and thick, the stone menacing.
They passed the thick gates without problem and Lei was treated to his first uninterrupted view of the seat of the emperor. The palace itself sat beyond an incredibly large courtyard, and the structure was the largest building Lei had ever seen.
Stone and wood combined to form a building four stories tall. Additions, terraces, and balconies jutted from the edifice, and the rooftops seemed a maze one might never escape from. He couldn’t even guess how many rooms the building held.
He noticed two facts immediately.
The first was that the courtyard leading to the palace was nearly empty. He and his escort made up most of the expansive area’s population. Of the people he could see, he was the only one not in uniform.
The second fact was that the palace was being repaired. Off in the distance, almost hidden from where Lei stood, was a hole in the wall. Workers in uniform swarmed around the blemish.
Lei’s eye was drawn toward the figure of a man walking quickly toward them. He shook his head. Of all the people in the world.
Lord Xun’s questioner stopped about ten paces away from Lei and his escort. It seemed Lord Xun and his retinue had moved into position as one of the emperor’s top advisers. Lei couldn’t imagine another reason he’d be seeing so much of the man.
“Lei, it is good to see you again.”
“I wish the same could be said for you.”
The man smiled. No matter how Lei tried, he couldn’t offend him. That lack of offense was a powerful tool in the questioner’s line of duty, Lei imagined.
The questioner turned to the officer who had escorted Lei. “You may return to your normal duties. Thank you.”
The officer gave a doubtful look, but he wasn’t the type of man to question orders. He saluted, bowed, then marched his unit away.
The questioner swept his hand in the direction of the palace. “Shall we?”
Lei walked at the questioner’s side as they crossed the enormous courtyard. “How did you find me?”
The questioner answered the unasked question. “You weren’t followed. I suspected either you or Daiyu would spot a tail. We had watchers, both along the possible routes of travel and within Jihan. You couldn’t have spotted them, and it was unlikely you would make it past them.”
It was too much to ask that they travel in anonymity, Lei supposed.
Within the walls of the palace grounds, the questioner traveled with impunity. They passed several sets of guards without so much as a question. They entered the palace building itself, and Lei’s pace slowed to a complete stop.
He’d never imagined such a structure was possible. All the furniture was lined with gold, and the wood floors were polished to a shine. Dust found no home here, and the spaces were so large as to cause Lei to look up and expect to see open sky above him.
Lei had grown up in a monastery, an impressive structure by most accounts, with thick walls and stout buildings. They had been clean, but the spaces within were small, and there had been no opulence. Monks shunned such affectations.
Even when he’d founded his own village, the buildings were simple wooden constructions. He’d thought his house large, but his whole home would have fit in this single room.
He hadn’t even believed such wonders possible.
The questioner gave him a knowing smile. “It’s quite something, isn’t it?”
Lei could only nod.
The questioner resumed their journey and Lei followed. He could tell the questioner was impatient, but this architecture was too much to just pass by. Lei suddenly felt small and provincial, a novel feeling for his age.
They passed through room after room of wonder, Lei taking as much of it in as possible.
Finally, they reached a thick double door. A set of four guards stood outside it, and Lei assumed the room held the emperor. Despite his own beliefs, he felt a sense of awe. Part of it was the enormity of the palace, but part of it was just coming face to face with a new type of power.
Lei could destroy cities, if he so chose, but the emperor could command an entire land. What would the emperor be like?
He noticed the questioner studying him. “I imagine you don’t know the first thing about court etiquette?”
Lei shook his head.
The questioner gave a sigh. “Just bow when you enter.”
Lei gave him a skeptical look. “I don’t serve the empire.”
The questioner looked as though he’d swallowed something sour. “If I die for this, I’m haunting you for the rest of your days.”
The questioner nodded to the guards, who opened the thick doors. They stepped into a room which made all that had come before pale in comparison. The room was a long rectangle, with thick columns running up both sides. On the other end of the room sat a throne, currently occupied.
Lei’s first look at the emperor didn’t impress. The ruler of the land was in conference with a few other men, and the price of all the clothing worn between them would have fed a village for months.
The questioner bowed when he entered the room, even though no one acknowledged him. They advanced halfway to the throne before stopping.
A few minutes later, the men ended their conference and left. Lei got his first full view of the emperor.
He saw a man little different from any other. If anything, the man seemed spoiled by his lifestyle. He wasn’t fat, exactly, but carried more weight than most men Lei knew. If the man had ever served in the military, that past was long behind him now.
As soon as the emperor’s gaze fell upon them, the questioner prostrated himself, bowing all the way to the ground. Lei looked at the man in disbelief. Such actions should only be used to express the deepest of emotions. Lei remained standing.
He saw a flicker of annoyance pass over the emperor’s face. Apparently the questioner’s behavior was expected. Lei’s was not.
Lei felt the fear radiating off the questioner, but he remained standing. A knife remained hidden in his robes. Throughout his journey, no one had thought to ask him about a weapon. He didn’t serve the emperor, and if the worst came, Lei wasn’t particularly worried. He would still be back to Daiyu before the evening meal. As impressive as the palace’s walls were, they couldn’t withstand his gift.
She would criticize him, call him a proud fool, but at his age, he just didn’t care anymore.
“You don’t bow to your emperor?” Lei heard the anger in the man’s voice and chose to ignore it.
“You aren’t my emperor.”
The emperor made a gesture, and Lei heard the sounds of bows being drawn all around him. He signed a shield, just in case the situation deteriorated. He spoke calmly, soothing the tension. “You can’t harm me. I could tear this building down in minutes, killing you and everyone here. This has been true for decades, yet you still live. I am here, peacefully and of my own choice. Why have you summoned me?”
For a tense moment, Lei thought he might have to follow through on his threat. The emperor looked angry enough to test him.
The anger turned to cold, calculating fury. The emperor’s next words were spoken without emotion.
“I need you to find my daughter.”
Another gesture allowed the archers around the room to relax, and the questioner finally looked up, standing slowly.
Lei didn’t understand. The princess was gone? How could such a thing have happened with her protection increased after the first attempt? “What happened?”
“We believe she was kidnapped by a group of monks who call themselves wraiths.”
Lei knew the group well enough. Yang spoke of them as a scourge. Lei didn’t realize they would be so bold. Monks swore an oath to protect the empire. How did they fall so far as to kidnap the princess? And what did they hope to accomplish?
“You’ve heard nothing from them? They’ve given no demands?”
The questioner shook his head. “This all happened last night. We have not yet heard from them.”
Another thought crossed Lei’s mind. If Yang’s students
had been permitted entry to the palace, none of this would have happened. He wondered if the emperor and the questioner thought the same.
Lei felt a twisting in his stomach. Something in this room was off, something below the level of his conscious attention. He studied both the questioner and the emperor. Both had their gazes fixed on him like teachers waiting for a student to give their answer. What thoughts ran through their minds?
The emperor spoke again. “I will not allow my daughter to come to harm, Master Lei. I have summoned Lord Xun’s army to the city, and they will be here in less than a week. If the princess is not found by then, I will order the army into the city to search for her.”
Lei hid his frown, realizing these men played a deep game where appearances were not as they seemed. Lei knew his history. He didn’t think a sitting emperor had ever allowed an army into Jihan. The disruption to lives and business would be monumental.
“I do not want to resort to such measures,” the emperor continued. “But if she is not found, I will. Find her before then.”
There was no question in the emperor’s voice. He expected obedience, though Lei had shown little thus far.
No small part of Lei wanted to turn away from it all, to spend Daiyu’s final days in peace. Yet he felt the confluence of forces gathering around him. Could he live with himself if he didn’t play at least some role? Could he live in peace if he refused the emperor?
He figured he had little choice. He could fight if he chose, but that only complicated his life. Better to follow the currents where they took him, for now. He gave a small bow and followed the questioner out of the room.
22
Bai’s heart pounded in her ears as she fought against the weight of the building. Dust filled her nostrils, but she couldn’t expand her chest to cough. Unable to breathe, she pulled in more energy, the process sluggish and unnatural now. Her body neared its limit, pushed too hard for the last time. She channeled energy into her arms, pushing against the weight of stone pressing her inexorably toward death.
