Most of the guards followed, but several remained, their grips tight on their weapons.
Sucking in a deep breath, Mulan’s head swirled with questions. How could she rescue her friends? Would they be imprisoned again before they were led to the city centre? Where was Kang? Anger and fear stabbed her heart at the thought of her prince, chained somewhere within the city. How badly were they treating him?
Shaking her head as if to shake away those thoughts before the tears spilled over, Mulan glanced around. Although many still hung back in case something else happened, a number had left, making it easier to move. At least she wasn’t being jostled around anymore. She could leave.
But still, something kept her feet fixed to the ground. She didn’t know what it was that made her stay; perhaps knowing she was only a short distance from her friends. How could she leave them in their most desperate hour?
Taking another deep breath, Mulan glanced up. High on the pale walls, standing beside one of the archers, a familiar face stared down at the crowds.
Prince Jizi.
It took every ounce of willpower in her body not to pull out the jian and rush the palace gates, but Mulan knew that would only serve everyone’s death sentence. How in the eighteen hells did a dead person rescue her friends?
Dressed in black and gold robes, part of his hair piled up in a knot with the rest hanging loose around his shoulders, Prince Jizi observed the people from his lofty height. Despite the warmth of the sun, his face remained cold.
I’ll kill him if it’s the last thing I do, Mulan swore, feeling her face harden just watching him.
His gaze swept through the throng; when their eyes met, Prince Jizi frowned. Mulan’s heart froze in her chest. One corner of his mouth twitched, and his eyes darkened beneath winged brows.
Get out of here!
Not wasting any time, Mulan weaved her way through the dispersing crowd, ignoring any startled cries as she bumped into them. Pulling down her cap, she refused to look back in case any of the guards had noticed her. Once free of the mass, she drew in a breath and glanced over her shoulder.
She watched as the tips of spears began to move and shouts rang through the air.
Without thinking, Mulan’s feet tore through the street. Once she hit the familiar main avenue she’d ridden down alongside Kang only a few days previously, she raced behind the buildings, keeping to the back alleys that thankfully remained quiet.
After running for what her lungs argued must have been hours and unable to hear anyone else, Mulan sank to the floor, her back against the wall, sweat pouring from her brow, trying to get as much oxygen into her lungs. Damn it. Even without the armour, Prince Jizi still recognised her. She needed new clothes.
And more information.
Even though the risk was high, she now knew where Daocheng and the others would be taken.
Now she needed to know where Kang was.
And she knew exactly where to find out.
A THIN COAT OF SWEAT layered Mulan’s body as she hugged the building, trying to keep out of sight. Surprisingly, it hadn’t been difficult sneaking into the barracks, considering it was the military hub for the capital. All she had to do was wait for the guard to go behind the back of the nearest building to relieve himself and quickly dart inside. After that, it was as simple as keeping out of sight. Easy enough when soldiers’ boots pounded on the stone courtyard like thunder.
Remembering the route she’d taken with Kang after the meeting with the emperor, Mulan opted to stay as far away as she could. Besides, it didn’t lead to where she wanted to go.
Inhaling, Mulan quickly darted from one building to the other, attempting to keep her footsteps as quiet as possible.
The main building sat in the middle, a huge wooden structure that housed hundreds of men. If she was right, then the offices of the most important generals would be situated in the north, far behind it. Like the Han, the Tuoba arranged their buildings – and cities – in similar fashion along a north-south axis. Not that most Tuoba would agree.
With it being after midday, the sun burned down relentlessly. No one would willingly be out; even Mulan found it difficult to breathe, as if a burning hot weight pressed down upon her, trying to crush her into the ground. Still, she pressed on, ducking and diving behind buildings and large vats of water, years of experience at sneaking out of her parents’ home coming back to help her.
Once she spied the right building, Mulan smiled. The wooden structure was much smaller than the main housing block, but from the intricate carvings and stone platform it sat on, it looked fit for a general of the highest regard. A single door provided the only way in.
Straining to hear anything, and eyes darting all around, Mulan exhaled as she realised no one was near. In a fluid motion, she jumped to her feet, tearing over the stone floor, reaching it in seconds. Not pausing for breath, her hands shoved the door open.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” a brash, angry voice demanded from behind a desk. From the corner of her eye, she could see a heavy chest large enough to fit a grown man with a suit of armour and a polished helmet on the opposite side of the room.
But she wasn’t here to take in the sights of the office.
Mulan swiftly pulled the jian from its sheath and kicked the door behind her shut. “Good afternoon, General Li. As for your question, I’m here to get some answers.”
Beady eyes narrowed into slits and the general’s mouth pressed into a thin line. “I know you. You’re the one who escaped the prince’s house.”
Mulan smiled coldly. “That I am. I’m also the one who broke into your barracks. Don’t mess with me. I’m not in the mood.”
“Pity,” General Li scowled. “Because I’m about to rip your head from your shoulders.”
Within seconds, the bulky general shoved back the desk and jumped up, unsheathing his own blade. Mulan raced forward, throwing her energy into a burst of speed. Tendrils of hair fell over her eye as their swords met, the sounds of metal upon metal echoing the small room.
Using his considerable height and physical strength to push down, Mulan mustered all the energy she possessed to maintain her stance against him. Knowing he was about to knock her down, Mulan sucked in a breath and deliberately fell back, swinging her legs up and over his arm and around his neck. A combination of strength and willpower allowed her to swing her body around, flipping him onto the ground. The floor seemed to shudder beneath the force.
With his back on the floor and her legs wrapped around his neck, Mulan squeezed her thighs tight around his face, restricting General Li’s oxygen supply. The silver of his sword just inches from her face flashed silver. Gripping the hilt tight in her hand, Mulan leaned back and swiped it through the air, cleaving the hand that held his own weapon. Blood arced through the air, spilling over her clothes.
A scream burst between her legs and Mulan swiftly released him. Kicking his sword away, Mulan positioned the tip of her jian at his throat. Blood poured like spilled wine from his severed wrist. General Li gazed up at her, his eyes consumed with rage and pain, his complete hand clutching the stump.
Mulan drew in a breath. “Now for those answers. Where is Prince Kang being held?”
“I’ll kill you for this, boy.”
“I doubt it.” Mulan pressed the tip in further. A spot of blood welled up on his throat. “Now tell me.”
General Li’s face curled with rage. “At the Temple of Righteous Harmony.”
“Where is that?”
“In the northeast. Next to the new temple being built.”
“How many guards.”
“Fuck you.”
“You’re not my type, thank you.” Mulan traced a path over his throat with the sword. “Tell me what I want to know, and I go away. You may be able to cauterise that wound before you bleed to death. Now. How. Many?”
A groan shot from his mouth. “Not many. They don’t have to. It’s protected by magic. Prince Jizi’s having him executed tomorrow morn
ing. You’ll never break that freak out. It’s far too strong for just one man.”
Rage coursed through her body until there was nothing left to feel. “It’s a good thing I’m not just one man then,” she whispered before plunging the jian down. The metal sank easily into his flesh, gliding like a knife through tofu. Dark, beady eyes bulged up at her. Tremors wracked his body, and crimson laced the air, spilling onto his body and the floor.
When the body finally stilled, Mulan yanked the jian out. With each breath, sanity returned. Once able to breathe and her head clear, she realised she had to find a way out of there without being seen.
Her eyes flicked over to the suit of armour. A smile pulled up at the edges of her mouth.
Not only did General Li provide her with the information, he’d provided her with a means of escape.
Hopefully Prince Jizi would die as easily.
Slipping on the armour and helmet, Mulan wiped her blade on the general’s clothes and sheathed her sword. Time to rescue Kang.
And not even the deepest, darkest magic could hope to stop her.
Twenty-One
A knot of apprehension twisted in Mulan’s gut as she pushed her way through the crowds. The afternoon heat had suddenly dissipated, allowing the full force of Pingcheng’s population to descend on the city once more.
Crammed with customers shoving and pushing past, scanning for new deals and wares to buy, the northern marketplace heaved with life. Horses neighed from somewhere, barely audible over the din. Shouts mingled with the thick scent of burning incense from just behind the walls.
Mulan stared up; whoever designed this city certainly loved walls. Standing at least nine feet high, nearly twice her height, they weren’t quite as thick as those encircling the palace, but close enough. The grey stone shimmered in the sunlight, glinting off the metalwork and handles from the double doors that provided the only way in.
Over the top of the walls, Mulan caught sight of green glazed tiles and incense smoke wafting on the slight breeze.
Somewhere within those walls, Kang waited.
In order to free her friends, she had to free him first.
“You can do this,” she whispered to herself, staring upwards.
After all, there was simply no other choice.
Getting her friends to safety was impossible without Kang’s help. Even with all her training and limited practical experience, she couldn’t simply turn up in the centre of town, free them of their chains, and rush them out of the city without at least one of them dying.
She needed help.
And that’s where she needed Kang.
His dragon shifting abilities gave him extra strength. Even wounded, he was easily stronger than all of them combined. If she freed him first, they could go back for the others.
Still, a niggle of guilt rested within her stomach at the thought of rescuing Kang first over the rest. They were her best friends; they’d seen each other through everything – insults from the townsfolk, family arguments, doubts and fears. Yet here she was, saving someone she hardly knew.
But even if she somehow managed to save them first, Kang could be killed.
Damned if I do, damned if I don’t, she thought bitterly.
Whether this remained the best course of action or not, it would have to do.
Sighing, Mulan ran her hands down the stolen armour she wore. After escaping the barracks in General Li’s attire, she’d quickly disposed of it behind a building which turned out to be an inn. Fortune had smiled upon her; a drunken man had stormed into the kitchens demanding more wine and food only for the chef to throw him out the door on his rear only a few meters from where she stood, muttering how these trainee guards were a pain in his arse. The drunk soon collapsed facedown, completely passed out.
When Mulan noticed the familiar armour imperial soldiers wore, she couldn’t help but smile. One man’s pain in the arse was another’s salvation.
With delft fingers, she’d quickly undressed him of everything except for his undergarments. He could keep those. But the tunic, trousers, helmet, and armour would give her a new disguise and a new way into the temple grounds.
All she had to do was turn up at the gates, report for duty, find the right building, rescue Kang, and get them both out before anyone could either kill them or kill her friends. Easy, right?
Mulan heaved another sigh.
It was now or never.
Slowly, she weaved her way through the crowd and walked up to the temple gates, trying to keep the nerves from showing on her face. Two guards stood on either side, wearing similar armour and helmets to the ones she wore. When they saw her approach, a smirk stretched over their faces. “Looks like we got another newbie,” the one on the right said.
His friend chuckled lightly. “He looks like he’s playing dress-up with his father’s clothes.”
Mulan frowned. “Sorry?”
The first guard pushed on the door, the creak of the wood rising above the din of the shoppers behind her. “All new recruits must report to the Shrine of Divine Acceptance and Majesty. Head straight down the path. You can’t miss it.”
“But I’d hurry,” the other said. “The priests are not in the best mood today. Some arseholes from the palace kicked them out a few days ago.”
“So shut up and get a move on. Those who are late to training won’t get a nice easy job guarding the Temple of Righteous Harmony.”
Silently, Mulan passed through the gates, forcing herself not to jump when they closed with a staggering thud behind her.
A grand courtyard loomed before her, with only a few buildings finished. Standing on a north-south axis, others stood in various stages of completion, several missing roofs, others entire walls. Only one or two small structures seemed finished. Giant bronze vats stood beside them, filled with water, ready in case of fires. Heady incense billowed on the soft breeze, coursing along the paths from colossal containers like smoky dragons.
Talking of dragons ... where’s Kang?
With no one in sight, Mulan scurried to the right, keeping as close as she could to the buildings. If the Shrine of Divine Acceptance and Majesty stood in the centre, then all she had to do was stay away from there.
After all, it couldn’t be that hard to find the right place.
Mulan moved from one building to the other, her eyes straining for any sound, any colour or movement from the corner of her eye.
“What are you playing at, boy?”
Spinning at the sound of the harsh, low tone behind her, Mulan’s mouth dropped as a man her father’s age stood before her. His armour consisted of long horizontal bands that wrapped around his chest and past his hips, his steep helmet decorated with strips of bronze. Long black hair flowed past his shoulders. On his face, he wore a look of frustration. “Well?” he pressed.
“I’m late for training, sir,” Mulan said in a breathy tone, trying to think. “I got lost.”
The older soldier rolled his eyes. “For fucks sake. How hard is it to stay on the path? Let’s go.”
Keeping her mouth shut, Mulan followed him back to the central path and up for a few minutes until she heard voices. Another minute and at least two dozen young men came into view, all wearing the same armour as hers. A sea of heads turned in her direction. Behind them, a bulky figure wearing saffron coloured robes shook his head.
“Brother Song,” the soldier called, pushing Mulan forward. “Got a new recruit for you.”
“My heart is lifted with joy,” Brother Song replied in dry tones. “Come join us, young one. Let’s see if Buddha can help you with your sense of direction.”
A deep frown pulled at her forehead as she fell in line with the others. What was a Buddhist monk doing in Pingcheng? Although Buddhism continued to be popular in Liu Song, it hadn’t quite made the same impact on the Northern Wei kingdom. Even she knew of Emperor Taiwu’s disdain for the religion, preferring Daoism over any other form of worship. But then she remembered Kang saying Huang, the crown prince, wa
s a devout Buddhist. Perhaps he ordered this temple to be built?
Not that it really mattered. Kang remained her primary concern. Time was running out.
But how to do that with so many eyes on her?
Play along for now. The right time will reveal itself.
Shoving down all the anxiety and fear that threatened to undo her, Mulan listened to the Buddhist monk, pretending to be a new recruit like the others, eager to join and protect the new temple complex. As Brother Song started to explain which areas where off-limits, her ears pricked up and her heart began to race.
Ordered into a line to march through the grounds, Mulan made sure she was the last. Brother Song took the lead, his voice carrying from the head of the line. They walked for what seemed a lifetime but couldn’t be more than twenty minutes.
“And this is the limit of how far you can go,” Brother Song called.
Several long buildings stretched across the way, only a small gap separating one from the others. To Mulan, it almost looked like a wall. “No matter what you see or hear or feel, none of you will pass further than this.”
The line never stopped moving. With a backwards glance to ensure no one saw, Mulan silently slipped out of line and hurried through the gap.
Despite the afternoon sun, the shadows emitted by the buildings seemed dark and long, cloaking her from anyone who may have passed by. Eyes peeled and ears open, she hurried forward.
When she finally came out of the alley, she held her breath. In the centre of the new courtyard stood a stunning building on a platform, created out of the finest, softest grey stone that shimmered in the sunlight, as if fashioned by millions of crushed pearls. Two sets of stone stairs led up to the entrance, a beautiful floral design carved in stone down the middle. Although she couldn’t see any windows, large wooden doors stretched outwards, carved with intricate designs that from a distance, Mulan couldn’t make out. However, the two guards standing in front of the door were easy to spot.
Honour, She Obeys Page 23
