Mulan knew that Kang had been with others – he was a prince after all, it was what they did – but hearing it from someone else sent a dagger plunging into her heart. She had no right to feel jealous, but she did.
She hated it.
Inhaling deeply, Mulan shook her head, as if shaking the images of Kang’s body thrusting into another woman’s body away. “Why haven’t you told him the truth?”
Madam Deng grinned. “Not my secret. Besides, it’ll be more fun when he finds out for himself.”
Mulan’s heart sank and her belly twisted into knots. Kang would find out. Especially if he continued to kiss her the way he had back in the tent. And the weapon’s room. But she couldn’t deal with that right now. There were more pressing concerns. “How long have I been asleep?”
“Several hours. Dawn is just about to break.”
A cold finger of dread trailed down her spine. “My friends!”
“Don’t worry, they’re still alive. Prince Kang is devising a plan to rescue them right now.”
Mulan swung her legs over the bed and stood up, half expecting to be overcome with dizziness. “They’ve been hanging out there all night. They can’t wait any longer.”
“They’ll be fine for a few more hours.”
The gentle tones of Kang’s voice forced her to turn around. His long black hair had been scraped away from his face, highlighting his high, sharp cheekbones and regal nose. Dark shadows circled his eyes making him look haggard despite the fresh clothing. Like her, he wore a simple white hanfu with a dark belt around his waist. His sword, however, stayed firmly strapped to his side. “You’re awake.”
Nodding, Mulan pushed down the flutter of nerves. There was no armour to disguise her now. Would he realise? “What’s the plan?”
Madam Deng rose to her feet and headed towards the door. “I’ll let the two of you have some time.” At the door, she quickly turned around. “But don’t take too long. Time stands still for no man.”
As soon as the door closed behind her, Kang’s hands gripped her upper arms and slammed down on Mulan’s mouth, saturating her with heat and his unique taste of rain. Mulan grasped fistfuls of material as she kissed him back.
Reluctantly, they pulled back from each other, their chests breathing hard. “Thank you for saving me,” Kang said, his silky tones soft. “Again.”
A small smile danced over her lips. “Thank me by helping me save my friends.”
Kang nodded and stepped back. Picking up her jian in his hands, his face morphed into a serious expression. “It’s common knowledge now that you freed me from the temple. Guards are posted all over the city, especially in the centre where your friends are.” He handed her the blade. “No doubt my brother intends to use them as bait.”
Holding the jian in both hands, Mulan stared up at him. “I don’t care. I can’t just leave them there to die.”
“Neither can I, but my brother’s cunning. We’re going to need to be smarter than him.”
“Can’t you just, you know, turn into a dragon, swoop down, free them, and fly them out of this damn city?”
An amused snort shot out around the room. “Sorry. It doesn’t quite work that way. Shifting forms takes up a lot of energy. Besides, they already know how to immobilise me.”
Mulan frowned. “How?”
“That incense in the temple. It stops me changing.” Kang’s face darkened. “My little spies have already reported it being burned at all gates. Jizi’s preparing.”
Frustration splintered her heart. “How are we all going to escape then?”
Mulan watched his expression change to something fierce and dangerous. “Let me tell you. But how do you feel about dressing as a girl?”
DAWN PEAKED ITS WAY above the horizon, creating a phantasmagoria of oranges, golds, and blues in the sky. Not a cloud hung above the central marketplace, an indication of another hot day.
Mulan set the cart down and wiped the sweat from her brow. Even though it was still early, sellers already gathered to set up their stalls for the day. Dozens of people brought out goods of all kinds – weapons, food, wood carvings, pots, and bolts of cloth - the noise echoing through the air.
Beside her, Kang placed a series of large bronze pots in order. Still wearing the same hanfu, he now sported a new cap that covered his head, and a fake moustache and beard made from horsehair glued to his upper lip and chin. “Whatever you do, don’t look at them,” he whispered in her direction.
Mulan nodded, but she found it difficult not to. From their position right along the river and only a few steps away from the bridge, Mulan caught sight of her friends. Each of them dangled several feet above the water, weights on their ankles pulling them down whilst thick ropes encased their wrists. Even from a distance, their faces provided evidence of their brutal captors. It took everything Mulan had not to simply rush over.
But that would simply get her killed, and who would free them?
No one.
This meant they had to be prepared.
Mulan smoothed down a wrinkle in her simple green hanfu, borrowed from one of Madam Deng’s girls, and inhaled. Setting up a market stall gave them an ideal cover, allowing them to scope out the area. With so many traders, it wouldn’t be long until buyers arrived in their thousands. That alone gave them cover from the many guards posted about, including the two pairs standing on either side of the bridge.
The fact that she was now dressed as a girl also helped.
“They’re looking for two men,” Kang had explained. “Not a married couple. You can easily pass as a woman.”
With her hair pulled up into a simple style that indicated married status, Mulan hardly recognised herself in Madam Deng’s mirror. It seemed like a lifetime since she’d dressed as a woman.
The look on Kang’s face upon seeing her had been a mixture of thrilling and worry. “You’ll do,” he’d told her in a thick voice before leaving the room.
But seeing it had made her think about what she was doing to him; she needed to tell him the truth. As soon as we rescue my friends, she told herself.
After all, if they failed, it didn’t really matter.
Kang leaned in, his breath hot against her ear. “It’s time.”
Mulan exhaled a shaky breath and walked away from the stall towards the two guards posted at the foot of the bridge. The grey stone shimmered in the early morning light, stretching over the water in a graceful arc.
She fixed a sweet smile on her face and flicked her gaze between the two young men. “What did they do?” she asked, nodding in the direction of her friends. Thick rope coiled around the base of the stone railings, fixing each of them in place. She couldn’t hear any noise from their direction.
“Get out of here,” the guard on the right sneered.
Mulan plastered a hurt look on her face. “I only wanted to know what they’d done.”
“They’re traitors,” the left guard replied. “We’re waiting for Prince Kang to try and rescue them.”
“Shut up,” hissed the first.
A look of disdain stretched over the other guard’s face. “What? She’s hardly involved. She’s a girl.”
“It doesn’t matter. Why’s she asking?”
“Wouldn’t you be curious?”
Mulan took a step back, her hands held high. “Didn’t mean to cause a fuss. I’ll just go back to my husband now.”
Quickly, Mulan hurried back to Kang. “They know we’re coming for them,” she said in hushed tones, forcing down the tremor of fear pricking her chest.
Kang shook his head, his eyes flicking to the line of customers now emerging into the marketplace. “It doesn’t matter. Pick up that pot. You know what you need to do.”
Mulan reached down for the item, a ceramic pot six inches high and simply adorned with a few characters etched into the clay before it was fired. In it contained a few handfuls of black powder, just enough to bring down the bridge. Just as a group of older women dressed in an array of colours and silk
s leaned over to gaze at the wares Madam Deng had provided, Mulan raised her voice. “I don’t know what you mean, husband!”
“You know exactly what I mean,” Kang roared beside her, his face a mask of exaggerated exasperation. He threw his hands up in the air. “Why do you do this to me?”
Mulan turned to face him, the hand clutching the pot tight to her chest. “I swear, nothing’s going on.”
Kang shook his head. “I saw you talking to those guards. You’re having an affair with them. Admit it!”
“I swear I’m not!”
“Lies. Wanton hussy. My mother was right about you; once a tramp, always a tramp.”
Gasping with mock indignation, Mulan reached back and slapped his face as hard as he could. His eyes widened and his hand covered his cheek. “You bastard!” she cried, turning and running away towards the direction of the bridge.
Eyes followed her as Mulan pretended to sob and weave her way through the increasing crowds. Just as she reached the bridge, she slipped her hand into the folds of her hanfu, the sharp edges of paper biting into her fingers. Race past the guards, she glanced over her shoulder. Behind her, she heard Kang shouting for her to return.
All going to plan.
The guard on the right, drew his sword. “Halt!” he shouted. “None may pass.”
Mulan ignore him, producing a heart-wrenching cry to drown out his words. As his sword levelled in her direction, Mulan circled around the other guard and continued to run. Footsteps and more shouts echoed behind her.
Racing past the ropes that held her friends, Mulan watched as the other pair of guards protecting the opposite side of the bridge raced towards her, ordering her to stop. Now only twenty meters from where she needed to be, she pulled out the paper, slapping it onto the ceramic jar.
Thank Heavens even monks visit brothels.
Swords drawn, the guards hurried to meet her, their faces ready for war.
Now!
Ducking to her knees, Mulan rolled the jar between the legs of one guard, sending it to the foot of the bridge. The glint of steel swiped over her head, the blade slicing thin tendrils of black hair as it went. Mulan rolled forward, her leg darting outwards and forcing one guard to crash backwards just as an incredible boom echoed through the air like thunder.
The entire bridge shuddered beneath her feet. Reaching into the folds of her hanfu, Mulan withdrew her jian and jumped to her feet. A collective chorus of gasps from both sides of the river rang out. A second boom joined in, and the bridge convulsed once more just as a second sword prepared to slice through her chest. Jumping to the side just in time, she brought her own blade up to meet it.
Behind her, Mulan heard the distant ringing of sword upon sword and internally she smiled knowing Kang had her back.
Panic cries rang out as Mulan raised her weapon as a second sword joined in the fray. “What’s going on?” a familiar voice called out.
Her heart sang with relief at the sound of Chuo’s voice, fractured as it sounded. “Hold on. We’re going to get you out!” The bridge shuddered once again, one end dropping several inches and sending a wave of panic through her.
“You’d better hurry. I don’t think this bridge will hold out.”
Mulan knew he was right.
Even with the sound of her heart pounding in her ears, she could hear distant shouts growing louder, meaning only one thing.
More guards were on the way.
Sucking in a breath, Mulan feinted to the right but ducked left, bringing up the jian. Blood dripped from the blade as it sliced through one guard’s belly. He fell to the floor with a thud.
New vibrations tore through the stone bridge. The western side fell a little more. Now facing back the way she came, only one guard remained for each of them. Determination flooded new adrenaline through her.
They needed to wrap this up, and quick.
Steel raced through the air; Mulan’s blade met it mid-air. Gritting her teeth, Mulan lashed out with her foot, catching him in the chest and sending him stumbling. Without wasting any time, she plunged the jian into his heart. The guard’s blade rang out as it dropped onto the stone bridge, his lifeless body following only seconds later.
Rising her gaze up, Mulan’s heart froze in her chest.
Prince Jizi stared at Kang, his cold features burning with rage. Black armour encased his body over dark robes. “I shall see you in hell one way or another, brother,” the bastard prince snarled.
Kang tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword, blood dripping from its tip. Two bodies lay still at his feet. “I’ve reserved you a special place there,” he replied, his tone an echoing hiss.
Withdrawing his own blade, Prince Jizi’s feet tore over the shuddering bridge, a howl emerging from his open mouth. Kang raced forward to meet him, the sunlight gleaming off his weapon. Metal sang out as swords clashed in dizzying speeds.
Mulan prepared to rush over but the sound of approaching footsteps forced her attention behind her. More guards ran her way, pushing past the horrified and captivated faces that lined both banks. Inhaling deeply, Mulan prepared to fight once more.
“Mulan!”
Daocheng’s screams tore an icy claw over her heart as three new guards stopped at the edge of the bridge, the part she stood on now several inches lower than what it should be. Fragments of ceramic lay scattered on the floor. Trepidation edged over their faces.
The bridge was going down; it was only a matter of minutes before it fell completely. No one wanted to be on it when it did. Concern rose anew, but she firmly thrust it aside.
The sounds of fighting continued behind her. Facing the new guards, her jian pointed in their direction, Mulan took several slow steps backwards. “Daocheng!” she shouted.
“The ropes are fraying. They won’t hold us much longer!”
Fear flooded her veins like a tidal wave as one guard gingerly stepped onto the bridge. When it didn’t shake, the others followed.
They jumped straight at her, no feinting, just a blur of speed and deadly intent. Mulan’s jian swept through the air, a flurry of attacks forcing her back. A foot to her upper chest caused her to stumble. The glint of steel shone in the corner of her eye; Mulan’s upper body leaned backwards, the blade missing her throat by mere millimetres.
Her leg kicked up as her upper body went down, her foot sweeping a sword from one hand and sending it several meters away into the river. She swung the jian in a graceful arc; drops of crimson laced the air and a head rolled between her feet. Mulan caught sight of Kang and his brother only several steps away.
Prince Jizi’s sword swished past Kang’s ear in a blazing hiss; Kang’s blade sliced several inches of black hair in return. Sparks flew every time their swords met. “You can’t beat me,” Prince Jizi jeered. “This is bigger than what you could ever imagine.”
Mulan ducked and twirled around the two guards so she could face the battling princes.
“What the fuck are you on about?” Kang asked, his face curled with rage as their swords disengaged.
A snarl pulled his brother’s mouth upwards. Dark shadows glinted in his eyes. “It doesn’t matter. Not when you’re dead.” In a swirl of movement, Prince Jizi swept his blade through the air, carving its way through Kang’s stomach.
“No!” Mulan screamed, but it was lost in the chorus of shocked gasps and shouts. Swords fell from above; she met them with her own and strained to keep them there.
A roar of pain escaped from Kang’s lips as blood dyed his hanfu red. Through the criss-crossed blades, Mulan watched in horror as Kang’s face morphed into a mask of pain and surprise. His eyes veered to his left, locking with her own.
Prince Jizi’s sword descended through the air, ready to strike the final blow.
Panic rose in Mulan’s gut like a demon in the night.
Just as the tip of Prince Jizi’s blade was about to carve a new path through his chest, Kang flung himself backwards off the bridge and out of her sight. A second later, Mulan heard the sp
lash of his body hitting the water.
“Mulan,” Daocheng’s voice shouted through the noise of startled onlookers. “Digan’s rope is about to snap.”
Panic jolted up her spine. How in the eighteen hells was she supposed to save them now? Was Kang even alive?
Unable to hold off the two swords any longer, Mulan circled out of the way and slashed the jian viciously through their throats. A rumble echoed through the sky. The eastern side of the bridge dropped further. Cries thundered in the air. Someone somewhere screamed. From only a few feet away, Mulan heard the tearing off rope and panicked cries of voices she’d known since childhood.
Suddenly, a roar pierced the air and huge towering gushes of water shot several feet above her head.
At first, all Mulan could see was water, but then twin red orbs peered down and she recognised Kang’s dragon form. Blue and white scales glittered in the morning sunlight and razor-sharp teeth appeared from his snarling mouth twenty-odd feet above their heads. A thin bleeding line stretched over the front of his snake-like body.
The sound of a sword dropping caused Mulan to turn her head; one guard tore off the bridge and slipped into the crowd. The other simply stood there, his gaze transfixed on Kang’s intimidating form.
“Archers!” Prince Jizi yelled, his face a mask of white-hot rage and hesitation. “Get me the fucking archers right now and bring this son of a bitch down!”
Kang’s mouth stretched open and a terrifying roar shot out. Fearful screams ripped through the air as the city’s residents raced away from the banks of the river. Even Prince Jizi took a step back.
“Kang!” Mulan screamed, pointing towards her friends. “The ropes are about to break!”
Flexing his claws outwards, Kang swirled through the air, and darted back down, head-first. The gush of hot air from his sudden descent sent Prince Jizi’s long hair whipping across his face, temporarily blinding him. Mulan raced forward, her fingers gripping the side. Kang’s body slithered along the bridge, his claws slicing through the ropes, one by one.
And one by one, each of them fell, their screams ripping over the noise of the capital’s frightened people.
Honour, She Obeys Page 25
