A frown took residence on Kang’s brow. He took a deep breath and thought. “There’s not many places that are safe for wanted men like us. The nearest towns certainly won’t be. They’d recognise me in an instant.”
“Great,” Chuo muttered, one hand balling at his side. “Just fucking great.”
Ignoring him, Mulan turned to Kang. “Isn’t there anyone you trust nearby?”
Narrowed eyes slid Mulan’s way. “You mean someone who doesn’t lie to me?”
As Mulan opened her mouth to respond, a sudden surge of power slammed through the area, wrenching startled gasps from their mouths. The entire world burst into brilliant white light, blinding them.
Covering her eyes with her hands and turning her head away, Mulan forced herself to breathe as the power pulsed and suddenly dissipated as quickly as it’d come. Lowering her hand, she frowned.
Where there was once grass and river and trees, a wall of dirt now stood, as if a giant knife had simply sliced through the earth. An earthy scent tinged the air.
Mulan slowly turned, following the dirt wall. A small table and chairs stood beside the wall; a large bed low on the ground covered with furs and cushions sat in the corner, bathed in shadows. Lifting her head upwards, she expected to see sky, but only saw the roots of trees poking through a dirt ceiling. Confusion swam through her. It seemed as if they were in an underground home of sorts.
“Oh fuck.”
Kang’s voice slammed through the confusion and whipped Mulan around in the direction he stared at.
“It’s you.”
Twenty-Four
Shadows cloaked the figure in the far end of the underground chamber in darkness, except for two bright eyes. Slowly, the figure emerged into the dim light, revealing a beautiful young woman dressed in a long white skirt and matching jacket Mulan recognised as a banbi. Dark hair hung in a cascading waterfall over her shoulders, framing a soft jawline and full pink lips that would have made her look sweet except for the hatred burning in her eyes.
“What are you doing here?” Mulan couldn’t fail to hear the ice in his tone.
“I thought that was your voice, Ao Kang,” the woman replied with false pleasantness. “It woke me from my sleep. At first, I thought I was dreaming. But no, there you were, just a few meters above my head.”
Kang snorted. “I guess my dreams came true, then. I finally get to kill you.”
A silver dagger suddenly appeared in her hand. “Oh no, pretty boy. The only one dying here today is you.”
Mulan’s heart began to thump in her chest at his words. “Want to explain to the rest of us what is going on?”
“Meet Jiangnu, a huli jing.”
“A fox spirit?” Daocheng asked, his words mixed with wonder and trepidation.
Mulan frowned. She’d heard of such creatures but had never imagined she’d come face to face with one.
Then again, when had she ever imagined falling for a dragon prince?
“Don’t get too close unless you want her to suck out your souls like she did with my friend. Within three weeks he looked no better than a corpse.”
A piercing wail erupted from Jiangnu’s mouth as she suddenly lunged forward, her dagger lashing through the air. “It was your fault Wan died, not mine!”
Kang easily evaded her movements, his arms knocking her weapon away from his face as she continued to fly at him. “How dare you say Wan’s death was my doing. I saw you, drinking his soul that night. You’d been stealing his lifeforce for weeks!”
“I was only doing what he asked me to.” Jiangnu kicked him twice in the face.
He dodged her next move to the side in a fluid motion. “Your type are such liars. Wan would never ask you to take his soul.”
Jiangnu let loose a frustrated yelp as her dagger swirled through the air at his face. “I wasn’t taking his soul. I was sharing my lifeforce with him.” Her leg swung up as Kang ducked, missing his head. “It takes a month to complete the ritual.” Her fist struck out and the silver dagger sliced through cloth, barely missing the skin beneath. “Another few days and he would’ve lived forever.” Jumping high, she planted a foot in his chest, sending him crashing into the far wall. “But you had to come in and try and kill me before I could complete it. You killed Wan. Not me.”
Kang sank to the ground, his face twisted in pain and a grunt slipping from his mouth. Mulan sank to her knees beside him. The slight tremor to his knees revealed the truth; he was too weak to fight. Shifting forms, the battle at the bridge, plus the temple of torture had affected him. He needed to rest. “What are you doing here, anyway?” he gritted through clenched teeth, his eyes narrowing. “I thought I sent you back to the Land of Green Hills?”
Keeping her eyes on him, Jiangnu pulled out a crystal-clear orb from her sleeve. Even from where she stood, Mulan could feel the magic that encased it. Rolling it around her palm, Jiangnu drew in a deep breath. “You did. It’s taken me two years to make my way back, through wind and rain, snow and deserts. Hunters nearly killed me twice, believing the old tales that consuming a fox’s heart could prevent them from being poisoned. But I persevered. Do you want to know how?” She took a step forward, pure rage creeping further into the lines of her face. “By imagining how far I could bury this dagger into your cold, dark heart.”
Mulan rose to her feet and faced her. “I’m sure Kang didn’t know what was going on back then, but this won’t bring your lover back.”
For the first time, Jiangnu glanced at her, as if she’d never noticed anyone else stood in the room. “Who are you?”
Raising her chin, Mulan fixed a hard stare at her. “I’m the only one who gets to hit Kang today. And believe me, I’ve come close. Put the knife down before you get hurt.”
Her snort was rich and derisive. “I’m centuries older than you, mortal. Do you really think you beat me? Stand aside and once I’m done, I’ll send you back to the surface. Refuse, and I’ll kill you all where you stand.”
Anger swelled in Mulan’s chest as she shook her head. “No.”
She paused and chewed her lip. “So be it.”
Mulan sucked in a breath as Jiangnu rushed at her. There was no grace in her movements, just a burst of speed and fury. Her eyes followed the silver glint of the dagger as it arced through the air. Mulan ducked and side-swept her foot, but instead of forcing the fox spirit to the ground, it only sent her stumbling.
Huyanti rushed forward, his face determined but as Mulan swirled around, Jiangnu had already sent him flying into the far corner. From the ceiling, wads of dirt came sailing down, clogging the air and sending someone somewhere into a fit of coughing.
The dagger cut through the space in front of Mulan’s face and a hard kick to the knee forced her to the ground with a heavy grunt. Catching a glimpse of cloth and a clenched fist barrelling towards Jiangnu’s face it, too, suddenly disappeared out of sight.
Using the distraction to her advantage, Mulan kicked into reflex.
Jumping to her feet, she kicked out, striking Jiangnu in the back with such force it sent her staggering forward. The sharp clang of metal on the hard floor told her the other woman had dropped the dagger. By the time she’d turned around, Kang was at her side, Daocheng and Zong flanking him.
The fox spirit’s eyes narrowed into slits. The crystal orb glittered in her hand and Mulan wondered how she hadn’t dropped it. “Vengeance shall be mine.” Pulling her arm back, she flung the orb towards them.
Heartbeat accelerating and not thinking, Mulan shoved Kang out of the firing line, slamming into Zong and Daocheng. All three went crashing to the floor with a mighty thud.
Looking up, Mulan gasped. Overhead, a shimmering iridescent light stretched in all directions, encasing her in some kind of giant bubble. Power emanated from it, and tiny sparks shot from its surface.
“Damn it, damn it, damn it!” Jiangnu’s curses whipped Mulan’s head around. The other woman’s face was a mask of uncontrolled fury. “Why did you have to get in my way, you annoyi
ng brat!”
A low growl resonated through the air. “Don’t call her an annoying brat,” Kang spat. He rose to his feet shakily, his features tight as his gaze flickered between her and Mulan. Emotions gathered in his eyes like storms.
A long pause stretched as Jiangnu glanced from Mulan to Kang and back again. “Oh? Am I sensing a connection between the two of you? Has the cold-hearted dragon finally found love?”
Dread slithered up Mulan’s spine at the iciness of her tone. Slowly, she backed away only to find she couldn’t penetrate the bubble. “Kang?”
“Don’t worry. The spell won’t last for long.”
A thin, almost unnoticeable hint of a smile curved on Jiangnu’s lips. “But long enough.”
With a piercing shriek eerily reminiscent of a fox, Jiangnu ran towards Mulan. Arms flashed forward with deadly speed, forcing Mulan to duck to avoid being struck. A flurry of jabs and kicks sent Mulan scurrying back as far as she could. Dark eyes glittered with murderous intent. “You know, this could be better than killing Kang. He kills my one true love, I kill his.”
Mulan rolled as a fist careened towards her face, and swept her leg outwards, taking Jiangnu to the ground this time. Her bare foot to the huli jing’s face didn’t do much save for smearing her with mud.
As Jiangnu jumped to her feet, Mulan leapt up, swinging her leg around, encircling the other woman’s neck. They hit the floor with a thud, and pain rolled through Mulan’s back as she slammed onto the ground. More dirt fell from the ceiling, hitting the magical shield with a hiss.
Mulan barely had time to open her eyes before Jiangnu was on her, her hands around her throat. Sharp fingernails dug into the tender flesh, sending ribbons of red-hot pain through her. Bony knees clasped her waist and the scent of roses assaulted her nostrils.
“Get off her!” Daocheng’s frantic shouts penetrated through the pounding of her heartbeat in her ears.
“The spell. It’s weakening.” Mulan recognised Chuo’s voice, but it sounded distant.
“Kang took my life away from me when he killed Wan,” Jiangnu said, her tone thick and angry as she dug her fingers in. “I’m going to take away his so he knows just what it’s like.”
Mulan’s hands grasped Jiangnu’s, trying to pry her fingers away, but they were too strong. Dark spots danced before her eyes and her lungs screamed for air. Knowing she had to do something before she slipped into unconsciousness, she bucked and writhed but nothing she did threw Jiangnu off.
She was going to die, with Kang and the others watching.
At least she would join her ancestors. Perhaps they would welcome her with open arms. Maybe they’d scold her for disobeying her parents.
Darkness crept in at the corners of her eyes. Her lungs burned in her chest.
I love you, Kang.
Then suddenly the pressure disappeared, and the crushing weight lifted. Mulan gasped, sucking in one mouthful of air after the after as the dark spots dissipated and her vision cleared.
Strong fingers dug into her arms and all she could see were dark eyes. “Mulan. Can you speak? How badly are you hurt?”
Mulan was forced to take several more gasping breaths before she could form an answer to Kang’s questions. “I’m fine,” she managed to choke out.
Lifting her into a sitting position, Kang crushed her to his chest, his arms wrapping around her back. Damp cloth stuck to her face, but Mulan welcomed it, grateful to feel anything other than the burning sensation of being suffocated. The sweet scent of rain enveloped her, and she sank into it, embracing the warmth of his chest the pounding of his heart.
Frustrated cries ripped through the air. “What should we do with her?” Huyanti called from the other side of the chamber.
Lifting her head from Kang’s chest, but keeping her arms around his waist, Mulan glanced in his direction. Daocheng and Zong had her arms pinned to the ground, whilst Huyanti and Chuo sat on her legs, immobilising her. The splintered remains of a table and chairs lay scattered beside them.
Keeping an arm around her to steady her, Kang helped Mulan to stand. She stumbled several times, and her vision threatened to blur, but finally she managed to stand on her own. Planting a soft kiss on top of her forehead, he strode towards Jiangnu, the vein beneath his jawline twitching. “Trying to kill me is one thing. Trying to kill her is another,” he bit out in a tone like ice.
Jiangnu lifted her head, blazing venom in her dark eyes. “Go ahead and kill me. At least I’d be with Wan again.”
Mulan came to stand beside Kang and placed a hand on his arm. Something in the rawness of the fox’s voice made her pity her, even though she’d just tried to choke her to death.
Kang must have sensed it, too, for the look in his eyes morphed into one she’d not seen before. Turning back to her as the first tears fell from Jiangnu’s eyes, he shook his head. “You really did love him? I didn’t know.”
“Why should you? It’s not as if you liked me even before you found us,” she spat. “Never mind the fact that I made him happy.”
“You’re a huli jing. Your kind never brings happiness.”
“You’re a dragon. Have you never heard tales of what monsters your kind are? Why are you allowed to have love and I’m not?”
Silence fell like an executioner’s axe at her words. Mulan glanced around at her friends’ faces, none of them knowing what to say. Her throat felt tight and sore and exhaustion lined her limbs like rocks. As the others continued to hold Jiangnu down, Mulan knew whatever happened to the fox wasn’t her choice.
It was Kang’s.
As he continued to stare at Mulan, his face betraying his inability to make up his mind, Jiangnu finally slumped, her head hitting the dirt floor. “Besides, this country is about to create the nineteenth level of hell. I wouldn’t want to be around for that.”
Kang’s head twisted in Jiangnu’s direction with lightning speed. “What was that?”
“Haven’t you heard the dark whispers on the wind? There are those who search for the great ancestral cave. Even now, they ride across the country, searching every nook and cranny. Some will never find it.” Her face lifted from the ground once more, her eyes dark and fearful. “But others are closer than the gods would like.”
“I’ve heard the Rouran seek to destroy it, hoping it will bring the downfall of the Tuoba.”
“They do, but not in the way you think.”
“What do you mean?” Daocheng asked, his brow furrowed in confusion as he maintained his grip on her right arm.
“You really have no clue, do you?” At the sea of blank faces, Jiangnu made a derisive sound, as if trying to explain something simple to a young child. “Ancestral caves contain power. With it, anyone can bring a kingdom to its knees; I’ve seen it more than once over the centuries.” Mulan frowned. Exactly how old was she? “The Rouran may want to destroy it, but Emperor Taiwu wants the power for himself. He’s been searching for it for years.”
Kang walked over until he loomed above her. At his sides, his fists balled tight enough to turn his knuckles white. “What do you know about that?”
“Enough,” she replied, her tone hard. “Tongues are loose in the city, particularly around pretty girls.” Kang’s snort echoed loud and hard. “But I also know finding the cave is only the first step.”
Mulan stepped forward, her forehead creased with lines. “What’s the second?”
“The seal.”
“What seal?” Kang demanded.
Jiangnu shot him a look that informed him of how dumb she thought he was. “The Jade Emperor’s seal. Ancestral caves are made of two parts. The outer cave anyone can find if you know where to look. People have, in the past. But deep inside, there’s another section. The heart of the cave. If you want to open it, you need that seal.”
The fox’s words sent a thought to the forefront of her brain. If they could find the seal, they could hide it, thus preventing the Rouran from obliterating the Tuoba kingdom. It may give us leverage over Prince Jizi as wel
l.
Kang’s fist shot out and he grasped Jiangnu’s throat in his fingers so hard her gasp bounced off the dirt walls. He loomed over her, blocking out the others. “Where is it?” Bulging eyes stared back at him in defiance. Kang squeezed harder. “Tell me or I’ll choke you until you’re on the brink of death then allow you to breathe for the briefest of moments. We’ll do that all night until you tell me what I need to do. Now nod if you want to avoid all that.”
After the longest of pauses, causing Mulan’s heart to flutter in her chest, Jiangnu finally gave the smallest of nods. Releasing his hand, Kang straightened.
The fox’s gasps resonated through the air. “I don’t know where it is, but you may want to talk to the Black Warrior. I’ve heard he knows more about the seal.”
Kang groaned and rubbed a hand over a weary face.
Mulan’s frown etched deep lines over her brow. “Who’s the Black Warrior?”
Huyanti released a heavy sigh. “Xuan Wu.”
“I don’t know him.”
“But by the looks of it, your prince does,” Jiangnu laughed.
Mulan turned a curious head in his direction. “Do you?”
Nodding, a grim expression painted his features. “Unfortunately. A slimy bastard who likes his own way. Get him to promise he won’t hurt you and he won’t. Doesn’t mean he won’t let his pets rip you to shreds.” Mulan raised her brows and waited for more. “He hates me.”
Mulan sighed, her shoulders slumping. “It seems a lot of people hate you. What happened?”
“I hit him when he insulted my mother. Broke one of his teeth.”
Great. Just great.
“Any chance he’s the forgiving type?” Chuo asked, his tone sceptical.
Kang shook his head. “Not likely.”
Frustration boiled in Mulan’s gut. “But we’re still going to visit him, right?”
“Of course.” The corners of his mouth curved upwards into a wicked smile as he stared down at Jiangnu. “And she will lead the way.”
Twenty-Five
Honour, She Obeys Page 27
