by Alice Wilde
“Summoned us?”
“Yes.”
“We’re not demons,” Li insists.
“You make that very hard to believe,” Longwei says with a click of his tongue. “First, you and the red devil emerge from the forest in the midst of a storm, and now, as if by magic, you’ve multiplied within my own halls. And look what you’ve done to my door. No human could do that.”
“We’re not demons.”
“Then what are you?”
“We’re…”
“They’re my bodyguards,” I interject.
Longwei looks at me in shock. “You speak our tongue?”
“Yes.”
“Witch! Sorceress! Goddess,” members of the townsfolk whisper and hiss.
“Silence!” Longwei shouts. “Bodyguards you say? Why do you need bodyguards?”
“Because I’m a queen in danger.”
The room grows painfully quiet and then Longwei bursts into laugher. “You? A queen? Madness! What would a white queen be doing wandering around this part of the world…in my forest?”
“I know what this sound like—”
“I doubt that very much,” Longwei says. “Demons and spirits rarely understand the way the mortal realm works.”
“Let me explain,” I snap. Everyone shuts their mouths in shock. “I’m not here of my own desire, but to climb Heaven’s Gate.”
“Climb Heaven’s Gate?” one of the villagers gasps.
“Yes.”
“Impossible,” Longwei says with a dismissing wave of his hand. “No one climbs Heaven’s Gate and returns.”
“Because of the dragons?” I ask quietly.
Longwei’s eyes snap to me nervously. “No, of course not!”
We stare at each other for a long moment, and I can tell I’ve hit a nerve. “Then why?”
“Because,” he starts, “the mountain is crawling with dangerous wild animals, cliffs, and unpredictable weather.”
“And dragons,” I insist.
His jaw clenches at this and then he laughs, the sound hollow and cold.
“Silly girl.” Longwei turns back to address the crowd. “It’s clear to me that we are not dealing with demons.”
The crowd groans in disappointment.
“It is clear to me that this is merely a case of travel-weary madness. I’ve seen it firsthand many times in my warrior days. Please, all of you, return to your tasks. I will handle things and send them on their way as soon as possible. Guards.”
The guards turn and start working the mass of people back out through the hall as Longwei looks over his shoulder at us. “Come with me.”
He sweeps down the hall and I start to follow after him when Roan grabs my shoulder. “What’s happening, lass?”
“I’m not entirely sure,” I whisper, “but he’s asked us to follow him. It seems mentioning the dragons struck a chord with him.”
“Do you think that’s wise?”
“Nothing about this situation is wise,” I respond. “However, he did tell the crowd that we are not demons, so that’s something.”
“What do you think Li?” Roan asks.
“There’s definitely something odd going on around here, but I’ll leave the decision as to what to do next up to Annalise.”
Ero, Roan and Li look at me questioningly. I know Ero and Roan have no desire to stay here a moment longer, but my own curiosity has already taken hold and I have to find out what’s going on.
“We’re going to talk to him,” I say, spinning back around and hurrying to catch up with Longwei. Li quickly steps into stride with me, Roan and Ero following reluctantly behind.
The guards have already made quick work of the crowd by the time we step out of the holding cell area, but Longwei doesn’t lead us down through the town. Instead, he takes a sharp turn and we squeeze down a narrow alley between two of the tall buildings. The small pathway opens up on the other side to a stone stairway carved into a hill nestled behind the backs of the buildings. We climb the stairs single file to the top where a long, rope bridge has been hung over the cliff’s edge and connects to a secluded, ornate building nestled on the far side.
Longwei steps onto the bridge, but I stop at the edge of the cliff watching as the bridge sways back and forth from his movements.
“Hurry,” Longwei orders, but my mouth has gone dry, my stomach twisting at the thought of walking across the volatile contraption.
“We can turn back now if you want,” Li says in a soft voice.
“No, I just need a moment.”
I draw in a steadying breathe, grabbing the rope barriers on either side, and then take a nervous step forward. Step by step, I make my way further onto the bridge. It isn’t until I reach the middle that sudden, intense swaying causes me to stumble forward. My stomach twists painfully inside me and I retch over the side of the bridge as the wood creaks beneath me.
“Are you okay, lass?” Roan calls worriedly to me.
I look up, unable to answer him only to realize all three of them are standing in the middle of the bridge with me.
“What are you doing!” I shriek. They look at me questioningly. “What are you all doing on the bridge together?”
“We’re following you,” Ero says.
“You’re going to break it!”
“The bridge is perfectly safe,” Li says. “We would know by now if it was going to break.”
I glare at them, no wonder the bridge was moving so chaotically.
“Alright, enough of this,” Ero says, pushing past Roan and Li and sending my heart leaping up into my chest as the bridge sways and they lean over the edge precariously. “Let’s get this over with.”
“Don’t you dare,” I warn as I realize all too late what he means.
Ero ignores me, I scream in terror as he plucks me from the wooden panels and bends me over his shoulder before continuing on across the bridge. Before I have enough time to be sick or pass out, we’re once again standing on solid ground and Ero sets me down.
“See, nothing to be afraid of.”
I glare up at him. I’d give him a piece of my mind if my mouth wasn’t so dry and my legs weren’t shaking to kingdom come.
Li and Roan join us, Roan opens his mouth to say something but is interrupted by Longwei urging us onward.
“We’ll talk later,” I say, steadying myself and following after Longwei.
He pushes open the outer gate and we step into a small lattice-covered courtyard. A large circular door is set in the wall opposite us, two large stone platforms sit on either side of it, but there aren’t any guards or servants to be seen.
“Shut the gate,” Zhen Longwei says, and Li turns around and does so. As soon as it’s shut, Longwei pulls out a gold key hung on a chain around his neck from beneath his clothes and slips it into the keyhole. The door clicks open and then slides apart, split down the middle in a wave-like pattern.
Longwei steps aside and gestures for us to enter first.
“Wait,” Roan says, stepping forward. “This could be another trap, have him go in first.”
Li presses his lips together as if trying to decide whether or not to say anything, but then he looks at Longwei. “After you, my lord.”
“Very well,” Longwei says before stepping inside.
Li gives Roan a look, but he just shrugs as we step through the doorway together. The room beyond is almost blinding. Everything appears to be made of gold. Longwei slides the door shut behind us, and we all jump slightly as it clicks together.
“What nightmare have we just walked into?” Roan breathes.
My own mind is drawing blank with confusion as I try to make sense of what I’m seeing. How is it possible that anyone, especially in such a remote village, could have this much gold? Even Li is baffled by the decor. Only Ero looks unfazed by it all.
“So, why are we here?” Ero asks, raising an eyebrow as he turns to us.
“Why indeed,” Longwei says, startling us all as he answers in a tongue we can all under
stand. He takes a seat on a gold chair set in the center of the room. The seat is so massive that the man looks like a child in comparison.
“You can understand us then?” Roan asks apprehensively.
“I can,” Longwei says. “But I prefer not to reveal myself to strangers at first glance.”
“Why have you brought us here?” Li asks.
“So that we can speak candidly.”
“Then speak,” Ero says bluntly.
Longwei gives him a displeased look and then turns his gaze on me. “You. What did you say your name was?”
“Annalise.”
“Annalise,” he muses, letting my name roll over his tongue. “You’re a pretty one, aren’t you?”
“She’s married,” Roan interrupts hastily.
“Did I ask?” Longwei snaps. “Your hair, it’s like gold.”
“I suppose it is,” I answer, somewhat taken aback by the remark. “Zhen Longwei, what is it exactly that you want to discuss with us?”
“Hmm? Oh, yes,” he says, shaking his head and pressing his fingers together in front of his face. “I want to know what you’ve heard about Heaven’s Gate and these supposed…dragons.”
“We don’t know much,” Li says.
“Let the girl speak,” Longwei barks.
I bite my lip nervously, trying to remember any details that might be important. “Li is right. We don’t know much. All I’ve heard is that an ancient dragon resides at the top of Heaven’s Gate…and that if he deems us worthy, he might be willing to help us on our quest.”
“Quest?”
I look up at Li and the others questioningly, wondering how much I should divulge to this strange ruler living in the middle of nowhere. Roan is glaring at Longwei, Li’s expression is perplexed and seems to be trying to figure something out, and Ero is simply looking around the room. I decide to tell the truth, sparing as much detail as possible.
“I was telling the truth when I told you that I’m a queen. We’ve been journeying for quite some time in search of people willing to help me take back my kingdom.”
“Then you aren’t a queen,” Longwei says, leaning back in his chair.
“I am.”
“If you don’t have a kingdom, how can you be a queen?”
“Because…because the man who stole it from me is my husband,” I reply, the words tasting like poison in my mouth, however true they may be.
“Ah, now this is interesting,” he says, leaning forward in his chair once again, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. “So, these bodyguards of yours… I’m going to assume you’ve slept with them all.”
“How dare you,” Roan growls.
“I see I have my answer,” Longwei chuckles darkly. “I’m guessing there’s no love lost when it comes to your husband then.”
“No,” I say through gritted teeth. “He murdered my father and stole my life along with those of my people.”
“Let’s not go getting dramatic.”
“I’m not being dramatic,” I say, taking a step toward him. “That beastly man forced me to marry him, murdered my father, and stole my kingdom…and he’s not stopping there. If he gets his way, the whole world will be his before long.”
The smug smile that had been growing on Longwei’s face as he listened to me dims, and he tilts his head to the side as if looking at me in a new light.
“This man,” Longwei says cautiously, “how does he intend to conquer the world?”
“I don’t know, but—”
“Black magic,” Ero interjects. “I’ve seen some of it with my own two eyes.”
“Have you now?” Longwei asks. “Was this before or after you went blind in one?”
“You damn—”
“Before,” Li interrupts, placing a hand against Ero’s chest before he can rush the strange man. “Forgive his temper when it comes to talking about these things, but Damien killed all his men with shadow magic.”
“He’s killing a lot more than just my men,” Ero snarls.
“Black magic,” Longwei murmurs to himself. “That would explain a lot.”
“Explain what?” Roan asks.
Longwei looks up at us as if he’d almost forgotten we were still there. “Recent events.”
The four of us look at each other uncertainly.
“What events, my lord?” Li probes.
“The real reason I called you here,” Longwei says, glancing around the room as if checking to make sure no one is listening, “is because I need you to deal with a problem for me.”
“Why should we?” Ero scoffs.
“Because I know the dragon you’re looking for, and how to find him.”
“How do we know you’re telling the truth?” Roan asks.
“I have a dragon scale to prove it,” Longwei says, standing and walking over to a small box set to one side of the room. He opens the box and pulls something out before motioning us over. “See for yourself.”
We gather around to look and, sure enough, he’s holding what looks like a huge fish scale the size of his hand. It glimmers in the light, both opalescent and no particular color at all. Longwei shifts his hand slightly and the scale shifts rapidly between colors with every movement, even disappearing entirely at one point before the light catches it again.
“Is it really a dragon’s scale?” I ask, directing my question at Li.
“It appears so,” Li murmurs. “It matches what little I’ve ever read about them.”
“Okay. Then what is it you want us to do?”
“Simple. Find and return my Nian,” Longwei says, replacing the scale with a peculiar smile.
Six
Annalise
“Nian?” I ask, looking back and forth between Li and Longwei, mystified by the request and Li’s horrified expression.
“You’re not being serious, are you?” Li asks, ignoring my question.
“Wholeheartedly.”
“Can one of you pull your head out of your ass and explain what’s going on?” Ero stresses angrily.
Once again, Li ignores our questions. “Zhen Longwei, I need you to tell me precisely what’s going on around here.”
“There’s not much to say. Something woke them, and they escaped.”
“It’s not even the right time of year,” Li says, his brows drawing together as he watches Longwei languidly walk back to the huge gold chair.
“Which is exactly why no precautions were taken to keep them at bay,” he says, slumping down in his seat.
“And if we choose not to help?”
“Then you might as well forget ever finding this dragon of yours.”
“Come on, Li,” Ero growls. “We don’t need this prick to find a dragon.”
“Wait,” I say. “Before we rush into making any decisions, I need to know more about these Nian.”
Li sighs deeply. “The Nian usually only appear around the new year, if at all. You may have noticed the two stone platforms outside the entrance earlier. I thought it was odd that they were empty, but if what Longwei says is true…then that is where these creatures once stood.”
“I don’t understand.”
“They were frozen in stone,” Longwei explains, “meant as protectors over the village.”
“So, they’re statues?” Roan asks.
“They were statues, at least until a few weeks ago. One night the village was suddenly in an uproar,” Longwei continues. “When I went out to check, I immediately noticed the Nian were no longer at their posts. By the time I arrived in the village square chaos was already rampant, several children had been stolen while playing outside the village and dragged off into the forest. By the time their screams were heard, they were already gone, and no one saw who…or what took them.”
“Explains why everyone thinks we’re demons,” Roan scoffs.
“Why haven’t you told them the truth?” I ask.
“Tell them?” Longwei says with a biting laugh. “I’m no fool. How do you think they’d react knowing those beasts are r
oaming the forest? As far as they know, you’re the demons who took their children.”
“Why don’t you get your so-called dragon friend to help?” Ero questions, and we all look at him curiously, the question surprisingly pertinent.
“And leave the villagers to fend for themselves,” Longwei retorts. “No, it’s quite impossible. I’m already having a hard-enough time coming up with ways to ward off the Nian without raising suspicion. Now, are you going to help me with this favor or not? Night is coming and I need to start preparations before the Nian awake.”
“We still don’t know—”
“We’ll do it,” Li says, interrupting me.
I glare at him. Why were they all making these decisions without me?
“Very good, but I have one more condition.”
“Which is?”
“The girl stays here.”
“Never,” Roan growls.
“How else am I to make sure you follow through with your end of the deal?”
“Not going to happen,” Roan says, his voice low and threatening.
“Then I suppose I’ll have to let the town know you really are the demons who took their children.”
“Not if we kill you first,” Ero snarls, his hands balling into fists and his lip curling up into a snarl.
“Oh, I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Longwei says without so much as flinching.
“And why not?”
“You’d never get out of here alive.”
“We’ll see—”
“Ero,” Li shouts, startling us all. “Calm down. We’ll do it, but we’re not leaving Annalise here alone.”
“It’s no skin off my nose,” Longwei says with a shrug. “If you think you can track down and capture two Nian with just two of you.”
Li presses his mouth into a straight line, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly and his jaw tensing as he tries to work out whether or not he thinks it possible.
“They’ll all go,” I speak up before he can answer. “I’ll stay here by myself.”
“No, lass, I won’t let you—”
“I’ve made my decision. You’ll all go. I’ll be fine, but I am not willing to risk sending you out against these creatures without the odds stacked in your favor.”
