Page 69 of The Cinders

Master Chen.Mandarin Feng’s shoemaker.

He lifted the edge of his grey robe, the same shade as that of his hair, and made his way down three steps, out into the sparse garden at the front of his residence.

Lim watched with dismay as he made his way to the slipper; where it lay glinting like a fallen star, half hidden beneath an azalea bush.He didn’t realise he’d leaned forward until Jang Ming dragged him back.‘Stay still.’

‘Master Chen, do you recognise that shoe?’Captain Duan called, and Lim ducked his head, his queue’s weight dragging up his spine.‘Has this thief stolen it from you?’

Lim fumed at the insult, but didn’t dare open his mouth.

Master Chen picked up the slipper; doing so with some reverence.He lifted it with both hands, blowing softly at a dried leaf from the azalea, caught on the facets of the fabric.

Lim’s stomach twisted to see the slipper in hands that were not his own.

‘Stolen this shoe?’Master Chen’s eyes never left the slipper, though he narrowed them against the darts of intense light coming from the slipper as it was raised.

‘Yes, that shoe,’ the captain growled.‘But you are either too fond of your own work, or you’ve never seen that shoe before.It’s not yours, is it?’

‘I am loathe to say it, but no, this is not mine.’Chen turned the slipper this way and that, sending sparks of light dancing over the face of the guard who stood nearest to him.‘This fabric…it is unlike anything I’ve ever—’

‘Spare me your effusing, Chen,’ said Captain Duan.‘I’ve no time for so trivial a thing as this.’

Chen lowered the slipper from where he’d held it raised towards the weakening sun.‘Trivial?You can look on this shoe and say such things?’

‘Yes.I have more important things to do than stand gazing at a shoe.’

The shoemaker huffed a laugh; his lack of concern at the captain’s rising temper suggested the pair were well acquainted.‘Really?Then you shall not care if I don’t hurry to complete those xiuhuaxie you ordered so recently for the lady you hope to—’

‘Chen, you’d do well not to test me.Not today.’A rumbling threat came from the captain.‘The thief will tell us soon enough which guest he has stolen this from.Give me the shoe.Now.’

‘But I—’

‘Now, Chen.’A thunder-clapped sky could not have been more overbearing.

The shoemaker sighed.‘Fine.Take it.’

Lim forgot everything of his situation.He’d not allow that shoe within an inch of Captain Duan’s hold.

‘No!It is not yours to take.’He raised his head, and despite knowing how stupid a move it was, Lim turned to face the captain.‘Don’t touch it.’

Jang Ming let out a soft moan, but made no move to force Lim to turn about.

Captain Duan stood a decent way back from where Lim was held, as though he’d been about to return to other duties; a pity an idiotic shoemaker had just given him reason to stay.The man’s uniform was a deeper blue than his guards, with the white edging on his jacket thicker and his shoulders embellished with gold medallions.

Duan’s gaze narrowed.‘Bring him to me.’

Lim let Jang Ming lead him forward.

The indomitable captain was as large as Lim recalled, but he’d not noticed in Kunming how much like flint stones the man’s eyes were.

Captain Duan stepped closer, casting an impressive shadow.Lim braced, half-ready for a punch or kick.The sense of coiled tension this man held was certainly something he recalled from their encounter.

A muscle in the captain’s jaw ticked.‘You.’

‘You know him?’Master Chen asked.

‘Oh yes, I know him.’The words slipped from the man, ugly and tight.‘He is the shoemaker who thought it was his place to interrupt my conversation with the prince.’He loomed over Lim, as he had done with Xian that day.Lim used the memory to steel himself.

‘Forgive me.From where I stood it seemed I interrupted your attempt to impose yourself upon a man of royal blood.’Lim met Duan’s eyes of stone unflinching; his blood afire, but his thoughts screaming at him to shut up.