Page 14 of The Dragon Wakes with Thunder (The Dragon Spirit Duology #2)

“Meilin,” Lily said sternly. “You’re hurting me.”

“ You’re a perversion ,” General Huyi had called me. “ Repulsive. ”

More often than not , I had read, the spirit will overpower its host, assuming control over the medium’s body and mind.

This obsession with the throne, with power—was it consuming me? Was I losing my sense of self? If my family saw me now, could they recognize me? Could I even recognize myself?

I released my breath, centering myself through qi gong. Painstakingly, I forced myself to let Lily go. To my shock, I saw that my hands had left bruises on her skin.

“I-I’m sorry,” I said, clutching my head. “I’m not feeling well. I need…to be alone…”

I didn’t catch her response. I turned and slammed the door to my bedchamber, then slid to the floor. My head was pounding as if someone had taken a hammer to it. What was wrong with me?

Strangely, I could not sense my own qi. All I could feel was the force of my lixia, like turbulent waves crashing against a crumbling dam.

“ Would you surrender yourself to the world, or would you make the world yours? ” It was the age-old question—the one that had led Chancellor Sima to accept the phoenix’s bargain, and me to embrace the dragon’s offer.

Because we had been hungry, dissatisfied with our lot in life.

Because we had failed to value what we already had.

I could not tell if I was awake or dreaming. “ It is inevitable. ” The voice that spoke was no stranger’s, but I could not recognize it. “ Surrender is inevitable. ”

I looked up and saw my own face, reflected back at me.

“ Give up ,” she said. “ You’re so close already. ”

Darkness closed in.

I woke abruptly, sitting upright in bed. Outside, the sky was dark.

Lily sat beside me, her eyes pensive and watchful. “Is it worth it?” she asked quietly. “Your power?”

The curiosity in her voice sent a chill through me. I seized her shoulders, before recalling my earlier outburst of violence and unhanding her. To her credit, she did not flinch. “Listen to me,” I said. “A bargain like mine cannot be undone. You’re too young.”

“Only a few years younger than you.” She scoffed. “You’d do it all again, wouldn’t you? If given the choice.”

I didn’t know how to answer her. “It’s not that simple.”

She shook her head. “My brother is a summoner, you know, of a lesser spirit.” At my stunned look, she laughed. “I know you don’t trust your spirit, but my brother trusts his. In fact, he considers her his friend.”

I said nothing. I too had been so na?ve once.

“You don’t believe me,” she said, shrugging. “Not all spirits are alike, Meilin.”

I puzzled over her words. But before I could ask more, I recalled Lei’s note.

“What time is it?” I exclaimed, panic rising. Had I missed him?

“A quarter to midnight.”

I breathed out in relief, then scrutinized Lily. Although I trusted her, I couldn’t be certain if she reported my actions to Sky.

“Please return to your room,” I said. “I sleep better alone, as you know.”

“Are you certain you wouldn’t like supper, or—”

“I’m certain. Good night, Lily.”

I waited until Lily’s footsteps had faded before dressing by candlelight, taking care not to make a sound.

Apart from one near miss with the palace patrol, I made it to the moon-viewing pavilion with no one the wiser. I could not tell the exact hour, but from the position of the moon in the sky, I felt certain I had not missed our appointment.

But where was Lei? It was not like him to be late.

And on second thought, as I observed the way the radiant moonlight shone upon the marble pavilion, offering its radiance to the half-moon bridge and the sleeping lotus pond beyond, I began to wonder why Lei had chosen such a conspicuous meeting place.

Not only was the pavilion brightly lit, but it was also highly visible, offering a clear line of sight to the surrounding palace.

The first shivers of doubt ran down my spine. What proof did I have that it had been Lei to write that note? What if it had not been the Ximing prince, but…

Cold laughter rang out from across the half-moon bridge. Dread sank like a stone in my gut as I turned to find Princess Yifeng and a contingent of her guards crossing the bridge toward me.

“Oh, Lady Hai, how you amuse me,” she said, her voice sparkling like light on water. “What a clever girl you are…until you’re not.”

I tried to back away, but there was nowhere to go. The pavilion had but one path, and even if I were to run, how could I escape the palace in my current state?

“Seize her,” Princess Yifeng ordered. This time, the guards afforded me no pretense of politeness.

One jerked my arms behind my back, while another fitted genuine iron manacles around my wrists.

I swallowed a cry as my lixia left me like a flame extinguished on a bitter cold night.

My knees buckled and I did not have the strength to keep myself upright.

I collapsed on the ground, curling into a fetal position until a guard forced me to my knees.

“Your greed is astounding,” she said, looking down at me.

“Despite breaking every rule imaginable, you still came out with everything . You had the love of the people, the love of a prince, the life every girl in Anlai can only dream of. And yet, even still you would throw it all away…” Her smile returned, but not before I saw the glimmer of jealousy in her eyes.

In a way, her machinations were a compliment. They meant she saw me as a viable threat, a key obstacle in her path to the throne.

“How insecure you must be,” I spat, jutting my chin up at her, “to see someone as insignificant as me as a threat to you, Your Highness.”

“If you wish to survive at court, darling, you must see everyone as a threat. But I don’t disagree. You are insignificant.” Her face turned emotionless. “Especially once you’re dead in the ground.”

And now real fear sluiced through me as I realized why they’d forced me to kneel. Princess Yifeng nodded at the swordsman beside her. I struggled against my captors, my vision blurring with cold terror. “N-no,” I tried to say, but my voice wasn’t working properly.

Princess Yifeng smiled at my panic. “Did you think I’d wait for your besotted prince to return home and protect you?” She raised her voice, and I wondered if others were watching. “You know the punishment for treason.” The swordsman beside her unsheathed his blade. “Death by execution.”