Page 4 of The Dragon Wakes with Thunder (The Dragon Spirit Duology #2)

Three

The bond between spirit and summoner is a tenuous one.

The spirit draws upon the summoner’s qi, while the summoner, in turn, derives lixia from his spirit.

When this exchange is in equilibrium, a fragile harmony may be achieved.

However, when the will of one overtakes and subsumes the other, the balance is disrupted, and it is in such moments that spirits often seize full control.

Freedom. I took my first tentative step out of the dungeons and felt all blood rush to my face.

Sunlight streamed in through the windows above, painfully brilliant and warm.

I could hear trees rustling in the wind, and the distant sound of laughter.

Footsteps, everywhere, echoing. The clink of porcelain, the chime of bells, the scent of linen and lavender, of cleanness, of wholeness—of everything I was not.

My head felt as if it were cleaving in two.

I staggered to a halt and my many guards went still, tensing as if I might suddenly breathe fire or grow a tail.

I wanted to laugh at their fear, but instead my knees buckled and I collapsed beneath my own weight, covering my ears as the stimulation became too much.

There was too much to see, to smell, to hear.

No longer surrounded by iron, I could sense lixia everywhere, but I no longer possessed an outlet to channel it.

I needed my seal to ground me, to keep the pain at bay.

Someone knelt by my side. “Meilin?” It was Sky. “What’s wrong?”

“My jade,” I rasped. “I need my jade. Please, Sky.”

“I-I can’t,” he said. “My father ordered—”

“Her heart,” said another voice, as cold fingers checked my pulse, “it’s failing.”

“Perhaps…should she wear iron?” Sky’s voice was unsure.

I heard Winter reply, but I could no longer make sense of sound. The pounding in my head built to a crescendo. I gasped as the pain reached greater heights, until it was too much to bear. I fainted.

“She’s reached an inflection point in her addiction.” I woke groggily, struggling to rise from my stupor. “She likely can no longer function without a seal, which channels her black magic.”

“What do you mean, ‘function’?” demanded Sky.

The other man cleared his throat. “With physical dependence, the body adapts to the presence of a drug, until withdrawal becomes lethal. Simply put, without a seal, she will die.”

The silence that followed felt like a living creature, impulsive and impossible to predict. At last, Sky said, “Ge, do you think we could tell Father—”

“You are not a fool, Di Di.” His high, lilting voice was like the sound of wind chimes. Liu Winter, the sixth prince of Anlai. “Do not act like one.”

“She’d wear iron at all times.” I could hear the pleading note in Sky’s voice. “The iron would counteract all spirit power. She wouldn’t be a threat—”

“Telling him the truth will only sentence her to death.” Winter sighed. “You know how he is. There is no reason to his fear.” His voice changed directions. “You may go. Do you remember the terms of our agreement?”

“Of course, Your Highness,” said the other man. “Your secret is safe with me.”

They said their goodbyes, which were followed by the sound of a sliding door. “Brother,” Sky whispered, his voice wretched. “Help me.”

“I did warn you—”

“I know!” Sky growled, his sorrow morphing into anger. He was like that: never one to brood over sadness.

“Have you spoken with the Ximing prince?” Winter’s voice came out thoughtful. “He may prove useful. Particularly when it comes to her.”

Sky’s reply was blunt. “I want nothing to do with him.”

“Father cannot be reasoned with, not in his current state. But his condition does provide some benefits, does it not? He has become quite negligent, particularly with the state’s treasures…”

I was in the depths of the sea, and there was no light to guide me out. I searched and searched, but I could not find the surface of the water. Each time, I drowned.

“It was no trouble.” Cao Ming Lei? His voice was so low it was hard to make out. “But keep this between us, will you?”

“Of course,” replied Winter. “I doubt my father will find out anytime soon, given his current preoccupations and the caliber of the forgery. Still…I hope you did not leave a trail.”

Lei said something else, but the waves were calling me.

And then, a light. Piercing the darkness, the depths of the sea.

Emboldened, I swam toward it, up and up and up.

The azure light grew stronger, and with it, a growing awareness of my own body.

I sensed the fragrance of lavender in the air, the hushed voices whispering about me, and the familiar weight of a warm, pulsating stone. And then—I broke free.

I woke with a gasp, trying to shoot upright in bed only to find my arms tied down. I opened my mouth but my throat was too parched to make a sound.

“You’re awake.” Sky sat by my bed, face haggard and worn. To himself: “It actually worked.”

I struggled against my bonds, and he seemed to remember himself, untying the ropes that bound me to the bed. “I’m sorry. You weren’t…yourself. I didn’t want you to get hurt.”

He brought a cup of water to my lips, and I drank greedily, as if I hadn’t had water in days. I sat up, feeling as if I could breathe again. It was as if a long-borne weight had suddenly been lifted off my chest, and now I was free.

But of course, I thought, looking down. A necklace was tucked beneath my tunic. Though it was cleverly ornamented to appear like a graduated string of imperial jade beads, I could tell one piece of jade was not like the others. It was my seal.

I exhaled in sweet, utter relief.

“Don’t tell anyone,” said Sky. “You’re technically not supposed to have it. But we figured no one will notice, given the current state of things.”

“What state of things?” I asked, feeling like myself again for the first time in weeks, if not months. “What’s going on?”

“Father…he’s—”

“Di Di, I knew I’d find you here.” Winter popped his head through the door, sounding, for once, less than calm. “Let’s go. Sorry, Meilin, we’re horrendously late.”

“I’ll explain later,” said Sky, squeezing my hand before racing after his brother.

In the ensuing silence, I marveled at how much better my body already felt.

While unfamiliar bruises covered my body and a shallow burn mark marred the back of my hand, I felt more whole than I had in months.

I got to my feet gingerly, and found, to my delight, I could now stand without losing my balance.

My vertigo, which had followed me everywhere like a faithful shadow, was no more.

“My lady, would you like to bathe?”

I was startled to find a moonfaced girl standing in the doorway, dressed in a blossom-pink gown with flowers pinned up in her long shining hair.

“Who are you?” I asked.

“I’m your maidservant, Lotus. And that’s Lily.”

Lily bowed. She had a face as angular as Lotus’s was plump. She was tall while Lotus was short, somber faced while Lotus smiled continually. And yet, by their easy manner with each other, I guessed they were close friends.

“We’re honored to serve an esteemed guest of the prince’s,” said Lily.

“I’m not a…” I trailed off, blushing. “I’d love a bath.”

The bath they drew up was warm and scented with rose petals.

My rooms were airy and spacious, with floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the Resting Cloud Pavilion and the nine-turn bridge.

I dozed while they combed and pinned my hair, then applied cosmetics to my face.

By the time they were done with me, I was unrecognizable even to myself.

My hair had grown long and unruly in the dungeons, but now it had been combed and pinned up in the shape of a flying crane, adorned with pearl and jade hairpins that chimed every time I moved my head.

They’d dressed me in fluttering silk robes that billowed out behind me as I walked, their sleeves so long they swept the floor, concealing the two slim iron bands encircling my wrists.

The dress was a light green to match the jade in my hair, with intricately fine hyacinth embroidered in silver thread on the bodice.

“I can’t wait for the prince to see you like this,” said Lotus conspiratorially. “Perhaps he’ll propose on the spot.”

My face turned red, which made her giggle. “Do you know where the princes are?” I asked, thinking of how Sky had rushed out with Winter.

“The Imperial Commander sent out an urgent summons for his children,” said Lotus. “Some suspect it is to discuss the matter of succession.”

My eyes widened. The last I’d seen him, Liu Zhuo had appeared in robust health. I was astonished that someone as power hungry as he would be willing to even consider the question.

“Is the Imperial Commander’s health in doubt?” I asked.

Lotus lowered her voice. “Some say he is not long for this world. He has not been of…sound mind, as of late.”

Did this have anything to do with Warden Hu’s line of questioning?

Were Warlord Liu’s fears of the spirit realm somehow catching up to him—were they coming true?

I recalled the Ruan seer who, at the start of the war, had given the Imperial Commander a prophecy: “ The seer told my father a spirit would spell his demise ,” Sky had said, “ and the demise of Anlai itself. ”

Was he falling mad from paranoia? Or, worse, had he somehow found a spirit of his own? I wished there were a way to request an audience with him, to ascertain his state for myself. Yet to demand to see the Imperial Commander was to risk death. No, I would have to bide my time.

Warden Hu had been particularly curious about the spirit realm gates, I recalled. He had tried to learn how to stop their numbers from increasing. And why were they appearing? Certainly, without Chancellor Sima and me, there were no more spirit summoners in our world.

Unless there were others I did not know about.

“Princess Ruihua has requested your presence. Would you like me to accompany you to her quarters?” asked Lotus.

I squinted at her, bewildered.

“The wife of the third prince,” Lily clarified. She appeared less talkative than Lotus, but more observant. “The third prince has the ear of the General Counsel—she could be a helpful ally.”

This sounded like the last thing I wished to do. But, breathing out a sigh, I said, “Please show me the way.”

Princess Ruihua’s quarters lay at the far end of the Resting Cloud Pavilion, beyond the nine-turn bridge that my rooms overlooked.

In the jade-green waters below, brightly colored koi darted beneath lily pads.

The air was filled with the sweet fragrance of mung bean soup, mingling with the crisp scent of fading autumn.

“Oh no,” muttered Lotus, as another party approached ours up ahead. They paused for us at the end of the nine-turn bridge, which was too narrow to allow more than one group to pass at a time.

The lady at the end of the bridge was accompanied by an entourage of half a dozen.

Though my own head ached with the weight of my accessories, this lady wore twice the amount of jewelry I did and held her head as regally as a heron surveying her land.

Her hair was twisted and looped in the style of twin butterflies, and her headpiece was made of lapis lazuli, which accentuated her large glittering eyes.

“That is Princess Li Yi Fan, the wife of the crown prince,” Lotus whispered to me. “Her courtesy name is Yifeng.”

Princess Yifeng nodded at me, so I inclined my head in return. At this, her eyes narrowed like an attack dog’s and I knew I had somehow done wrong. Xiuying had tried to teach me proper palace etiquette, but her knowledge only went so far.

Princess Yifeng’s voice was as sweet as honey. “And this must be…”

“Hai Meilin, Your Highness.”

“Hai Meilin.” She repeated my name as if wringing out a wet rag, leaving no syllable unspent. “Newly freed from the dungeons, I see. And where are you off to in such a hurry?”

“Princess Ruihua has requested my presence, Your Highness.”

“Ruihua must suspect wedding vows to be imminent. How thrilled you must be.”

I did not know what to say, so I said nothing.

“Well, I would certainly like to be the first to congratulate you,” said Princess Yifeng. “Let me offer you an early wedding gift, so that I may share in your happiness.”

“Oh,” I said, startled. “That’s quite all right.”

“I insist.”

“There’s really no need…” I began, but my words were ignored.

Princess Yifeng jerked her head at her lady-in-waiting, who passed forward a giant basket of white leilu plums, which were only in season at the tail end of autumn.

The fruit was rare and unconventional as a wedding gift, as they were pure white in color, but I was not one to uphold custom.

“Please accept this humble token of my congratulations,” said Princess Yifeng.

The hesitation on my face must have shown, for her expression turned insidious. “It is an insult to refuse a gift, Lady Hai,” she reminded me. “I hope you are not attempting to demonstrate your true feelings toward—”

“No!” I grasped the basket, which was so heavy it made me lurch forward clumsily. “Thank you for the gift, Your Highness.”

“I hope the fruit will be found satisfactory.”

“I will enjoy it most gratefully,” I said as Lotus took the basket from me.

“Just you? And will you not share your windfall with Princess Ruihua? She has always mentioned her fondness for leilu plums, especially at this time of the year.”

“I—yes, of course,” I said, flustered. “I will offer her some when I visit.”

“Very good,” said Princess Yifeng. “I’m so glad to welcome you into the inner palace.”

Shaken, I bowed once more as Princess Yifeng stepped onto the nine-turn bridge, heading in the opposite direction.

Arriving at Princess Ruihua’s quarters, I stepped over the high threshold and bowed deeply, determined not to commit another social gaffe.

Princess Ruihua rose to meet me, lifting her skirts so that they did not trail on the floor.

She was dressed in crimson red robes, which seemed to catch and hold the lantern light.

Beneath her stunning attire and ornate jewelry, she was not particularly beautiful, though upon further reflection, I found this did not matter.

With her tasteful cosmetics and brilliant attire, she gave the appearance of beauty.

“Lady Hai, it is an honor to finally meet,” she said, before looking past me to Lotus. Her face changed. “And what is this you have brought for me?”

“Leilu plums, Your Highness, as I heard your taste—”

She closed the distance between us in two quick strides and slapped me hard across the face, so hard I tasted blood. I swallowed thickly, trying not to cough, as I heard titters behind me. “How dare you bring white mourning fruit into a home soon to welcome new life?”