Trapped in the cocoon of air I buried him in, Liwei was paler than snow. I gagged, fighting the urge to release him. Yet I hardened myself; I could not stop now. My power flowed, settling over every pore of his body until he glittered with a thousand silver lights like he was cloaked in stardust. My heart ripped from me could not have hurt more; pain had lost all meaning.
His struggles weakened until his body went limp, the steady thrum of his aura fading until I could no longer sense it. Only then did I stop. My eyes were dry, though I had wept a river inside. How wretched I was, cracked and ripped and gouged, yet I refused to shatter. Sinking onto the ground, my fingers sought Liwei’s cold hand, pressing our palms together.
“I’m sorry.” A ragged whisper. “Forgive me.”
Loud clapping rang through the cavern, jarring amid my despair. It hit me then—the vile, unspeakable thing I had done. Lady Hualing wanted to hurt those who had wronged her, but I had struck down the one I still loved. In the cold light of victory, were my reasons hollow? Glazing my selfish desire to live?
My control broke. I fell away from him as though scalded; I did not deserve to touch him. Not after this, not after what I had done. My arms clasped tight around myself as I retched until my stomach clenched in protest. Sobs ripped from my throat—ugly and raw—echoing through the terrible silence.
But it was not over. I could not let all this be in vain. Gathering the remnants of my composure, I staggered to my feet. “My bow,” I said flatly to Lady Hualing.
She inclined her head. “I gave you my word. And my offer still stands. The Demon King would be pleased to have you by his side. A good mind, a strong arm and will. Someone who does what needs to be done, when the time calls for it.”
I flinched from her praise, hoping she would take it for exhaustion rather than revulsion. I had never imagined myself bloodthirsty, but I would have killed her now and rejoiced. Yet, she had spoken no lies. My hands were stained with Liwei’s blood; it had been my choice to hurt him.
“You were right,” I said, trying to lull her into a sense of false security. “There is no sense in dying for principles alone. And I will consider your offer, only because the Celestial Kingdom will no longer welcome me after this.”
When Lady Hualing nodded, a guard thrust the Phoenix Fire Bow at me. As I clutched it, a memory flashed through me—of the first time I had held it in the peach blossom forest. A lifetime ago, when I had still been whole. I turned away, stumbling toward him once more. Lifeless and shackled, he was still every inch the regal prince. How I prayed our ordeal was almost over.
“Free him.” I pointed at his manacles. The sight of them enraged me past bearing. I would do it myself, except I did not want to rouse her suspicions.
“Why?” she asked.
I looked her full in the face. “I have done what you wished, though it hurt me greatly. Prince Liwei should be laid to rest with all the ceremony he deserves. I will do him the final service of returning his body to his parents, but I will not bring him fettered like a slave. Besides, do you want this to fall into the hands of the Celestial Kingdom?” I gestured at the metal encircling his wrists.
When she did not speak, I frowned. “Did you not want Their Celestial Majesties to know what you did to their son?”
“What you did, you mean,” she taunted me with exquisite cruelty. “It would suit me well if you delivered his body to them. I only wish I were there to see it.”
She jerked her head at a soldier who hurried forward. He pressed something against Liwei’s manacles, which fell away, clattering onto the ground. At once, I dragged Liwei’s arm across my shoulders to haul him away.
“Wait.” Lady Hualing drew closer, the amethyst ring glowing on her finger. “I must drain his lifeforce as it’s fading fast. It will be quicker now, without those chains.”
My breathing quickened, I fought for calm. I would not let her defile him further. As she reached for him, I grasped my energy, bracing for release—but the air warmed, a powerful force hurling Lady Hualing away. She slammed against the stone wall, her shield winking out as bands of fire bound her. I swung around to find Liwei, staggering to his feet, the tip of his blade trailing on the ground. As three soldiers charged at him, he swung his sword in a wide arc, the blow sending them flying. A guard bolted toward me with his spear outstretched, whom I dispatched with a quick arrow to his chest.
I was shaking, my heart ablaze. It had been nothing more than a wild guess, pieced together from the little I knew. In the Eastern Sea, I had sealed my hearing to fight Governor Renyu’s compulsion—but his charm was of the voice alone and that would not have worked here. Yet the governor had spoken of death being the only release from those caught in the throes of such power. And so, to break Lady Hualing’s control over Liwei, I had sealed off every sense he possessed—bringing him to the brink of death itself. Though if I had failed, he would have died or killed me. And we would have perished for nothing.