A shiver coursed through my flesh.
But magic was not the only strength I possessed; I had lived without it before. I had tricked Wenzhi with my words and a fistful of petals, defeated a Demon prince with my powers bound. If this worked, in one stroke I could free the dragons and return with the pearls, fulfilling—in name—the bargain I had struck with the emperor. I would still have a chance of freeing my mother.
“I will do it.” My hands shook as I dropped the pearls into my pouch, knotting the cord tight. “Your Highness, I’m grateful for your assistance.” Now that the decision had been made, I was eager to proceed.
“You’ll need a weapon. A powerful one,” he said. “Blood will lift the seal and your lifeforce will open the path, but the dragons’ essence needs to be expelled from the pearls. If your weapon is too weak, you’ll drain yourself further. There’s no turning back once the enchantment is underway.” Left unspoken was his warning: you might die.
The Jade Dragon Bow was a comforting weight across my back. “Will this do?” I unslung it from my shoulder, laying it on the table before him.
Prince Yanxi traced its intricate carvings reverently. When the bow rattled at his touch, he drew away at once. “You wield the Jade Dragon Bow? How is that possible?”
“I’m not sure,” I replied honestly. “It is the bow which allows me to wield it.”
“This is why the dragons gave their pearls to you,” he said.
“They did not want to,” I confessed, the heat of my shame rising in me. “But I was tempted by their power, and arrogant in believing that I could keep them safe. I was wrong.”
I lifted the bow from the table. “Your Highness, I apologize for our haste, but we must go. Is there someplace secluded nearby, where we might summon the dragons?”
He rose to his feet. “The southern tip has a quiet stretch of land. If you have no objections, I will bring you there myself.” A wistful smile played on his lips. “I confess, I’ve long desired to see the Venerable Dragons. We might be legends to the mortals, but the dragons are legends to us all.”
Prince Yanxi’s cloud carried us to the beach, a short distance away. Hemmed in by towering cliffs and jagged rocks, it was no wonder that it was deserted despite its pristine waters. As we stood upon the white sand, I stared at the pearls in my hand. Would this work? Soon, I would find out. Drawing a deep breath, I whispered the dragons’ names to the pearls, fire flaring in their lustrous depths.
For a single heartbeat, all was still; sea and sky melding as one. With a whispering rush the waters morphed from azure to green, the waves surging higher, cresting with white foam as they raced to the shore. On the horizon, a whirlpool yawned, circling wider and wider until it threatened to swallow the ocean whole. From its depths, the four dragons shot forth, soaring into the sky. Cold water splashed over us, the drops gleaming in the sunlight. The air thrummed with their might as they landed on the beach before us, gold claws buried in the sand.
Prince Yanxi staggered back, his jaw falling open. His robes were damp, his hair sticking to his brow. As I mopped the water from my own face, I tried not to smile at the sight of the immaculate prince so disheveled and drenched.
The dragons’ immense bodies cast the beach into shadow, yet their steps were graceful and light as they prowled toward us.
The Long Dragon’s amber gaze fixed upon me, its voice reverberating in my mind. Xingyin, daughter of Chang’e and Houyi. Why did you summon us?
Prince Yanxi inhaled sharply. Had the Long Dragon spoken to us all? I shot him an apologetic look. I had been a most discourteous guest, leaving him in the dark till now.
I would have been content to stand there, drinking in the sight of the dragons in their glory—but I dared not waste any more time. “Venerable Dragons. I wish to release your spiritual essence from the pearls and return it to you. Is this what you want as well?” I spoke plainly, going to the heart of the matter.
They reared their heads, the air crackling with excitement. The Long Dragon’s voice rang between my ears. We wish this more than to swim in the sea and fly in the air. We could not ask this of you before; this sacrifice must come from a willing heart.
My chest clenched at the hope in their eyes, burning golden bright. “Then I will try.”
The dragons bent their long necks in a graceful nod, their gazes fixed hungrily on the pearls in my hand.
Prince Yanxi drew out a dagger with a lapis hilt. “Are you ready?”
I nodded, holding my palm out to him. But Liwei stepped between us, catching my wrist.