I blinked, finally recognizing him. The tall soldier who had clapped first.
His gaze slid over the azure silk of my dress, the creamy magnolias with golden centers embroidered on my skirt. A green brocade belt, shot through with silver, was tied around my waist. Tucked in my hair was the pin Liwei had gifted me.
“I apologize for not recognizing you earlier. In this dress, you look . . .” His voice trailed off, the tips of his ears reddening.
“Like a useless peacock?” I finished his sentence for him, with a grin at General Jianyun.
Captain Wenzhi did not laugh. “I meant to say, in this dress you don’t look like the warrior you are.”
His compliment filled me with unexpected pleasure. Perhaps he was not as insufferable as I had thought.
“Would you like to sit with us?” he invited.
I accepted gladly. I had just caught a glimpse of Lady Meiling’s father and was as keen to keep my distance from him as he was from me.
Our table was in the front with a clear view of the dais. There, a rosewood table was set before the white jade thrones, flanked by smaller ones on each side. Tonight, the visiting royalty were honored by being seated alongside Their Celestial Majesties, though they had yet to make an appearance.
A hush fell over the room then. The air thrummed with power as the royal family entered, everyone scrambling to fall to their knees. I lifted my head an inch to catch a glimpse of the emperor who had imprisoned my mother. Even surrounded by the most powerful immortals of the realm, the Celestial Emperor dazzled. His aura blazed with impenetrable might; that of a stone mountain, an endless glacier. Scarlet and azure dragons were embroidered upon his brilliant yellow robes, darting through swirling clouds. The ornate gold frame of his crown was set into a jewel-encrusted base, from which strands of lustrous pearls cascaded. They swayed before his brow, catching the light with his every move. His face was ageless, even for an immortal, his smooth skin bearing neither the vitality of youth nor the cares of time. In the darkness of his pupils, I found a fragment of resemblance to his son—though their opaque depths were devoid of warmth. He did not look particularly terrifying, but something about him turned my insides to ice.
Liwei stopped before me, inclining his head in greeting. Yet his smile was guarded and his eyes, dulled. Did he wish himself back in his room? I wanted to ask him, but not here. Not now. Just by acknowledging my presence he had flouted the protocol that required him to greet the honored guests first. As he walked away, my pulse fluttered as I stared after him like some moon-eyed girl. He looked magnificent tonight, his coat of midnight brocade parted to reveal his silver-white robe, shining as though woven from starlight. His hair was pulled into a gold and sapphire crown, held in place by an ornate pin.
“The monarchs of the Four Seas.” General Jianyun nodded toward the dais, mistaking my keen interest. “It’s rare to see them together. Relations have been strained since the Western and Northern Sea’s support of the Demon Realm. However, that is in the past; perhaps this heralds a new beginning.”
Each of them wore flowing robes in varying shades of blue and green, but there the resemblance ended. The King of the Eastern Sea’s long hair glistened as spun silver against his dark skin, while the Queen of the Southern Sea’s green eyes gleamed from her pale face. The remaining two monarchs sat stiffly upon their chairs, one wearing a crown of coral, the other of turquoise and pearl.
“Who sits beside them?” I stared at the striking immortal with jeweled blossoms sparkling from the coils of her hair.
“The Flower Immortal. Our exquisite gardens are the results of her endeavors. I’ve seen her revive a withered garden with a flick of her wrist, although she’s not as powerful as her predecessor,” General Jianyun remarked.
“What happened to her predecessor?” It was rare for an immortal to surrender their position.
“Lady Hualing chose to live away from the Celestial Kingdom, in the Eternal Spring Forest. A place she cultivated to her liking.”
I waited for him to continue—curious about this immortal—but he fell silent, drumming his fingers on the table.
Captain Wenzhi spoke then. “The Celestials don’t like to speak of her. Perhaps it reminds them of what can happen to even the most powerful, should they lose the emperor’s favor.”
General Jianyun scowled. “Even such as you from the Four Seas would not wish to anger our emperor.”
I was about to ask Captain Wenzhi which of the Four Seas he was from, when he spoke again. “It was said Lady Hualing grew distracted and neglected her duties for decades, until the court petitioned His Celestial Majesty to take away her position. Since then, she has not been seen. Not for hundreds of years.”