“Are those teeth marks? What happened?”
“Fox spirits. A few broke in.” She grimaced. “When their magic is drained, they bite. It doesn’t hurt anymore, but they itch like fire and the healer said it will take weeks for the marks to disappear. If they do.”
“How did they get in?” I was surprised, as powerful wards protected the Celestial Kingdom from its enemies. Each night, the soldiers on duty wove shields all along the kingdom’s borders, which alerted them to any intrusion.
“One took the form of a Celestial and slipped through, undetected. Once inside, she broke the wards from within. It shouldn’t have happened. Even with a transformed appearance, our wards should have detected their auras. General Jianyun is investigating the matter.”
I fumbled in my pouch, pulling out the jasper bottle that Captain Wenzhi had given me. Tugging off its stopper, I shook out the last few drops over her leg.
As the redness of her injuries subsided, she sighed in relief. “What’s that?”
“Just something Captain Wenzhi gave me for my injuries.”
“Oh? Does Captain Wenzhi often dispense rare medicines to lowly soldiers?” Her stare bored into me.
“Just this once” was all I said.
“Or just this one.”
I did not reply, taking a loquat and peeling it with excessive care.
She shrugged then, perhaps tired of teasing me when I did not rise to the bait. “How was Xiangliu?” she asked, as though we were speaking of a mutual friend.
“Dead. An arrow through the eye.” It was easier to speak cavalierly of it. Somehow it made it less real—the danger, the life I had taken.
“How bloodthirsty,” she remarked. “Was it a hard fight?”
I described the battle, knowing she would be interested in every detail. When I was done, I looked away, admitting, “I lost my nerve. Those injured . . . it was because of my mistakes.”
“Anyone would have been terrified. What were you thinking—Xiangliu, for your first assignment? New recruits are typically sent on mundane tasks like inspecting the border or searching for some lost artifact.”
It was precisely for the danger that I had put myself forward. Mundane tasks were of no use to me. They would not get my name whispered into the emperor’s ear; they would not earn me the Crimson Lion Talisman.
She added, “At least you recovered in time. No one died. Well, except for Xiangliu. Don’t forget it was you who killed it.”
I nodded, feeling a little better. “It wasn’t all bad. We found a cave of treasure.”
She leaned across the table. “Did you keep anything?”
I thought about the Jade Dragon Bow, more precious by far than any jewel. But it was not mine and Captain Wenzhi had cautioned me to keep it hidden and, a secret. I dug through my pouch for the bangle, pressing it into her palm.
She flicked the clasp open, slipping her hand through it. The gold and coral gleamed against her skin. “It’s beautiful.”
“It’s just a small trinket.” I was glad that she seemed to like it. “You should have seen what Captain Wenzhi brought back for the Treasury.”
Her expression turned curious. “What was Captain Wenzhi doing here? Not that I’m complaining when there are so many who would envy us.”
“What do you mean?”
“Haven’t you noticed the crowds in the field whenever he trains—both men and woman alike? Tall, broad shoulders, clear eyes, firm mouth, straight nose,” she recited, ticking each item off on her fingers. “If only he smiled more, it would put his handsome features to better use.”
“Handsome?” I had thought him striking, but handsome?
She shot me a reproachful look. “How could you not have noticed? After those months you’ve spent training with him, walking beside him, sleeping under the stars by the glowing campfire—”
I grabbed a bun and threw it at her, which she deftly caught. “Don’t protest too much,” she grinned. “Or I might start to think there’s some truth to the rumors.”
Were those the same ones which had reached Liwei? Was that why he had sought me out the moment I returned, to seek a denial or admission? “Those rumors you mention are ridiculous beyond measure,” I said, more heatedly than intended.
“Did I strike a nerve?”
I shut my mouth at once.
Shuxiao picked a loquat from the bowl, passing it to me. A peace offering. “Few are held in as high regard as Captain Wenzhi. His fighting skills are renowned, and his magic is unusually strong for one not descended from any known lineage.”