The captured leader was dragged forward. Blood trickled from a wide gash across his cheek as his pupils glowed with blue flame.
“Assassins masquerading as dancers with poisoned needles to kill our king. What other despicable tactics has Governor Renyu stooped to?” Prince Yanxi asked scathingly.
“All tactics are honorable when dealing with a dragon-killer,” the merman spat.
“What do you mean? Explain yourself!” King Yanzheng demanded, his voice thick with outrage.
Such hatred emanated from the merman’s gaze. “Governor Renyu told us how you were jealous of the dragons’ power and resented their refusal to bow to your rule. You conspired with the Celestial Emperor to imprison and slay them!”
Prince Yanxi shuddered as though repulsed. “A vicious pack of lies! We revered the dragons. We honor them still. We never sought to rule them, it sufficed that they graced us with their presence.” His tone hardened. “To accuse my father of this is obscene and unworthy of your intelligence.”
The merman snarled, “You lie as well as your father.”
Prince Yanxi lunged at him, but Captain Wenzhi grabbed his arm, pulling him back.
“Beyond your governor’s claims, what proof do you have that the dragons were murdered?” Captain Wenzhi wanted to know.
Confusion flashed across the merman’s face, though he remained obstinately silent.
King Yanzheng spoke calmly. “Your governor has shown you no proof because none exists. His claims are meritless, his accusations false. Nothing more than empty words to stir you to do his bidding.”
The merman bared his teeth. “Governor Renyu swears he will avenge the death of the dragons. Once the unworthy king is deposed, he will restore the merfolk to our glory, he will—” He shut his mouth, turning away. Was he afraid to let something slip, or had an enchantment prevented him from doing so?
Captain Wenzhi did not seem to notice as he laughed, a mirthless sound. “Does the governor intend to take the crown after murdering your rightful ruler? How noble of him, to ascend the throne in the name of seeking retribution for the dragons.”
The merman shook his head vehemently. “No, Governor Renyu is honorable! He only wishes to—” Again, his words cut off.
King Yanzheng sighed. “I wished we could have done more to aid the dragons. We pleaded with the Celestial Emperor to rescind their punishment, to release them, but he refused. They had indeed challenged his authority and our hands were tied. The dragons would not have wanted us to go to war with the Celestial Kingdom. They valued peace above all.”
“Dragons have not been seen for centuries!” the merman cried.
“That does not mean they’re dead,” Prince Yanxi countered. “We would sense it if such light faded from our world.”
As the merman sneered, I bit my lip, staring at him. Something felt wrong. His eyes blazed with conviction and he spoke with passion, yet why did he stake his life and honor on hollow claims alone?
Captain Wenzhi’s voice broke through the silence, soft and low. “What was your purpose today? To kill the king and heir? Yet the Eastern Sea’s allies would never accept Governor Renyu as king. What was the governor’s plan?”
The merman raised his chin in defiance. “Do your worst. I will tell you nothing.”
“Oh, you will,” Captain Wenzhi said, each word ringed with steel. “I have found there are ways to extract even the most precious secrets. Not just fire and ice, but those from the mortal world. Limbs severed, skin flayed. Flesh boiled in oil.”
A chill sank through me, though I kept my face still.
The merman flinched as Captain Wenzhi leaned toward him. “If you will not speak, one of your friends might be persuaded to. If not, your people will suffer the wrath of the Celestial Kingdom. They will be banished from the Eastern Sea, exiled to the Golden Desert. Left to wander and wither beneath the heat of the sun, for eternity upon the parched sands.”
Prince Yanxi inhaled sharply as his father turned pale. To a Sea Immortal, such a fate must be worse than death. They had maintained their composure through the grim talk of torture, yet I did not think they possessed the stomach for this harsh a punishment. But what mattered was what the merman believed. I had heard Captain Wenzhi was skilled at extracting answers from stubborn prisoners without resorting to physical cruelties. The rumors had not been exaggerated. Already the merman showed signs of caving, his breathing quickening, his eyes darting around yet always returning to the captain.
I had witnessed Captain Wenzhi’s unwavering resolve in battle, his fearlessness in charging to the fore. His honor and bravery were revered by the soldiers—but this . . . this was a new facet of his personality. Perhaps they were two sides of the same coin; one could not achieve all he had done without a certain ruthlessness.