Jin pushed himself to sitting and rubbed his eyes, but the spirits did not fade. If anything, they doubled their numbers until a crowd of thirty surrounded him. His eyes round with apprehension and awe, he didn't move, didn't speak.

  "Our curse,” a woman said. By the look of her spirit, he couldn't tell her age when she died. She looked young, but carried herself with the dignity of many years. Her thick, black hair was pulled high on her head and wrapped into a ponytail that fell a long way down her back. She wore the clothing of a fighter and had a sheath with no sword. “When Chen Sun went into the mountains to live out his days, he was betrayed by those who feared the Wushu would once again rise up against the empire. Those who practiced Wushu were killed, only one man escaped."

  Jin studied the woman. Her eyes were sad. He tried to stand, overwhelmed with the insane urge to comfort her. The spirits behind her didn't move, didn't speak, merely stared at him. Their eyes were pleading, yet somehow demanding him to do his duty.

  "Who escaped?” Jin asked.

  The woman with long black hair looked away.

  "Master Chen Sun,” Manchu answered, glancing at the woman.

  The woman continued, “Master Chen fought valiantly by the sides of his followers. They killed all those who betrayed them, but for one young warrior who was left wounded. It would be Master Chen's one mistake, for that one would tell others and they would go on to hunt him down."

  "I thought Master Chen led his band into the mountains where they lived out their days in solitude. Word was sent down when Master Chen died and the art of Wushu died with him.” Jin thought of his parents words, told to them by Zhang An. Why now was he being told that Master Chen escaped?

  Was their no end to the lies? Did no one know the whole truth of it?

  "Some believe that. But I was there,” the woman said. “I know the truth."

  "You are the one Master Chen left alive?” Jin asked to the woman, surprised. Now he might be getting somewhere. Finally. An eye witness.

  She nodded once. “The Wushu were too strong. Their ways had to be stopped. My family line ended with the Uprising, as did many others. It was my honor to destroy the last of them."

  "And the curse?” Jin asked.

  "Years later, Master Chen was found and killed by those whose mission it became to avenge those killed by the Wushu masters."

  "Except it was Master Ming who defeated the Zhang armies,” Jin said. He tried to reason through the fog over his brain, but it was hard. Though, if any topic was going to sober him, this was it.

  "These things are never easily explained. The stories can be told, but to be understood you must be there to live them,” the black-haired woman said.

  "What is your name?” Jin asked.

  "Guan-yin,” she answered.

  Jin was shocked. The Guan-yin? He didn't have to even ask for she nodded once in silent answer to his question.

  Guan-yin was said to be a great warrior, one of the best. She showed herself a hero during the Wushu Uprising. Children's songs were sung in her honor and she was greatly celebrated every year at festivals. Looking at her spirit now, he saw the distinction in her.

  "But, you don't look like your carvings,” Jin said. Guan-yin looked to the ground before glancing back up.

  "Jin, it is because of what was done to Master Chen that you must marry,” his grandfather said. “When he died, he promised that one would come to destroy the Zhang Empire and all they hold dear unless they gave her something more powerful than the wrong done to him."

  "More powerful?” Jin repeated. He laughed, drunkenly tossing back his head as he pointed at himself. “Me."

  "Love,” his grandfather said. “Love is more powerful than death."

  "So,” Jin paused, grunting as he stumbled to his feet, “you think Francesca La Rosa is here to avenge Master Chen's death and unless I marry her, she will destroy us."

  "She seeks the Jade Phoenix,” Manchu said. “Master Chen must have trained her. She practices Wushu. She is the one Master Chen has sent for vengeance."

  "It's only a matter of time until she succeeds,” Guan-yin said. “In your lifetime, you never had to face warriors like these. She must be stopped."

  "Why not just kill her?” he suggested.

  "That was discussed,” Guan-yin stated bluntly. Jin's stomach tightened with knots. He hadn't been serious.

  "We decided against it,” his grandfather interrupted. “The curse was brought about by death. Who knows what will happen if we kill the last known practitioner of Wushu?"

  "It will be over,” Guan-yin said.

  "We don't know that!” Manchu argued. They glared at each other, obviously at wit's ends with the other, even though they fought for the same cause. A ripple flowed over the spirits behind them, waving their transparent figures. Still, the silent ones in back did not speak, only watched.

  "There is only one problem with your plan, Grandfather.” Jin shook his head, chuckling lightly because he didn't know what else to do. The situation was too surreal. “I may marry her, but that doesn't mean there will be love in the marriage. You can fool the astrologers into misreading signs, but you can't force what isn't there."

  "You want her,” Manchu charged. “Try and deny it."

  "Lust,” Jin stated. “Not love. I lust for her. But I am a man and I lust for many things that intrigue me."

  "The wind has whispered its secrets to us,” his grandfather insisted. “It told me that you were the one. You are connected to the past. You can make it right. The Jade Phoenix has given you that gift. You must use it to find the answer."

  Jin laughed, a loud and mocking sound. He didn't want to hear anymore of their curses and changed history. Who knew what the truth was anymore? Memories, over time, distorted what had been as did vanity and pride. Confusion spread over him. Everyone around him had their secrets, their angles, their faulty memories and motivations. Guan-yin was bitter about the war and about one escaping. His grandfather still thought he was emperor, though his time had passed.

  The spirits watched him as he backed away. Stumbling, Jin's hand fell through a couple of them like air. Holding out his arms to the side, he bowed slightly and said, “And yet, the wind says nothing to me."

  "Zhang Jin!” Manchu yelled. “You will do your duty."

  Jin spun on his heel, holding up his hand in dismissal as he stumbled drunkenly away. He needed to find a place to lie down—a place far away from meddling ancestors and thieves who threatened everything he held dear.

  "Keep the pò bai, Grandfather,” he yelled. “I'll find more!"

  Chapter Seven

  Francesca stared at the intricate latticework hanging above the Exalted Hall. The afternoon weather was nice, just like it always was in Honorable City. The heat was cooled by the temperate breeze. Depictions of Gods were on each of the two panels on the doors, swords drawn as they stood ready for combat. Fen had told her that the carving was for protection from evil spirits. Actually, Fen had told her a lot of things—so much that Francesca was considering hiding from the woman. It was as if the princess was desperate to make Francesca love the Muntong Empire and its culture as much as she did.

  It had been three days and Jin had not come to her. Three very long days. She was curious about where he was, but told herself she didn't really care. The royal family had given her Jin's room, and she was technically in ‘solitude’ so she didn't have to eat with the family. Unfortunately, since Jin had said she was a vegetarian, all she was given to eat was vegetables and fruits. She was getting desperate for a thick, juicy piece of meat—so long as it didn't have eyes and didn't come with legs still attached.

  Mm, a giant slab of unrecognizable, unnamable meat. Perfect.

  The Líntianese culture was rich and interesting, Francesca would give them that, but she wasn't Líntianese. She didn't worship her dead ancestors. In fact, she didn't even know of any ancestors—living or dead. She didn't believe in fate making decisions for her life. She made decisions for her life. Things like honor and tradition didn't bind her every movement and she couldn't understand a system that would force a believer to marry a person like her.

  Were these people just plain foolish? They actually wanted Jin to be married to her? If they were hard up for some new bloodlines, didn't they realize they could pay corporations like Galaxy Brides to furnish willing women eager to get married? From what she understood, the corporation would even ship the brides to them and let them have a pick, just like they were shopping for bolts of material and other trade goods. Francesca would have told them about Galaxy Brides if the plan didn't work against her goal of stealing the Jade Phoenix and destroying the Zhang family for revenge.

  Francesca was pretty sure she'd abandoned the high road long ago, the day she stole her first box of what she thought was food. It turned out it was adhesive. Though she was starving, it had been fun to watch all the Gittan dignitaries as they stuck to the floor in their expensive, gem-studded shoes. The blue creatures were a vain lot from the tops of their pointy ears to the tips of their four toeless feet. Afterward, she'd been caught, reprimanded and expelled from the space dock. Lucky for her, Gittans had no use for humans. If it had been any other species, she might not have gotten off so easily.

  The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and Francesca froze. She was being watched, she could feel it. Everywhere she went within the city walls, she was followed. Only, she never saw who watched her. The guards often hid behind posts and columns, but there weren't any in direct view of where she was standing.

  Maybe I'm just getting paranoid.

  Francesca had no doubt that she could escape the eyes of others if she really wanted to, but instead she bided her time, waiting for the perfect moment. At present, the royal guards were on edge, too suspicious—as they had a right to be. She had tried to steal the Jade Phoenix twice already.

  Most of the time, she avoided all company, pretending to be in a solitary mood. Fen was convinced it was because she pined for Prince Jin. Francesca let the woman believe what she wanted.

  Honorable City was a beautiful place, with attention paid to every detail—from the curved roofs that pointed up toward the heavens to the mosaic pathways that led to a few of the sacred buildings to the position of each flower blossom. She'd seen the many gardeners tending the plant life within the walls. The Imperial Garden was the most fantastic, located behind the emperor's sleeping quarters. Larger versions of the blue trees she'd seen in the prisons grew in the corners, so strong she could step up on one's branches, following its stair step pattern around until she reached the top. From there, she could just see over the palace walls. Fen had showed her the trick. The princess said that the guards often climbed the trees at night like watchtowers to keep a vigilant eye over the emperor's private chambers.

  The sensation of being watched intensified. Francesca stiffened, no longer seeing the two doors leading to the Exalted Hall where she was to be married to Jin. After forty minutes of standing before it, it was clear she couldn't force herself to look inside anyway.

  She was dressed in an orange silk floor-length tunic, edged with the pattern of puffy circular waves and embroidered with flowers and stylized insects. Its loose folds fell around her figure, with wide sleeves that reached past her hands, hiding them from view. Underneath she wore loose pants. They too were silk.

  Someone tapped her shoulder as the wind stirred behind her. Francesca turned, her mouth opened, ready to speak. No one was there. She frowned, glancing around the palace grounds. Rubbing her shoulder, she could have sworn someone had touched her.

  Seeing a wisp of material fluttering around the far corner of the Exalted Hall, Francesca moved to follow it. Was someone messing with her? A guard perhaps? Jin? One of the princes? Every turn she took seemed to be timed perfectly with the person she was following taking another corner. Each time, she just saw wisps of clothing before the person disappeared. Whoever it was stayed one step ahead of her.

  Francesca moved faster, determined to catch the person and see what they were doing spying on her. If anything, the short run was good for a diversion. Walking around the palace had left her a little bored. Sure it was beautiful, but she was too scared to exercise for fear of being studied or worse, questioned. She'd gone on runs a few times, but there were only so many places a person could run to inside a confined space. The Honorable City was nearly a half of a mile by three quarters of a mile long, but to her it felt like she was living in a box.

  As she wove past the entry to the Imperial Gardens, she hurried by the royal chambers. Suddenly, she tripped, flying forward to land face first on the path. She glanced up, as a loud groan sounded behind her. The figure she followed was gone. Irritated, she looked to see what was in her way.

  Jin stared at her from where he sat on the ground. His legs were sprawled out in front of him and his eyes were bloodshot with dark circles beneath their stormy depths. For a moment, she couldn't breathe. She'd spent the last days telling herself that she felt nothing for him, but as she looked at his worn, tired face, she knew it was a lie. She desired him. Every nerve in her body reached out to him. She wanted to touch him, be touched by him. Francesca didn't move as she stared at his eyes. They were beautiful, dark and seductive, slanted in such a dramatic way to draw attention to their serious depths. Full lips beckoned her with the memory of their kisses.

  "Jin,” she said, as if in a trance, her voice soft. Francesca wished she could draw the word back into her throat, but it was too late.

  "They can't stop meddling, can they?” he chuckled. “No, they have to lead you before me, hoping I'll be tempted by you."

  Francesca frowned, glancing around. No one was there. Did he mean the person she'd followed before tripping over him? Pushing to her feet, she brushed off her long tunic. “Who? The guards? Your family?"

  "The costume does not hide the fact that you are not one of us,” he said, his words slurred. “My family may want you, but I am not fooled. You are here for only one reason. To destroy us. To destroy me."

  "You're drunk,” Francesca said, frowning in disappointment.

  "Yes, very much so,” he laughed, pointing at her, “but I'm still right."

  Francesca nodded. “Yes, you are right. I'm not one of you. I don't want to be."

  Jin laughed again as he ambled to his feet. He swayed slightly. “Tell me, is it because you don't think me worthy of true combat that I make an unfit husband in your eyes? If I beat you up, would that make me worthier, bâobèi?"

  "Come on, you need to sober up.” She made a move to grab his arm, but he jerked away from her.

  "Don't tell me what to do.” Jin lifted his hands, readying for a fight. “Or do you not fight me because you are scared that I will win? Are you frightened that you will have to submit to me? Are you scared that I can best you?"

  "I fear nothing,” she stated. Okay, that was a lie. She feared feeling anything for the people she'd vowed to destroy. She feared the strength of desire she felt even now, looking at the rumpled, unbathed version of the noble prince swaying before her. How far he had fallen since meeting her. No longer was he arrogant and self-assured. Now he was broken, drunk and preoccupied. Had she done this to him?

  He snorted. “I have tried to figure out what your game is, Francesca. You deny marriage to me, and then agree to it unwillingly. Then when I let you go as you demanded, you cry and carry on, telling everyone that I promised to love you. Why? What do you want from me?"

  Francesca froze. She had said that to Fen in the hall and had no idea how many had heard her say it. Possibly, the entire royal family had heard her words. Well, it was too late. She couldn't take them back now. Lifting her jaw, she didn't answer.

  "You said you wanted to marry me, to be my wife.” His eyes narrowed. “You told my family I said I loved you. Did you think I said that? When I said love, did you think I meant to love you?"

  "No. I knew you didn't mean it. You don't love me.” She lowered her eyes to the ground, unable to meet his.

  "Then why did you say it to them? My father is threatening to exile me for this."

  Francesca swallowed. A tremor worked over her body and she tried to harden herself to him, but couldn't. She blinked back a tear.

  "Well?” he demanded. “Did you say it? Did you?"

  Francesca nodded once, whispering, “Yes."

  "Why, woman?!” Jin yelled. Francesca jolted at the harshness of his tone. “Do you see what you have done with your lies? There is no escape for you now, for either of us. I have to marry you or I will be turned out from my home, my family. I will be stripped of my title. They won't let you run, Francesca. They will hunt you down. I will hunt you down until you go through with the vows. There is no stopping it now. A promise of love is a word that cannot be broken."

  Her stomach tightened, not because she was afraid of being hunted, but because she was hurt by how unappealing he thought marriage to her would be. She didn't plan on being a wife, but the rejection hurt nonetheless.

  "I never told you I loved you,” he whispered.

  "No,” she answered, her tone dead. Numbness curled from the pain in her stomach and she welcomed the sensation. “No, you didn't. I'll tell them the truth. I'll take the words back. Don't worry. They'll believe them. One look at us and they'll know the truth, if they don't suspect it already."

  "It will do no good,” he whispered. Before she could answer, he growled, waving his hand at her erratically. “It doesn't matter. It's too late. It's too late. The date will be set soon. It is too late."

  Francesca tried to ask him if there was any way out of the marriage. She tried to speak, to mock him, to yell and scream at him for treating her as unworthy. Instead, she kept her calm. Emotionlessly, she said, “You are the one who claimed me, your highness."

 

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