The Last Dragon of the East

Chapter 24

24

L arge tents of pearlescent canvas are pitched in clusters, fanning out in a circle from what appears to be the village center. There are people everywhere, dressed in lightly colored linens with berry adornments in their short black hair. They appear unaccustomed to having visitors, though they don’t seem unfriendly, just curious.

The Moonstar Isles is an idyllic place. Serene. Far more stunning in person than any of the tales told by the merchants back home. It’s a chain of small islands, every single one connected to those adjacent by expertly crafted suspension bridges made of bamboo planks.

“That little island there,” Ming says as he rows, “that’s where the village is. One island over is where we raise the chickens and sheep. And the one just beside is where we do all our farming. The soil’s rich and fertile for it.”

“And the islands beyond that?” I ask.

“We let them grow wild,” Chyou explains. “This is as much our home as it is that of the plants and animals. We only use what we need here.”

Paper lanterns float on the calm waters between each island, drifting about lazily while the lightning bugs hover amid the long cattails, mimicking the twinkling stars above. Festive music fills the air, the beat of drums and the enchanting harmonies of sea shanties lifting my mood. This here is a land of plenty, untouched by the emperor’s devastating war.

“Village elder!” Ming booms as we step into the village center together. “We’ve made some new friends!”

A man steps forward with a hearty chuckle. He’s an older gentleman with a long white beard and bushy brows, his hair pulled back into a neat bun. He’s dressed in far more intricate robes than the others, light blue flowers embroidered into the white planes of his silk. The heavy-looking necklace draped over his neck is made up of white jade beads, with a carved pendant swinging at the base just above his navel.

“Welcome, dear travelers,” he says, his voice low and warm. “My! Yet another set of bowls to put out for dinner tonight. I can’t remember the last time we had so many visitors!”

“Are we not the first?” I ask.

“A young woman from the Southern Kingdom arrived not three days ago,” he explains. “She has not given us the courtesy of her name—she’s rather strange—so we villagers have been referring to her as the hunt—”

“Hey, Leaf Water!” Feng shouts. She stomps over, her hair wild and lip curled in a triumphant sneer. “I knew I’d find ye here.”

Despite the tightness of my painfully dry skin, I manage to put on a weak smile. “Oh… what a pleasure, Feng. I’m so glad to see you again.”

“Bet yer ass yer glad to see me! I’ve been looking for ye everywhere.”

“Were you worried about me, dear huntress?”

“Yer dumb ass was hauled off by my dragon,” she says under her breath through clenched teeth. “Of course I was worried.”

“But how did you know to look for me here?”

“Blasted creature set off west. Not even a dragon can last in the Wastelands. I found this oasis, ye see, but it looked abandoned. And I saw signs of some sort of struggle. Lots of blood an’ all that, along with a few torn scales. I figured the dragon must’ve gotten hurt and kept on going west. The next best place would be the Moonstar Isles. Made a straight shot fer it on horseback. Had plenty of water t’ keep us both goin’ day an’ night. Probably how I beat ye here.”

“How very impressive,” I murmur dryly.

“Who’s she ?” Feng snaps.

“Oh, uh…” I turn to give Jyn the most discreet of glances. My guts tie themselves up into knots. What will happen if Feng learns the truth? Can she handle such a secret?

My instincts tell me no.

Jyn cautiously grips the back of my tunic. I can feel her wariness tugging at our connection. It’s for this reason that I say nothing about the matter and keep my mouth shut.

The kind village elder looks among the three of us, his bushy white brows raised in surprise. “Ah, you know each other, do you? How fortuitous to be among friends.”

“Fortuitous indeed,” I say dryly.

“How long do you and your wife intend to stay?”

Jyn’s cheeks turn bright crimson. “We are not—”

“She’s not my wife,” I say around the lump in my throat.

“Ah, well, if that’s the case, I will see to it that you are given two of our spare tents rather than one. Chyou, my dear, would you show our guests the way?”

Chyou carefully hands her baby girl to her husband. “It would be my pleasure.”

“Stay as long as you like, dear friends,” the village elder says. “We have been blessed with a bountiful harvest and another successful hunt. There’s more than enough to go around. Tonight, we shall have a feast in your honor. I look forward to hearing the tales of your travels.”

Jyn is quick to follow Chyou, stiff and uncomfortable. “Thank you for your kindness, sir.”

Chyou guides us through the maze of tents until we reach our own on the outskirts of the village. The edge of the bamboo forest sits directly behind them. Chyou pulls one of the flaps open. The inside of the tent is surprisingly spacious, filled with soft cushions and knitted blankets.

“This one’s for you, Sai,” she says cheerfully. “And this one over here is for you, jiějie. ” Big sister . “The village feast will be soon, but there should be some fresh fruit waiting for you inside. Let us know if there’s anything you need.”

I bow my head. “Your hospitality is much appreciated.”

Chyou giggles. “No need for such formalities. Rest. I’ll retrieve you when it’s time to eat.”

The woman skips off, leaving me and Jyn alone together for the first time since our escape from the Lost Library. We stare at each other, the tension thick. The question I asked her by the oasis is an ax lingering over our heads, waiting to fall, though her silence has said plenty. I may not have the whole truth, the finer details missing, but its outline is undeniable.

All I need is for Jyn to confirm or deny.

She does neither.

“I’ll be in my tent,” she mumbles, turning away.

My forehead throbs, annoyance digging a hole into it. “You asked me to trust you,” I say before she can leave. “And I do, Jyn. Whatever you have to tell me, I promise I won’t take it poorly, but I need answers.”

Jyn pauses midstride. “No good will come from telling you the truth.”

“How do you know that?”

“You won’t be able to handle it.”

“How can you possibly know what I can and can’t handle?”

“We’re not having this conversation right now, Sai.”

“Then when?” I snap. “ When , Jyn? Because at the rate things are going, I may well be on my deathbed before you tell me what all this is about!”

Jyn bristles. “I’m trying to protect you!”

I set my jaw. I’m tired of pretending this doesn’t hurt. “Why do you keep pushing me away?” I ask, my voice so thin it feels like it might break. “Have I done something to upset you?”

“Hey, Leaf Water!”

A heavy sigh escapes me. Gods have mercy on my weary soul.

Feng stomps over, her nostrils flared. “Don’t think ye can get away from me that easily. I’ve got a bone to pick with ye.”

“Can it wait until after I—” I glance to my left. Jyn has already disappeared into her tent. I wish I could say I was surprised.

Feng leans forward, jabbing a finger against my chest. “What happened after the dragon carried ye off? Where’d it go? How’d ye escape? Where’d ye last see it?”

“You know, it’s the damnedest thing,” I say with a forced laugh. “I can’t remember what happened.”

“Ye really expect me t’ believe that?”

“I was half-dead when she rescued me. You’ll have to forgive my poor memory.”

“She?” Feng needles, raising an eyebrow.

“It,” I correct myself, gritting my teeth.

“So it flew off and didn’t eat ye?”

“Perhaps it wasn’t hungry.”

“And who’s she?” Feng asks, glancing askance at Jyn’s tent. “Met her during yer miraculous escape, did ye?”

“I stumbled upon her home in search of assistance, that’s all.”

Feng frowns. “Then how’d she end up comin’ all this way with ye?”

“She wished to travel,” I say, vexation coursing through my blood. “And we happened to be headed the same way. I didn’t realize it was frowned upon to form a traveling party.”

“But what about—”

“Enough,” I snap. I can’t help it. Feng is testing my patience, and I’m in a foul mood to begin with. I will myself to be calm. “Please, I need a moment’s respite before you continue your interrogation, though there isn’t much else I can tell you. The creature is gone , Feng. Leave it at that.”

Her face falls, and it catches me by surprise. I know how badly she wanted the prestige that came with hunting the last dragon, but her reaction to a missed opportunity for glory seems stronger than it should be.

Curious, I step forward and lower my voice. “Why do you want this dragon so badly?”

She snorts, folding her arms over her chest. “Because the blasted thing killed my parents ten years ago.”

Her admission floors me, her words ringing in my ears. Jyn killed Feng’s parents? Then this was never just about money or renown, but revenge . It’s no wonder she’s so persistent.

“How did it happen?” I ask.

Feng’s jaw tenses. “They went off huntin’. I was sick, so they left me in my grandmother’s care. Couldn’t have been older than six and ten. They were gone fer days, and when my father came back… it was with my mother in his arms. Chewed t’ bits. They stumbled upon a dragon, he said. As green as emeralds. It tore ’im up good, too. He died from his injuries a week later.”

“So you went after it,” I say.

“And wound up bein’ banished by my own village fer it,” she replies with a huff. “They kept spoutin’ nonsense about lettin’ it go. How it wasn’t worth it. How I’d displease the Gods.”

I imagine Jyn in her mighty dragon form and how she must have curled in on herself to hide in the thickest parts of the jungle. She wouldn’t have attacked without good reason. In the brief time I’ve gotten to know her, Jyn hasn’t been the one to seek trouble. It comes searching for her .

“It could have been an accident,” I say. “They might have spooked the poor creature.”

Feng hits me with a hard glare. “It’s too dangerous to be left alive. As long as it breathes, others could get hurt. Nearly ten years I’ve been on the lookout fer this thing. I’m gonna be the one t’ make sure it doesn’t get the chance t’ harm anyone else.”

I want to argue further, but the huntress grumbles something under her breath as she stomps away. Her resolve is ironclad, her willingness to listen going only so far as information that will serve her cause. I doubt I’ll be able to talk sense into her, for I, too, understand the lengths one is willing to go to for a most beloved parent. I’ve already crossed two kingdoms and a Godsforsaken wasteland just to get back to my mother in one piece with aid for her illness, so Feng’s obsession is the furthest thing from laughable to me.

I close my eyes and take a deep, refreshing lungful of the sea breeze. At long last, peace and quiet. At least I’m finally rid of the huntress—for now.

My first instinct is to check on Jyn, but just as I wish to avoid Feng, I can tell that Jyn wishes to avoid me . Her guard is up and will only be strengthened should I continue to press her. We are both weary from our journey, in desperate need of water, food, and sleep. I’ll be sure to press for answers later, but for now, I yearn for nothing except a long nap and the sound of the ocean waves crashing upon the distant shore.

My first and only thought is to jump directly onto the nearest pile of cushions in my designated tent. Seconds later, I fall fast asleep.