24. Chapter Twenty-Four #2
I sniff once in frustration. I don’t want to spend all evening arguing with Quanyu, so I decide to deliver my final move. “I know about the smuggling.”
My words seem to have the ability to do the impossible, they completely silence Quanyu.
I glance over my shoulder to see that he has stopped walking and is standing there staring after me with his mouth gaping open.
When he sees me looking at him, he plasters on a sheepish smile. “Sister-in-law, it isn’t what you…”
I fold my arms and he cuts himself off with a loud clearing of his throat.
“I’ll uh, go and get you a carriage.” He takes off through the courtyard, running at a breakneck speed across the well lit floorboards of the wooden walkway that connects all the buildings of the governor’s mansion.
I can’t help but smirk as I follow him at a much slower pace.
I shake out my sleeves, adjusting them so that my hands are free, but as I walk, I catch sight of something out of the corner of my eye.
A movement in the shadows of the space between the buildings.
A clawed hand that I recognize all too well snakes out and wraps around my wrist.
I open my mouth to cry out, but another hand clamps over my mouth and I am yanked away with an unnatural strength. My ankle twists as I land on soft grass.
There is a snarling hiss and suddenly Chenghou is in front of me, no longer golden but this time flickering as if he is made of a living flame and illuminating this area.
The fox spirit releases her hold of me, stepping back with her hands up. “Calm yourself, dragon, my quarrel is not with you.”
I step back, allowing Chenghou to fly in front of me. My hand strays to my satchel of talismans hanging from my side.
The governor’s manor is well-guarded and situated behind a tall wall. It would be no simple feat to enter here undetected, hence why Quanyu likely felt safe leaving me to summon a carriage himself since it is so late at night and I’d already sent Qu Ting and Yan Yi to bed.
Which makes it highly likely that this fox spirit is indeed a resident of the Governor’s Manor.
As the fox spirit moves back another step, I spy the ends of her skirts peek out through the bottom of her robe.
The skirt is a vibrant color and elaborately embroidered.
Unlike anything a maid or other servant could afford. No, this woman is wealthy.
And while it is likely that she is currently wearing a different face than she usually does, since she is a shapeshifter, she would not have access to such a dress unless she were currently living as a noble woman.
Especially since I know she already aspired to steal my liver and very form because Ting called me lady, it’s likely the main form she inhabits is that of a noble lady.
“A threat against my apprentice is a threat against me,” Chenghou says, his voice rumbling like it did when I first met him. Now that I know that he doesn’t always talk like that, I realize he only uses that voice when he is putting on a big show.
He is such a faker.
Although, this time I am grateful for it.
When I first met him, his grandiose voice nearly scared the life out of me, but now it might just save my life.
I also appreciate his words of protection, I don’t know why this spirit is so fixated on me, but I’m not going to just stand idly by and allow her to devour my liver and steal my life. I back up another step.
Even though the fox spirit’s eyes are hidden by her cloak, I can feel them trained on me, calculating my every move.
“Tell your elven pet to calm down,” she says. Her voice is sultry and smug. I wonder who the woman was before she took her appearance from her. “I do not mean her any harm. I came only to strike a bargain.”
This gives me pause. What could she possibly want from me if it isn’t to kill me and steal my identity? And what does she think she has that would make me agree to a deal with her kind?
There are only so many forbidden forms of magic that I would accept and I have already exceeded my limit with Chenghou.
However, her words seem to pacify my dragon. It is as if the very word “bargain” throws a spell over him. He stills, no longer thrashing through the air and even the flames flickering along his back dim somewhat. “Oh? And what is that?”
The fox spirit chuckles. “I thought you would see things my way. Spirit to spirit.”
“Speak quickly if you must,” I say raising my chin. “My guard will return soon, and you won’t want to be nearby when he does.”
She was lucky to escape her first encounter with Quanyu and she likely knows it. Even with her shapeshifting abilities she only survived because Quanyu was too worried about checking on me and even then, she had to throw a sword long enough to distract him so she could flee.
“I will be frank then,” she says, folding her arms in front of her. “I know of your dragon. You may not know who I am, but trust that I am someone with enough influence that my knowledge is quite dangerous. I could bring the whole imperial army down upon you.”
I feel my spine straighten. This is exactly what I feared when Chenghou bit her. Although I will admit, I didn’t remotely expect the fox spirit to come out and try to blackmail me. I thought she would be a bit more wild than that. Like the spirit we met on the green road.
However, this one is cunning and calculating, capable of blending in perfectly with the world of elves and ready to use her knowledge against me. She already knows enough about the elves to know that harboring a dragon is a treasonous offence that demands a traitor’s death.
“And what do you want in return for your silence?” I demand, exchanging a glance with Chenghou.
If it comes down to it, we may need to fight to the death here.
However, the threat is that Quanyu is returning.
Chenghou cannot remain out and be seen, nor can the spirit be still alive when he comes otherwise my secret will be out no matter what.
She timed her threats well. I am dealing with a wily creature here.
“You are Lady Xiao. Is it not obvious what I want? I want your husband dead.”
I blink once, and stumble back in surprise.
Out of all the things that she could have demanded, that is not anything I would have expected.
“Not to worry, I don’t actually expect you to kill him,” she says with a small chuckle.
“I just need your help getting him into a position where I can kill him. I would hardly allow you the pleasure of doing so, not when so many of my kind have died by his hands. I reserve that special honor for myself.”
My breath stalls in my throat as I stare at the fox spirit. She wants Shu dead? And she wants me to betray him to do it?
In a sense it would solve many of my problems. His smuggling would never be found out; my secret about Chenghou would be safe. I wouldn’t even have a marriage to worry about anymore.
Xiao Wen would likely become the head of the family afterward. I wonder if he would treat me as kindly as Shu does. I doubt it. I’m not even sure if such a thing is possible. At best, he would just ignore me.
As a widow, I would still be a member of the Fourth Family until I remarried. Would Wen allow me to go off and cultivate?
Not if he suspects me of killing his cousin.
And there is the repercussion of my actions to consider.
Not only would I be betraying Shu to this woman and committing one of the blackest deeds I could imagine, but I would also be betraying my fellow elves.
There is no knowing how many people this fox spirit has killed, innocents who had families and dreams.
How many more would she kill if we don’t stop her, but instead I help her to kill the only person capable of hunting her down?
The very thought is unimaginable, and yet I also can’t deny that if I worked with her, it would effectively eliminate most of my problems. The only personal cost would be Shu and the guilt of people I have never met being harmed.
Is that a worthy price for my freedom and safety?
Chenghou makes a purring sound deep in his throat. “If that’s all you want, then it’s a deal.”
“What?” I snap, glancing at Chenghou. “No, it isn’t.”
“I will await your decision,” the fox spirit says as she steps backward, melding into the shadows. I open my mouth to protest, but then I hear Quanyu calling, “Sister-in-law!”
Chenghou shrinks immediately, wrapping back around my wrist. I flick the golden bracelet and hold my wrist up closer to my mouth. “This conversation is not over,” I hiss.
Then I turn around plastering on a smile as Quanyu comes racing past. He skids to a halt as he takes me in. “What are you doing over there?”
I hike up my skirts and step back onto the wooden walkway, stepping toward Quanyu. I give my head a soft shake, trying to sort my rattled thoughts.
Whatever I decide, it will all be moot if Shu gets discovered as a smuggler tonight. I will make certain that he doesn’t get caught first. Then I will decide what to do with him.