31. Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-One
Mu Fanqing
Iwonder if the close proximity to the Ghost Market affects this tea shop’s clientele at all.
I hold up my cup, studying the dark steaming liquid within before I turn my gaze over the balcony railing.
This tea shop is situated just outside the entrance of the Ghost Market and so the perfect place for me to wait for Shu to finish his dealings before we go out to enjoy the evening just like a normal couple.
I tighten my fingers around my cup and set it down, frowning deeply. An ordinary couple who has never so much as kissed. A one-sided couple where one loves the other but the other does not know. A couple who are bound by a contract that stipulated we would never fall in love.
How I hate that contract now. I’d like to tear it up. I think back to how smug I was back then when I insisted he signed it. To think, it was my idea too!
I never should have insisted that Shu sign it. Now it is the obstacle that stands between us.
The idea was perfect…in theory. I just never could have imagined how intriguing Shu would be and how well he would treat me.
I never could have imagined that I would actually fall for him.
How could I know that I was even capable of such a thing?
And now I can’t help feeling as though I got the raw end of the deal.
At the time, I had only been interested in cutting my losses and preventing any further discomfort.
I had to give up my cultivation to get married but now I don’t even get to be married. And I’m still forced to give up the solitude of cultivating at the academy.
“Well done, Fanqing,” I mutter quietly. “You have played yourself.”
What’s worse is that I could potentially see Shu fall in love with someone else and start a relationship with her while I am trapped always seeking everything that I cannot have.
I set the cup down, sighing heavily. I ought to do something about my burgeoning feelings before they take over and drive me into despair. I trace my finger over the rim of my cup.
But it’s hardly my fault that I feel like this, I place the blame all on Shu. Who does he think he is to act so gentle and caring around me and not expect me to fall for him? His face was enough to make me stumble, but his actions?
It’s as if I have fallen over this balcony and am now welcomed by open air. It’s not a comfortable feeling and I don’t like finding myself in this vulnerable position.
All of a sudden, something whizzes past my ear. I turn just in time to see a long reptilian form about the size of my arm circle around my head.
“What are you doing here?” I grumble as I reach out grasping the teacup with both hands and raising it to my lips.
Chenghou narrows his eyes as he looks at me. Tonight he is a deep blue in color, almost disappearing into the night. Still not subtle enough. If anyone sees us, I will be ruined.
“That is not the proper way to greet your master,” Chenghou says, his voice coming out deep and sulky. “Especially after I have been working tirelessly to solve your problem.”
I wave my hand at him. “Will you please hide?”
Chenghou rolls his eyes before he flits down, shrinking until he is the size of the rim of my teacup which he lands on.
I hold my hand up, shielding him from the view of anyone who might step out onto the balcony, although this late at night I am the only patron on the second story of this tea house.
He rests his chin in his claws as he glares up at me. “Are you not the least bit curious what I’ve been up to since you banished me from your side this morning?”
Well, I wasn’t up until now. I figured he was a dragon; he could handle entertaining himself for a day. Might even appreciate not being a piece of jewelry for once.
“And what were you doing?” I ask, leaning closer so that I can keep my voice down.
“I was solving your problem so that you will no longer have any need to send me away for fear of her causing you to be discovered. I made a deal with that vixen all by myself so that you can keep your hands clean of it since apparently you have some moral failings. And by that you have some morals.” Chenghou flicks his tongue out.
“I thought you were a like-minded, but you even balked at killing that spirit hunter.”
I’m on my feet in a second, the teacup knocked over, and the dark liquid making a trail across the wooden tabletop. Chenghou climbs over top of the cup, shaking out his scales as he blinks up at me. “What was that for?”
“What did you say?” I asked slowly.
Chenghou waves his clawed hand. “I dealt with that vixen, so you didn’t have to. I’d expect a thanks instead of being tossed across a table.”
“What are you talking about?” I demand, lowering myself closer to the table. “The fox spirit is behind bars.”
“No, her rival is behind bars. The fox spirit was never that governor’s wife.
The one you arrested is just the one who was set up to take the fall.
Honestly, she ought to be grateful that you played along so well with her ruse and got the other governor’s wife arrested.
But that vixen won’t be happy until the spirit catcher is dead. ”
“The other governor’s wife?” I breathe as I move back half a step. “You mean the fox spirit was actually the first wife?”
“I think you mean that the first wife was actually the vixen,” Chenghou replies spitting slightly.
“In which case you are correct. I suppose I could have some support for the vixen, putting on that crazy woman act just to set up an innocent soul.” Chenghou shakes his head, making a tsking sound. “It’s despicable. I’m impressed.”
“But what does this have to do with her wanting to kill Shu?” I demand. At just that time movement in the street below catches my eye.
I look down to see Shu step around the corner.
His business must be concluded. He draws to a halt as another figure approaches from the other side of the street.
It’s a woman, with long dark hair and a purple hanfu.
She carries herself with her back stiff, there is a graceful poise in her steps.
Something about her is oddly familiar. Shu pauses, looking confused.
“Fanqing?” I hear him say. “What are you doing here? Why did you change your dress?”
Chenghou lets out a little chuckle. “Why I made her into the perfect killing machine for that spirit hunter. It was a skill she lacked without your liver, but obviously she wasn’t allowed to claim that.
I would never allow my apprentice to be eaten by a measly fox spirit.
However, with my magic and a strand of your hair, her limitations of her skills were a small trial that was easily overcome. ”
I stare at the woman as I begin to realize why she looks so familiar.
Just as the realization begins to dawn, she turns her face a bit and I’m able to make out her features more clearly.
Straight eyebrows and a slightly turned up nose over full, red lips.
Black hair is piled elegantly on her head. It’s me down there speaking to Shu.
No… not me. The fox spirit.
Just as I make that realization something flashes in the fox spirit’s hand as she swipes at Shu.
He must realize what happened too late because he is slow to dodge.
I hear him cry out in pain and it’s as though my blood has turned into ice in my veins.
I lean forward, bracing my hands on the railing, barely able to breathe.
I want to yell at him and warn him that isn’t me down there, but I’m worried that it will only distract him more and allow her to land another blow. Instead, I whip my head to Chenghou. I reach out, grabbing him and yanking him up.
His eyes are wide as he stares at me, clearly not accustomed to just being picked up. But I’m angry enough that I don’t care.
“Now you listen here,” I hiss, giving him a little shake. “You are going to help me save him or our association is through. I chose not to kill him not because I was weak but because I refused to do so from my own desires. How dare you think you can make my decisions for me!”
Chenghou must believe that I mean every word that I say because he doesn’t argue. He silently wraps around my wrist tightly just as I reach into my satchel. I pull out a flight talisman and spread my arms out, jumping off the balcony, I float down to the ground, landing lightly and soundlessly.
Shu is backing away from the fox spirit who is pretending to be me. He has one hand up pressed to the side of his head. The other he is holding out in front of himself. I know that he is capable of throwing her against the wall with a flick of his wrist, and yet foolishly enough he holds back.
Is it because he thinks it’s me?
The fox spirit raises her knife again and this close I can see the stain of red on it.
It’s enough to drive me into a rage. I throw out my hand, allowing the raw, unchanneled magic to filter through my core of energy and escape my fingertips.
My magic flies through the air and slams into the fox spirit, making her go flying into the wall.
Since Shu won’t do it, then I will be the one to rid us of her.
“Fanqing!” Shu cries as he whirls his head around in shock and his eyes widen even further as he sees me standing there. “Fanqing?” he asks more softly.
“Destroy her,” I hiss to Chenghou. “I don’t care how you do it, just don’t be seen.”
He sighs heavily. “Killing other spirits is such a messy business. You’re going to get me labeled as a kin slayer.”
I glance down at him, hoping that my eyes convey that this is his last chance. If he doesn’t stand with me now, then I will no longer have a dragon master. Forbidden magic or not, he crossed the line and if he doesn’t realize that then I will walk away. “It’s me or her.”
I shake the bracelet off my wrist and take off running toward Shu.
The fox spirit is struggling to her feet again, so I send another blast of magic her way.
She drops to her knees, coughing up blood.
It’s strange to see the blood smattered across my own chin, especially since I have never been wounded like that.
I draw to a halt next to Shu, gripping his arm. He whips his gaze from me to the fox spirit. “Fanqing?” he gasps.
“Are you hurt?” I demand, tightening my hold on his arm.
Shu doesn’t respond, instead he sweeps his arm out, pushing me behind him as the fox spirit’s clothing begins to burn red hot.
Her hair catches flame as does a small black bracelet on her wrist that must be the hair that she used to take my form with Chenghou’s magic.
Now that magic seems to be turning against her.
She screams, clawing at her face as it changes but nothing can stop the flames as they leap and devour her. Her face changes shape constantly, beautiful woman after beautiful woman arriving and fading away faster than one can blink. So many lives she claimed, visible now only in her death.
It must be Chenghou’s doing. I take it as a small feat of loyalty between us as master and apprentice. If he ever tries something like that again though… I don’t think I could forgive him.
I turn around as the fox spirit’s screams die down and she is transformed into ash. Shapeshifting into one final form. Chenghou was right, fire in itself is magic. A constant catalyst that can change anything into another form.
Ash and soot are all that remain when it sweeps through.
I blink once then twice as the smoke stings my eyes and the nauseating smell clogs my throat, but I force myself through it to look Shu over. He is staring at the fox spirit in horror but eventually peels his eyes away to look at me. “Was that your doing?”
I don’t know how else to respond so I simply nod. Immediately I spot a smear of blood on his left cheek. I gasp and reach up, pressing against his chin to make him move his head. “You’re hurt.”
“It’s just a small injury,” he assures.
Blood runs down his ear; it appears as though the fox spirit chopped off the tip of his ear while he thought she was me. I reach up, gathering my sleeve into my hand and pressing it against his ear to help staunch the bleeding.
“I’m so sorry,” I say. I sniff as I feel tears begin to well up in my eyes. “I’m sorry.”
Shu turns to me, his eyes dark and sincere. He lunges forward, wrapping me in a hug, making it so I can no longer press against his ear. “Why are you sorry? It was hardly your doing.”
It feels like my doing. I didn’t keep as close of an eye on such a wily creature as Chenghou as I should have. I didn’t make it clear to that dragon that some things were not on the table to be traded. And Shu’s life will forever be one of those things.
I didn’t even make that clear to myself until it was too late.
He pulls away, bracing his hands on either side of hy head.
However, his eyes are trailed over my shoulder to the pile of ash that was once the fox spirit.
“That was terrifying though, she had your face, your features, everything, but when she looked at me, I saw only coldness in her eyes.” He tightens his hold as his thumb caresses my cheek.
“How did she have your form and yet you’re fine? That isn’t how fox spirits work.”
I shake my head, feeling confused myself. Suddenly I feel a familiar weight on my wrist. I twist my head enough to look down at Chenghou once again on my wrist in the form of a bracelet. In spite of his rash actions, he chose me in the end.
I have no idea why he would side with me against his own kind. It causes my suspicions to rise, but I determine not to act too rashly.
If today proved anything it is that he makes a far more powerful ally than an enemy.