Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon Read online

  Sudden shouts cut through the air, punctuated by rushing footsteps. I turn toward the door as two of Kang’s guards, accompanied by one of his cyborg soldiers, burst in with their weapons raised. Their long queues whip over their shoulders as they whirl this way and that, apparently looking for something.

  I furrow my brow. “What’s going on?”

  One of the guards glances at me. “There’s a thief in the palace—a masked man without a queue.”

  The Masked Giver? He must be arrogant indeed to rob the viceroy himself on the day of his wedding.

  “Have you seen anything?” the guard asks.

  I shake my head. Even if I had, I wouldn’t have told them. Let that idealistic idiot take the viceroy’s knickknacks and hand them to beggars. What do I care?

  “Search everywhere!” Kang’s voice thunders through the hallway outside. He strides into the room, his face purple with rage. “You! Did you have anything to do with this?”

  My jaw drops. “Of course not!”

  Before I can ask why he’d even think that, Headman Su scurries in after him, his mechanical leg whirring frenetically. “I assure you, Your Honor, we want the thief caught as much as you do! We would never dishonor our people by breaking the oath we made to you!”

  “What happened?” I ask.

  He turns to me with a fearful, quivering expression. “The River Pearl has been stolen. One of the guards glimpsed a masked thief running off with it, but he vanished.”

  I gasp. I knew the Masked Giver was bold, but I never imagined he’d take the River Pearl. It wasn’t the viceroy he robbed—it was Dailan. Gai si! I shouldn’t have let him go!

  Kang’s eyes flash. “Without the River Pearl, I cannot marry her! And neither will I send my army to Dailan. The pearl and a marriage alliance for my protection—that was our deal.”

  “And we will honor it!” Su clasps his hands and holds them out before him in a gesture of pleading. “We want the thief caught as much as you do—more so, even! It is our village’s honor and safety that’s at stake, and we will do whatever we can to get the River Pearl back.”

  “Yes, we will!” Anger burns like an ember in my chest. Whatever the Masked Giver’s intentions, he could destroy everything I am willing to sacrifice myself for. “If marrying you means protecting my village, no thief will stop me!”

  Kang’s countenance relaxes, and he gives me a thin smile. “Apologies, my bride. Of course you’d be as eager to marry me as I am to wed you.”

  I bite my teeth. Discipline …

  He approaches. “Both you and the River Pearl will be mine, and I’ll let you sit beside me when we behead that troublesome thief.”

  Nausea rolls through my stomach. I don’t want the Masked Giver dead. But I’m not about to protest right now—especially since the thief apparently doesn’t care that my whole village could die because of him.

  Kang turns to his guards. “I want the thief alive so I can execute him publicly as an example to other criminals. And most importantly, I want the River Pearl back. Understand?”

  “Yes, sir!” The guards rush out of the room, either to spread the word or continue their search.

  Viceroy Kang strides out after them, his long gold tunic swishing behind him. Headman Su follows. I can only guess that he’ll continue to beg forgiveness, even though he’s done nothing wrong. I feel awful for him. He wants Dailan safe as badly as I do, yet he’s helpless to do anything other than plead with the viceroy to keep to our agreement. He’d probably tell me to keep quiet while the guards search for the thief.

  But I’ve never been very good at waiting.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  THE MASKED GIVER

  Headman Su was right when he said that it’s our village’s honor and safety at stake; I plan to use those very words if Viceroy Kang or his men catch me. In the quiet of the night, I can make out the distant whirring of the mechanical dragons patrolling the sky and guarding the city from Ligui. Moonlight glazes the ornate storefronts lining the city’s streets, and paper lanterns dance above me, glittering with the magic that illuminates and buoys them in place of flames. No one gives me a second glance as I wind through them, retracing the steps I took yesterday when I chased the Masked Giver. Back in my plain tunic and scrubbed clean of a lady’s makeup, I look too ordinary to pay attention to, which is how I want it.

  Kang’s guards march up and down the streets, questioning every other person they encounter about whether they’ve seen a man in a mask. Those with cyborg parts stare into the faces of the people they interrogate with glowing mechanical eyes. My pulse quickens as I pass them. Fortunately, none seem to notice me.

  The streets grow narrower, the buildings plainer, and the lanterns scarcer. A stench wafts through the air—sewage and rotting garbage. I’m reaching the poor area where I last saw the Masked Giver, but I can barely see a few feet in front of me. Since I don’t want to risk drawing attention to myself, I didn’t bring anything to light my way. Time to see how well Anshui’s spectacles work.

  I pull them from the pocket of my baggy trousers and place them on my face. The street appears a little lighter, as if a solitary lamp glows somewhere above. Anshui never had the chance to tell me how they work, but I know the little gears on the sides aren’t for decoration, so I turn one of them experimentally; the rest click in response. The unseen lamp glows brighter. Not by much, but just enough for me not to trip in the shadows.

  As I continue forward, the heavy gold hairpin in my pocket bangs against my thigh. It was part of my wedding ensemble, but I doubt anyone will miss it. Enough wealth fills the viceroy’s palace that the loss of a single adornment would hardly be cause for alarm. And if it is … well, I’ll deal with the fallout later. Right now, it’s more important that I locate the River Pearl.

  I find the old beggar man sitting against the same wall as yesterday. He glances up at me and clasps his hands. “Please, Lady. Please help an old man.”

  I cock my head. “I’m no lady.”

  “Perhaps not yet, but soon.”

  He must remember me. I crouch before him and pull the gold hairpin from my pocket. “I’ve come with an offer: this for anything you know about the Masked Giver.”

  The old man recoils. “No … No, Lady. I will not betray him.”

  I scowl. “Why not?”

  “He’s a hero to the forgotten parts of the city.” The beggar sweeps his arm. “No one here would send him to his death.”

  “He’s no hero!”

  I hold up the pin. “There are thousands of treasures like this in the viceroy’s palace, yet the Masked Giver took the one thing my village is counting on to survive. If Kang doesn’t get the River Pearl, the Ligui could wipe out my home!”

  The old man’s white brows tilt with sympathy. “The Masked Giver must not have known of the pearl’s significance.”

  “I don’t care. If I fail to return it …” I shudder.

  “It’s only the pearl you want? You don’t want to see the Masked Giver executed?”

  I shake my head. I may want to make the thief pay for the agony he’s caused me, but not with his life.

  The old man strokes his long beard. “I’ll tell you where you can find the Masked Giver, but only if you’ll help him escape the city. Swear on your father’s soul that you’ll keep the viceroy from killing him.”

  I bite the inside of my cheek, considering, then nod once. “I swear.”

  His eyes crinkle, and he motions for me to draw closer. I lean toward him, and he whispers in my ear, “There’s an abandoned house where he hides … You’ll probably find him there. Tell him Lao Gu sent you to help him.”

  “Xie xie.” I nod in thanks. I doubt the thief will want my assistance, but I keep my oaths. Whether it was greed or foolhardiness that led him to steal the River Pearl, I just need it back. Even if it means helping the man who took it escape. Placing the gold pin in the beggar’s bowl, I say, “Keep that. Now, how do I find this house?”

  I slip through the
shadows, searching for the abandoned house Lao Gu directed me to. Spotting a cyborg soldier, I duck behind a cart. He stops several people, demanding to know if they’ve seen the thief, but none reveal any information. I wait for him to move on, my heart jittering.

  Finally the guard’s heavy footsteps fade into the distance, and I continue through the streets until I reach the building matching Lao Gu’s description. I don’t pass any more guards along the way; my guess is that they’re spread too thin to guard every street. Thanks to Anshui’s spectacles, I’m able to move through the blackest shadows and stay out of sight.

  A carved lion roars against a rotting panel above the building’s cracked door. This part of the city is so dark and lonely; not a single ray of lantern light spills over. I tuck the spectacles into my pocket and use a few moonbeams to guide me the rest of the way.

  I push the door open, and its rickety hinges creak. As I step into an empty room with wide windows, a shadow darts up the stairs.

  “Stop!” I bolt after it.

  I reach the second story and spot the thief leaping off a windowsill, about to climb onto the roof. I seize his ankle and yank back hard, pulling him down.

  Instead of stumbling, he uses the momentum to launch himself inside, knocking me flat. Cursing, I spring up and tackle him from behind, clasping his waist. He twists abruptly, throwing me off. My warrior’s instincts spark to life, and I turn the fall into a barrel roll.

  Enough moonlight spills through the window for me to glimpse a length of bamboo on the floor. I snatch it up. As the thief speeds toward the window, I sweep it into his ankle, tripping him.

  This time, it’s his turn to curse. I stand and point the stick at him, but before I can speak, a loud clack pierces the air as something solid meets my stick. Apparently there was more than one on the ground.

  Spotting movement, I quickly raise my stick to block his strike.

  He presses down, trying to force me back, and his masked face moves into a patch of moonlight. Black hair cascades down his cheeks, and thick eyebrows cut straight lines over intense eyes, which glint with amusement as they meet mine. “Why is it that every time we meet, you’re trying to kill me?”

  “If I wanted you dead, you’d be dead!” I arc my stick downward, swiping his off. “I’m not trying to kill you!” I lift one foot and send my heel into his gut. Compared to what I’m capable of, it hardly counts as a kick, but it’s enough to send him staggering back.

  Instead of crying out, he laughs. “Are you sure?”

  He swings at me again. I want to yell, “Idiot! I came here to help you!” But I don’t get a chance to between blocking his blows and attempting a few strikes of my own.

  Our bamboo sticks clatter and crack as we move through the room in an absurd dance. The lack of light keeps me from seeing all the openings I could take, though I suspect the same is true for him. He keeps trying to get me out of the way so he can escape out one window or another, but I refuse to let him, and as our weapons crash against each other once more, his quick laugh flutters through the darkness. I realize with indignation that he’s toying with me, that this is all some great joke to him. Furious, I strike harder.

  I manage to drive him against the wall, our sticks locked against each other.

  “Just listen for a moment!” I say through clenched teeth. “Lao Gu sent me to help you!”

  He knits his brows. “Shen me?”

  “If you give me back the River Pearl, I’ll help you get past the viceroy’s guards!”

  “No deal.” He tries to shove me back, but I drive my knee into his gut, knocking him against the wall. Though he doubles over, he keeps his weapon up. He laughs again, though there’s a strange edge to the sound. “You really are determined to be the viceroy’s wife, aren’t you? He won’t marry you without the pearl … That’s why you’re fighting so hard to get it back, right?”

  The mocking in his voice sends wrath shooting up my chest. A bolt of energy jolts me. I twist hard enough to force his weapon out of his grip. “My village’s fate depends on that pearl!” I shove the edge of the stick against his throat, standing close enough to feel his breath on my face even through the mask. “I need it to save my people!”

  “So do I.” All levity vanishes from his tone. “Without it, they’re doomed.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I’ll tell you if you let me go.”

  “As if I’d fall for that.”

  “Then we’ll have to keep fighting.” The teasing returns to his voice. “I’m tired, though. Wouldn’t you rather talk for a change? I thought ladies preferred civilized conversation to stick fights.”

  I scowl. How dare he make fun of me when I’m the one with the advantage? “All I need to do is press harder to strangle you—then I could take the River Pearl off your dead body!”

  “So why haven’t you?” He lifts his brows. “If you’re as ruthless as you claim, I’d like to see you try.”

  “Is this all a game to you?”

  “Life is a game, Lady. So are you going to kill me or not?”

  I glare at him. Furious as I am, I could never kill a person in cold blood. And he must be banking on that.

  We stand there in silence, our faces inches from each other. With the adrenaline fading, weariness weighs down on me, and sweat trickles down my forehead. His heavy breaths tell me that the fight has exhausted both of us, yet I doubt either of us will surrender.

  Maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to back off and negotiate. That’s what I came here for, after all. But if I release him, he could make for the window again, and we’d be right back to where we started. I need some kind of leverage. “Take off your mask and tell me your name. Then I’ll lower my weapon and we can talk.”

  “So, you’ve decided to play. What good will seeing my face do? I’m easily identifiable.” He blows a lock of hair off his eyes.

  “Hair can be changed. Faces can’t.”

  “I’m not so sure about that. As for my name—you don’t expect me to give you a real one, do you?”

  “Why not? You must know mine.”

  “Liang Anlei.” The way he says my name makes it sound like a song, and I wonder if he’s making fun of me again. “Or do you prefer Lady Jiangzhu?”

  I narrow my eyes. “Anlei. Now, tell me yours. It’s only fair.”

  He gives me a wary look. After a moment of hesitation, he says, “If those are your terms, then very well. Though if you want me to remove this mask, I’ll need my hands.”

  Narrowing my eyes, I cautiously take a step back but keep my weapon raised. He reaches behind him and unknots the gray cloth mask, then sweeps it down to reveal a striking face with prominent cheekbones. I know at once that it’s a face I’ll never forget. His untamed locks give him a wild look. With his smooth skin and youthful attitude, he can’t be much older than I am.

  I slowly lower my stick. “I completed my part of the bargain. Your turn.”

  He gives me a crooked smile. “My name is Tai.”

  “What’s your family name?”

  An odd expression—something akin to sorrow yet carrying more heat than weight—flickers across his countenance. “It doesn’t matter.”

  Considering that he’s a thief, I wonder if he’s an orphan. But I came for the River Pearl, not a tragic backstory. “Fine. Now, tell me: What did you mean when you said you needed the River Pearl to save your people?”

  CHAPTER NINE

  LOCKED IN CONFLICT

  Still leaning against the wall, Tai sinks to the ground. Shadows swallow him, and all I can see is a dark figure outlined by a few traces of moonlight.

  I stay on my feet, ready to spring into action again if he tries anything. “Well?”

  He draws an audible breath. “You know of Mowang, don’t you? The Courts of Hell?”

  “Of course I do.” Everyone knows of the dark underworld that the wicked are damned to, whose entrance lies at the base of the legendary Heihuoshan—the Black Volcano. Ruled by the ferociou
s demon king, the place carries untold tortures. Each Court of Hell punishes a different kind of sin, and since there are infinite ways to do wrong, there are also infinite Courts. Many have written about what lies within them but since it’s a one-way trip for most, no one really knows what it’s like. The few ghosts that escape and return to the earth are so twisted by torment they scarcely know how to speak. “What do the damned have to do with any of this?”

  “Mowang trapped my people in the Courts.” A single moonbeam traces the outline of Tai’s face, just enough to reveal a tightening jaw. “I don’t know how or why … All I know is that I must find a way to free them.”

  “Mowang damned your entire village?”

  “Not exactly. Because of the divine laws that bind him, he couldn’t kill them, and so he settled for capturing them. They’re doomed to remain among demons and the damned unless I can get them out.”

  A tremor runs through me as I picture innocent people being forced to endure torments meant for the worst of humanity. Even just witnessing them would be a monstrous horror. “That’s … terrible.”

  He tilts his face toward me, and the moonlight catches his eyes. A mix of anger and pain fills their depths. “I’m the only one who escaped, and I’ve been searching for a way to free them for years. Only recently have I learned of the River Pearl’s powers.”

  “You think the River Pearl can free your people from the Courts of Hell?” I snort. “That relic couldn’t even protect the village it was dedicated to. As far as I can tell, it’s no different from any other gem.”

  “Scholars of the past, realizing its potential, feared what would happen if the knowledge fell into the wrong hands, and so they destroyed their writings. But I’ve recently discovered that long ago, there was much written about the River Pearl’s power—and how to harness it.”

  “That can’t be true.” I shake my head. I’ve never heard of lost ancient writings. “I’ve known the River Pearl all my life, and it’s never done more than sit on its jade pedestal.”