PART I: The Naga-Makara, the Kelpie's Blood, and the Mysterious Carriage

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MINGXIA POV

"Liwei, stop fidgeting," I chastised my mate. Every time I leaned forward to apply the disinfecting salve, he inched away like he was going to get burned. "This'll get rid of the infection. Do I have to show you page eighty-three again?" My hand reached for the nearest book, hoping my threat would be enough to persuade him.

"Ah, no!" Liwei exclaimed, grabbing onto my hands to stop me. The salve crushed between our hands, with some of it landing on my clothes. I reached for the nearest rag and began wiping it, only to make it smear against the fabric. I let out an exasperated sigh, and he rubbed the back of his neck bashfully. "Sorry, Xīngān."

A heavy silence filled the room. Neither of us wanted to revisit the unfortunate day in Shangzihua. Even though I decided to pursue the cure for Liwei, I didn't want to admit the truth. He was dying. That fact alone coiled around my neck like a snake, unwilling to loosen its grip for even a moment so I wouldn't forget.

However, as much as he wanted to ignore the truth, we couldn't ignore our biggest adversary: time.

In the past three months, I spent my time studying with Thaila and the healing elves to learn more about being an herbalist. With the Season of Moira upon us, it was becoming more difficult to come up with reasons to convince Liwei to allow me to continue treating him. He grew restless as time passed, especially because it meant I would leave Aivrena soon to gather the ingredients to make the antidote. I couldn't tell if he was more upset about his situation or being left behind.

A frown appeared on Liwei's face, like something displeased him. "What's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing," he replied.

"The frown on your face says otherwise."

"I'm tired of being in bed."

"We could go for another walk, maybe stop by the lake. It's not too cold outside."

"No, that's alright."

"Liwei..."

He let out a deep breath. "I shouldn't be in Aivrena. I'm the Emperor of Wuzhen. Our people miss their homes, but I can't do anything but lie in bed all day. I'm tired of seeing the same four walls. I miss waking up beside you without worrying about what the next day will bring. Most of all, I miss our home."

"Someone poisoned you, Liwei. Our people will understand and Wuzhen will always be there when you're ready to resume your duties."

"If my father was alive, he would find a way."

"But you're not your father. You're allowed to be a person before an emperor. Being the emperor doesn't mean you're invincible, Liwei."

"It should!"

"Alright! We almost have everything prepared for our departure tomorrow. The sooner we leave, the better," Jing-Wei said, entering our treehouse suddenly, unaware that Liwei and I were in a heated discussion. She glanced up from the piece of parchment she gripped tightly in her hands and looked between Liwei and I. "Am I interrupting?"

My gaze shifted to Liwei. I can ask her to wait for me outside while we finish talking, I said through our mate bond.

"No, we were just finishing," Liwei answered, turning his gaze to the open tree hole. His unhappiness radiated through the bond.

I returned my attention to Jing-Wei, who raised her brow in confusion. I shook my head, not wanting to explain while Liwei's frustration hung in the air.

"Who's joining us?" I asked.

"Taranis, Aiden, and a couple of other mages. I think their names are Aaron and Emrys," she replied. "Although I'm a little concerned about those two, they don't seem to be the brightest of the bunch. Ian reassured me they're two of the strongest spellcasters in their clans, but their intelligence fails to be at the same level as their strength. I would ask for Ian to send someone else, but there's no one else to spare."

"It wouldn't make sense for them to send all their leaders with us. We should be grateful we got Taranis and Aiden at the very least. Just because we have found peace with Auzineia doesn't mean they can shirk their responsibilities. The world doesn't stop for us, Wei-Wei."

In the past three months, Jing-Wei and I had grown closer. With Liwei bedridden, our interactions increased. There were nights I went to her when Liwei and I had another argument, hoping she could explain why he was so upset. Other times, we prepared plans for our quest to gather all four ingredients for the ultimate cure for yaoguai poison. She wasn't just my friend; she was the sister I wish I had.

"No one has invaded Auzineia in centuries. And whatever battles they fight have always been disputes between clans. I'm one hundred percent certain they only assigned those two buffoons so they would be out of their hair."

"The more people we have, the better chances we have of obtaining all the ingredients. We have to put our differences aside if we want to succeed."

"Spoken like a true empress," Liwei said, smiling reassuringly at me.

"I had someone to help me along the way," I replied, mirroring his grin.

"Jing-Wei!" someone called from outside the treehouse.

"I better go see what they need help with. We'll leave in the morning once we've loaded your things onto the boat. Pack lightly and leave valuables behind," Jing-Wei said.

"We're traveling by boat?" I asked, surprised.

"How else would we?" Jing-Wei replied, before ducking out.

"Liwei—" I began once we were alone again.

"No, please let me apologize, Xīngān. I don't mean to sound so harsh or insensitive. It hurts my dragon's pride to not be able to be there for you. It's always been the male dragon to provide and protect. I'm just having difficulty accepting that you don't really need me anymore."

"But I do need you. I need you to be alive and that's why I'm leaving with our friends to find this cure. You mean the world to me, Liwei."

"The man understands. It's the dragon who doesn't. And I'm afraid the man is starting to believe what the dragon thinks."

"Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do. It's the others I don't."

"You don't have to trust them, just me."

"I will do my best, Xīngān."

"That's all I'm asking for." I leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on his lips, relishing in how our auras mingled together to create a flash of ecstasy. "I love you."

"I love you, always and forever."

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I stood by the boat in confusion, trying to figure out why this was our proposed method of transportation. I'd never been on a boat, and I didn't think anyone in our group knew how to steer. My gaze wandered to the flowing water, my stomach churning at the thought of riding along the waves.

"Can we find another way to Wonchaek? What about a portal?" I asked.

"No one can conjure one. The caster has to have been in the place before teleporting. And seeing as how the only places these people have seen are Wuzhen and every blade of grass in Aivrena, our chances are zero," Jing-Wei replied.

"Flying then."

"Not everyone flies, Lady Mingxia," Taranis reminded me, helping Aiden lug all the food into the barracks of the ship while Jing-Wei and I discussed our plans.

Embarrassment hit me like a tidal wave. "Couldn't you just ride on our backs?"

"That wouldn't be productive, Lady Mingxia," Jing-Wei interjected.

When it was just us and Liwei, she called me with no titles, which is what I preferred. But when around other individuals, she used a formal title to show her respect and subservience to me. Although I saw no need for formalities, it was important to do so in order to prevent others from disrespecting me.

"My avian form is not suitable for carrying even one person. The Qingniao Tribe consists of smaller avians," she added. "And it wouldn't be proper to allow mages to be on Your Majesty's back. Even if Lord Liwei won't be joining us, he would agree with me," she added.

"I suppose we better load our items onto the boat."

Máire, the capital city, rested along the coast of Aivrena. To the north, there was a dense forest, which led to their other coastal town, Amberfell. Because we were close to the forest, we could collect an abundant supply of herbs and we didn't have to travel too far to reach the boat.
It was a simple, small boat with blue sails. We wouldn't need anything too extravagant. We had to travel discreetly to avoid attracting any attention from anyone who might want to commandeer a ship that wasn't theirs or poke their nose in our business.

"No need. The mages can handle it. We're just waiting for you," Jing-Wei said. She held her arm out, prompting me to hold on as we walked up the plank leading to the boat's deck. My grip tightened on my cane as my stomach churned at the sight of the sloshing water below us. She noticed my wavering gaze and added in a low whisper so the mages couldn't hear us, "I hate boats, too. Avians aren't meant to swim."

"It's not that I hate boats. My last experience was not a positive memory," I whispered back, referring to my kidnapping incident. With my head swirling with dizziness, my dragon whimpered from the thought of being taken further and further away from my mate.

"I forgot about that. Will you be alright? If it troubles you, we can look into other options."

"No, it's fine. We already prepared the boat. It would only delay us."

"If you ever feel uncomfortable, let me know. Although it requires a tremendous amount of magic, I'm certain they would be alright if we used their teleportation crystals."

"Don't worry. I'll be fine, Wei-Wei." Although I wanted to take the easy way out, I wasn't someone who enjoyed inconveniencing others. Suffering for a little on the boat wasn't nearly as much as anyone else with a far less fortunate life than me. The least I could do was be grateful that we had options.

"If it makes you feel any better, Taranis is in charge of navigation. I hear water elementals are the best people for the job.

"I pointed to a spot by the side of the boat where there was a bench nailed down to the boat's deck. I wanted to be next to the edge in case I felt the urge to vomit. Glancing up at the steel mast, Aaron and Emrys were busy airing out the light blue sails. If I stared at them close enough, they almost blended in with the clear blue skies.

Each of the sails had Aivrena's insignia, which was the silhouette of a woman adorned in flowers and leaves. I knew they worshipped Meihui as we did, but they also revered nature as their patron deity to protect them throughout their life. I didn't know who this deity was, but all I knew was that they looked to her for guidance and revered her as Meihui's guardian disciple.

"Do you want to rest in the room?" Jing-Wei asked, gesturing towards the door on the main deck. "We prepared it so you could rest comfortably. You don't have to stay out here with us if you'd prefer some time to yourself."

I glanced at the door, catching a glimpse of a made-up bed, a few pieces of my luggage that contained my clothes for the trip, and other necessities. "No, I think I'll stay out here for a little while. A little fresh air will do me some good."

After she helped me get comfortable, I asked, "What is our course?"

Jing-Wei explained how we would sail past Mutsushina's two coastal towns in the north, Tawara and Matsunai, before docking in Sarinan. With Mutsushina being a neighboring country, it would only take four hours for us to put it behind us. Although Wonchaek shared the ocean with Mutsushina's eastern coast, the trip would be another six hours. And that was being optimistic that the weather was on our side.

"Jing-Wei already contacted the Holy Fox Empress to inform her of our passage," Taranis added. "Getting there won't be a problem, Lady Mingxia. Don't worry."

Wonchaek was in the opposite direction of the Ceosal Kingdom, but closer to where we were. 'There are quite a few kelpie packs and selkie pods in Wonchaek. Perhaps they're hoping we could kill two birds with one stone?' I thought. "Are we going after the kelpie blood and selkie cloak first?"

"It depends. There have been sightings of a chollima around Wonchaek. If we come across one, we should prioritize it. They can be difficult to track. However, if all goes well, we should be able to locate three of the four ingredients in Wonchaek. The trek to the Ceosal Kingdom would have taken more time if we went there directly. This should be the most efficient path."

"That sounds simple enough." I noticed Jing-Wei's grimace in my peripheral. Her scornful frown left me in a ball of confusion. Was it the trip she didn't like? The people we traveled with? Or was it something else entirely?

"I am afraid it will be an arduous journey. A chollima has their name for a reason." He shifted his attention to Aaron and Emrys, who had finished airing the sails. "Since you're done, bring the rest of Lady Mingxia's luggage aboard and place them in the captain's quarters. Put the first-aid equipment below deck and label the box. I don't want to rummage through everything just to find some bandages."

"Yes, sir," Emrys replied as he and Aaron trudged off the ship to continue the next task on their to-do list.

"What do you mean?" I asked, my eyes flitting back to Taranis.

"Perhaps Jing-Wei could explain this better. I am not as familiar with Wuzhean or Khaisithan culture as she is," Taranis said.

"What are chollima?" Aiden asked from above us. He had taken his spot at the wheel, waiting patiently for us to depart.

"Some sort of flying snake or something," Aaron replied with a grunt as he and Emrys lugged an enormous box onto the deck. They strained beneath the weight and it made me wonder what exactly Taranis considered first-aid supplies for it to be so heavy.

"That would be a chimera, you idiot. A chollima is a winged horse. They're like pegasi," Emrys retorted. "Do you even pay attention in history class?"

"It's hard when you're snoring so loudly next to me."

"Hey, I have the night shift! Cut me some slack! Last time I checked, you were supposed to take that shift, but you felt the need to drop it on me to go meet some fairy!"

'A fairy?' I thought in amusement, glancing at Taranis. He shook his head in disbelief and threw me a look that said 'leave me out of it.'

"She had pretty purple eyes and glittering butterfly wings," Aaron continued, hesitating on the plank leading up to the boat. "If that doesn't say soulmate, I don't know what does." His eyes glazed over like he was imagining his date with the unsuspecting fairy. If she knew any better, she would have chosen someone more self-aware.

"And so do the angels in Aeyaviel, but you don't see me getting chummy with them!" He let out a huff of frustration, pushing the box into Aaron's face to stop him from daydreaming. "Keep moving! I'd like to finish the job by this century, if you don't mind!"

"Ignore the buffoons," Jing-Wei said, as Aiden ushered them away like a stern father. "Chollima have another name: qianlima. It roughly translates to 'thousand-miles horse' because they could run a thousand li, or around three hundred and ten miles, in a single day. They're always moving and they never run the same path."

"So, there is a high possibility this creature isn't even in Wonchaek?" How could we finish this mission quickly? I hated the idea of making Liwei wait even longer.

It seemed like the longer he was bedridden, the worse his mood became. Ever since we started preparing for the trip, his presence in my mind grew weaker, colder. He forged a wall between us, only allowing a few emotions to pass through our bond. And the feelings I felt weren't how he truly felt. It was a facade to show me he was fine, even when I knew everything wasn't fine.


"Very much so."

Thump! The sound of boxes dropping onto the ground interrupted our conversation. Fractured plywood and glass shards littered the deck as Emrys' face turned a bright red. "Ow! You idiot, you dropped it on my foot!" he exclaimed.

"You said to set it down!" Aaron shouted back.

"Not on my foot! Get it off!"

"Not until you say please."

"Get it off or you'll get a thorough thrashing!"

"Please...?"

"Please get this box off my foot, you imbecile."

"Because you said 'please,' I'm willing to overlook the fact that you called me an imbecile."

Thwap! Emrys smacked Aaron's back with a single piece of wood as soon as the box was lifted from his foot. "Do it again and I'm tossing you overboard once we're far away from the shore!"

"That wasn't very nice..."

"You're lucky that's all you got!"

"Aiden, please take those two below deck and put them in the brig," Taranis said. "At this rate, I'll end up throwing both of them overboard." He turned to me and Jing-Wei and added, "I apologize for them. I wouldn't have brought them aboard if I didn't think they would be useful. If the situation took a turn for the worst, I wouldn't want anyone else by my side. Sadly, they're immature in other aspects. This journey will be rewarding and grant them the growth they desperately need."

Jing-Wei turned to me and muttered, "Or give Auzineia peace for once."

I respected Taranis' decision to bring along Emrys and Aaron. Emrys was revered as a Rank Three mage in Auzineia, which meant he was the third strongest out of all Elementals who had an affinity for the element of air. Despite Aaron's gullibility, he was Rank Two, coming second to Taranis, the Head of the Water Clan. If they didn't bicker as much, they would have been the ideal soldiers to have by my side. Although I hated to admit it, their minor disputes with each other served as a comforting distraction from the anxieties about our voyage and whether we would succeed.

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