"The White Bone Spirit desired holy human flesh so much, she transformed into a young maiden, a doddering old man, and finally a blind lady to trick the Tripitaka into her lair. But the Monkey King knew her true form. However, his best intentions led him to be disowned by his masters."

BaiGu Jin—A Journey to the West

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

I could have killed him. It was so easy. But no, I had allowed myself to believe in the words of the Second Prince.

And you think emancipating all the slaves in Erden would earn yourself a good leaf in father's book? That's the most ridiculous idea in the history of ridiculous ideas.

A ridiculous idea to him, but a dream for me.

The arrow gave me more grief than I had anticipated. The Physician had to cauterize the wound and push out the arrowhead. By the time the Physician finished bandaging and administered me a bitter-tasting concoction which she promised would numb the pain, I lay in bed, ready to sleep for a thousand years. Donghwa's blood sped up healing, but it did nothing to lessen pain.

Resting my head against the feather-soft pillow, I recalled the conflict in Wulin's eyes, the struggle as he weighed whether my life was worth saving after I saved his. It was a wild gamble; Wulin could have left me to die. He could have just shrugged it off, thinking that a slave dying for her master was nothing out of the ordinary.

But slaves despised their masters.

There was a soft knock at the door. A guard pushed open the doors and strode into the chamber. I had never seen a guard like him before. Regular guards wore green and red, but this man sported a midnight blue tunic, dark pants, and light armor. His hair was drawn back in a tight bun on his head, and a gold-pressed pendant hung from his belt, clinking against his sword.

"I'm BaiFeng, the crown prince's personal guard," he said. "I'm here to deliver an order."

I stumbled out of bed, dragging down the covers as I did so, so I landed in a pathetic heap on the ground. With a hand pressing over my wound, I sank to the ground in a deep, respectful bow.

He sighed, strode over, and helped me to my feet. I winced, and he apologized.

"Wulin wants you to move to Qiliu Court tonight itself. You're now free from Zhennan Court duties."

"Won't the second prince be furious?" I said.

"He's always furious over trivial matters," BaiFeng said. "How's your wound?"

"Not a deep one," I said. "The Physician said the arrow was small, and it did not hit any major arteries."

"You're lucky indeed. I know such arrows. If aimed properly, it can stop a beating heart in an instant. I do not believe this event to be a coincidence."

BaiFeng's jaw was clenched, his expression grim.

"Do you think Lu is trying to murder the crown prince?"

"Maybe, and maybe not," he said. "It seems I'll have to advise the crown prince to limit his contact with Zhennan Court."

He crossed his arms and looked at me. "Can you walk? Or do I need to send for a wheelchair?"

I couldn't tell if he was mocking me, but I composed myself and shook my head. "I have a wounded shoulder, not a wounded leg."

"Follow me," BaiFeng said. "Wulin has ordered the slaves to clean out a chamber for you in the court."

I couldn't believe my ears. The crown prince had actually preprared a place for me to stay in his court, and for a slave at that.

He escorted me to Qiliu Court and toward a smaller residential hall.

"This is the ZiMing residential hall," he said. "This is where you'll be staying for as long as the crown prince commands it."

He led me down the corridor and pushed opened the doors of the chamber to the right. "The prince requests your presence as soon as you're dressed." He then pointed to a bundle on the bed. "His Majesty has also ordered a Golden Bell to prepare these for you. Make yourself presentable. I will wait outside."

"As his majesty wishes," I said.

BaiFeng gave me a terse smile and exited the chamber, closing the doors behind him.

I sat down on the soft bed and unwrapped the bundle to find a folded silk dress the shade of the faintest cherry blossom. I lifted the soft fabric from the box and let the dress unfold in front of my eyes. The innermost of the dress was silk, while the outer muslin layers fluttered like feathers stirred in the wind. It was slender and elegant: a dress fit for an Imperial.

I tried to imagine myself in Wulin's shoes. As an arrogant Imperial who couldn't care less about the lives of his people, how would I react if I was saved by a lowly slave? Personally, I'd be grateful, but my view was biased. I simply couldn't imagine how the Imperials formed their thoughts and worldview, especially since they grew up in an environment which trained them to be predators.

There was a small box nestled within a handkerchief at the bottom of the bundle. Opening it, I found an emerald encrusted haircomb winking back at me. A single golden peacock perched above the two long prongs, its tail studded with resplendent emeralds, and it stared at me out of one scarlet eye.

I glanced at the mirror, and my reflection looked back at me. I undid the straps of my servant dress and allowed it to fall to the ground in a limp heap. Standing in front of the mirror with a thin chemise covering my body, I felt naked.

I took in a deep breath and slid into the dress. The sleeves whispered against my arms. The hem fluttered around my ankles. The dress was so light; I was wearing the clouds and draping the fringe of the sun around my slender waist.

With practiced hands, I pressed a piece of red paper against my lips, letting the powder slide from the paper and onto my skin. I powdered my face and added color to my cheeks. Using the thin coal pencil, I highlighted my eyes with sleek dark lines, bringing out the brown. Then, I undid my braids. The heavy locks fell and rolled down my shoulders.

Bowen's crystal bell was light in my hand. I stared at the glittering emeralds on the peacock comb to the simplicity of the crystal bell. One was fit for a noblewoman, one marked me as a slave.

I was not a noblewoman, and I would never be one. Right now, I had only one role to play, and I must continue playing it well. I brushed and swept up my hair into an elaborate bun where crystal bell pin found purchase deep within the locks.

The muslin fluttered around my ankles as I stood up.

With her face stained with dirt and blood, her hair matted and disarrayed, Qara was beautiful enough. But this, the facial powder made her shimmer like the full moon. The redness of her lips was ever so stark against her skin. Her eyebrows were arched delightedly, and her cheekbones were accentuated by the careful lines of contour and blush.

She... I... looked stunning.

BaiFeng knocked on the door. I leaped back, breaking from my stupor.

"Are you done?" BaiFeng asked.

"I am. Come in."

He opened the doors and stepped in. "We need to hurry. The crown prince does not like to be kept waiting."

Like Zhennan Court, Qiliu Court was immense. Hundreds of white-washed pillars heralded the brick-red roofs where glided statues perched at the ridge. I recognize them all—the High Immortals always came first, followed by the Ten Guardians. However, I didn't have time to admire the scenery, the main hall was right in front of me.

"The crown prince awaits you," BaiFeng said when we reached the door."

"Is he going to kill me?"

BaiFeng shrugged. "I can't read the prince's mind. But seeing you took an arrow in the shoulder for him, it is unlikely for him to claim your life."

I took in a deep breath and stared at the massive set of doors in front of me, focusing on the twin metal phoenixes.

I was Facechanger. I have the power of the High Immortals and I have nothing to fear. I triggered the event and now I must face him. Pressing my hands upon the cold doors, I pushed them open.

Wulin sat on his gilded throne, dressed in utter black save the edge of his sleeves and the hem of his robes which were embroidered with silver cranes. His crownlet gave off a savage glare from the morning light. He was unarmed, but his sword sat in its filigreed scabbard, resting its hilt on the left pillar of the platform.

His eyes lifted from the book he was reading as I entered the throne room.

"Is this how you greet your crown prince?" Wulin said. "By standing in front of him like a silent fool?"

I fell to my knees, but I did not press my forehead on the ground. My shoulder was healing fast, but it still hurt to move.

"Apologies, your Majesty."

I felt his gaze linger upon me.

"Rise," he said.

I lifted my head and stared at the crown prince. To gaze at the Imperials directly without permission was forbidden, and the offense was enough to land a death sentence, if not, both eyes would be put out. At that very moment, I feared Qara's face was not beautiful enough to entice the prince. I diffused my mind through Wulin's tentatively, hoping to find a crack which I could slide in and Whisper. But as I had expected, his mind was guarded as heavily as a steel fortress. Unless I was Donghwa, there was no swaying the prince's mind should he decide to kill me.

Wulin perused me with his sharp and cold eyes.

"Stand up," he ordered.

I stood and rearranged my dress, letting the silk flutter and slip through my fingers.

"Dance for me," he said.

Fear was a lump in my throat. Dancing was my life, but the only dances I knew were the Facechanging dances. Gui mentioned Wulin's love for Facechanging before Biyu and I performed. If he really delved into the arts of Facechanging, he would know that my moves were those of a Facechanger. If even the barest of suspicion was raised, my plan would foil, and everything would be lost.

"Your majesty," I pleaded. "My arm. I can't dance."

Wulin set his book aside. "You dare defy the orders of the crown prince?"

I took a step back.

"Dance." Wulin leaned back on his throne and folded his arms.

Baffled, I walked toward the center of the throne room and bowed.

He must be testing me, but I wasn't sure how dancing for him was useful in anyway. Nevertheless, I lifted my good arm above my head, inhaled, and danced.

I didn't know how to dance like the pleasure-girls. The only dances I knew were Facechanging dances. There were thirty chapters in a Facechanger's dance—it all started with the birth of Pangu from a grain of sand within an egg to the fall of the High Demons as the High Immortals banished them into a prison in the deepest part of the Eighteen Hells. I practiced these dances every night with Biyu, whether rain or shine, until they were an eternal part of us.

I danced and danced. The room fell away until there was nothing but the light and Wulin. I kept my injured arm immobile yet unleashing the dancer within me. Facechanging music burst from my heart and filled every inch of my soul, then fell away like a flower shedding its petals as it primed itself for the harshness of winter.

Mr. Long believed through dancing, the souls of the dancer would be bared to its audience. Every sliver of fear, every piece of their dreams, and every breath of their spirit was a mist in the air, twirling like silver tinsels around the dancer.

I threw my hopes and frustrations to the sky, every step I took reminded me of who I truly was.

Facechanger.

There was a creak as the door opened, but I didn't stop. I danced until my soles were screaming and I was out of breath. When the song faded from my heart and I was flushing. I faced the crown prince and bowed.

A woman stood next to the throne with the strangest look upon her face. But there was nothing stranger than the woman herself. She was as pale as snow, and her lips were redder than a rose blooming at its full glory. Her hair was the color of spun hay which fell down to her waist in the barest of curls. What shocked me the most was the color of her eyes—they were the shade of clear green glass.

I stepped back, my hand flying to my mouth.

A demon.

"Who is this woman?" the demon demanded.

"It is none of your business," Wulin replied smoothly. "If I may ask, Princess Shila. What are you doing at my pavilion unannounced?"

"I heard you were injured by an arrow," the demon said. "My Äke sent me some herbal ointment from yesterday, and I thought you needed it more than I did."

The accent, the pale complexion, and the silver circlet on her head. This must be the Imperial Ward, sent over from Zmerkï to grow up in Erden as a sign of harmony between the two nations. I had heard of such people before, from a faraway land where no one dared to step foot on. There, the winters were harsh, and white wolves scourged its citizens for food. I'd dismissed them as mere stories, but seeing a person with milky-white skin, pale eyes and hair, shocked me.

"I'm fine," Wulin said.

"Wulin," Shila continued, "I—"

The crown prince waved her down. "I have other important affairs to attend to. Please leave."

The foreign princess whirled on the crown prince. "So, watching whores dance is considered an important affair now?"

"Shila," Wulin said warningly. "Do not test me."

The crown prince clapped his hands, and BaiFeng appeared at the door. "Please escort Princess Shila back to her court."

Bai Feng bowed and indicated the door with a hand.

Shila looked torn between wanting to throw herself onto the floor and kick me in the face. She gave me a glare and stormed out of the throne room.

The moment Shila left, Bowen appeared at the door with a most bored look on his face. His hair, dark and glossy, spilled over his shoulders. I was surprised to see him dressed in a clean white robe and for once, he wasn't tripping over his own feet.

"What's all the commotion about? Did I miss a party?"

"If people keep on turning up unannounced at my court, there will indeed be a party." Wulin's eyes narrowed. "Why are you here?"

The second prince strolled into the throne room as if he was attending a tea party. "Firstly, I did not try to kill you. That idiot Lu mistook you for a training target. With that face of yours, I'm not surprised. Secondly, I want my slave back."

"I have two things to tell you too," Wulin said. "Firstly, you were the one who gave a small child a deadly gift. Secondly, this girl is mine now."

"If I may remind you, my brother," Bowen said. "The girl is still wearing a symbol of my power."

He pointed at the crystal bell on my head.

"Are you taunting me?" Wulin's hand crept toward his sword. It was a small gesture, anyone could have dismissed it as an involuntary movement, but both Bowen and I saw it.

Bowen laughed. "I wouldn't dare. I'm just here to claim back what's mine."

I was not his.

Bowen laughed again. "This is why they call you the Stone Prince. All business, no play."

"A Stone Prince is better than one who burns the gold of his kingdom on lavish and unnecessary things. Leave my court before I throw you out, and I will not be gentle."

Bowen sighed, turned toward me, and shrugged. "At least I have attempted to recover my possessions. Am I not right, sweet Qara?"

Without bowing, he left.

Wulin stood up and walked down the platform.

He was several steps away from me. From our distance, the silver in his gray eyes glowed like stars strewn across the night sky.

"What happens in Qiliu Court remains here. Breathe a word of this exchange and I will have your head mounted on a pike above the palace gates."

I curtsied. "Yes, your majesty."

He took another step forward. "I thought you said you couldn't dance?"

"I-I." I fumbled for words. "I was worried my skills weren't enough to please you."

"You lied to an Imperial. A liar must suffer the consequences."

"I'm ready to accept any punishment."

"Really?" His voice sank deeper. "Any punishment?"

My heart thudded like a caged animal against its cage. "Any punishment."

He didn't bat an eyelid. "Why did you save my life?"

You may be an Imperial, but if what you said was even true in the slightest, there will be change.

Instead, I said: "You're my lord and my master. Protecting you is my job."

Wulin hissed. "No slave in their right minds would give up their lives for an Imperial. Tell me honestly, or I will prise the words from your mouth by force."

"Asylum from the second prince," I whispered. "I'm certain you're more than familiar with how he treats his slaves."

"You would rather take an arrow to the flesh than serve the second prince?"

"Yes, your Majesty."

His eyes never left mine. "Have you heard of the assassin who attempted to kill me?"

"From the other slaves," I replied.

I remembered that afternoon very clearly. It was the day where my entire family was cast into prison for a crime they did not commit. The memory of Biyu being hit in the head with the butt of a spear made me bite my tongue, trying to drown out the pain within.

"I suspect the assassin came from Zmerkï, banded with a theater as cover. They are after our ore and our land, for theirs are bitter and barren. If they killed me, their princess would wed my younger brother, who does not care for the affairs of Erden. If Bowen ascends as Emperor, Erden would fall into Zmerkï's hands."

The crown prince started to pace.

"Erden has made a promise to Zmerkï, to enforce our peace treaty, an Erdenese Imperial would marry a Zmerkï Royal. Hence, my father plans to wed Shila to me, although I know he plans to have Bowen ascend the throne," Wulin said. "He thinks my marrying Shila would strengthen the bonds of the two kingdoms, but at the same time, by making me the second prince and Shila my wife, she will not have power in Erden. The reason Erden still stands as an empire even after hundreds of years, is that we have never accepted outsiders. Erden must be free of foreign influence."

"I'm afraid I don't understand, your Majesty,"

"You say you are willing to die for me as I am the crown prince. I'm going to put that faith to test," he said.

I returned his gaze with a steady one of my own, one that showed no fear. Months ago, I'd have shrunk in fear at the thought of even being near an Imperial. But now, I had changed. He couldn't harm me.

"I want you to be my escort," he said.

I stared at him. I'd heard of escorts. They were very rare, but they'd existed throughout the many dynasties. An escort is an Imperial's most trusted advisor, usually of the opposite sex.. An escort's duty was to the Imperial and the empire, as they as still servants, but several ranks higher than a common slave.

"Why?" I asked. "What can I do that will benefit you and the empire?"

"You will do anything in your power to prove that you're the future Empress of Erden by winning the hearts of the courtiers and the people," he said. "If you prove to the public that you'd make a better Empress than Shila, the common people would fight for our union."

He never stated his true goal, but it was as clear as day, glaring at me like the snarling lion statues on the roofs. The throne had been compromised. With the unknown assassin still hanging over his head, he needed to do something to secure the Emperor's crown. The Emperor favored Bowen more and wanted to pass the throne down to him, but at the same time, he didn't want Zmerkï influence in Erden. By forging love between us, the Emperor would have no choice but to crown Wulin Emperor.

He was playing a game too. A different game from mine. He was playing the game of crowns, and I the game of lies. Who would be the first to outsmart the other?

"And in return, you will grant me asylum?" I asked.

"That, and much more." Wulin smiled. This was the first time I'd seen the crown prince reveal any emotions except coldness and disinterest. "Have you been in love, slave?"

"No, your majesty," I answered truthfully.

Wulin sighed and sealed off the last few steps between us. He held me gently by the chin and tilted my head until I was staring right into his beautiful gray eyes.

I flinched at his touch, but I tried not to let my disgust show by breaking eye contact.

"You expect me to believe a woman as exquisite as you to have no lovers?" he said.

"I am a slave." Memories roiled within me, reminding me of the cruelty I had suffered at their hands. "I was sold to countless owners who used me until they loused up. Then, I was beaten and resold. I was nothing but an animal in a cage, paraded stark naked for men to admire. Does that sound like love to you?"

Wulin's smile vanished. "No. I believe not."

He released me. "From this moment onwards, I want you to shadow me. We will make public appearances, attend banquets. Remember, you're doing this for the sake of the nation, not because I'm interested in you. The safety of the kingdom comes before any man or woman."

"As you wish, your majesty."

"Good," Wulin said. "What's your name, slave?"

"Qara," I replied.

"Well then, Qara. You're now a part of Qiliu court. You are relieved from all slave activities unless stated otherwise. I need to you be at your finest at all times."

"Yes, your majesty."

"You are to attend Imperial etiquette classes starting tomorrow. Always keep in mind that your ultimatum is to be the Empress Shila can never be. On my end, I will display endless affection for you. You and I must play along in this game of chess. .You are my pawn and my servant. If you so much as betray me, I will hunt down everyone you've ever loved and kill them all."

"Why me?" I dared him. "I'm nothing but a slave."

Wulin smiled. "Slave or no, you have the perfect face to fool the common people and the courtiers. Your dancing will entrance both the nobility and the common people, for there is nothing more treasured in the Jade Palace than a woman versed in the arts. Be blessed that you're born beautiful, Qara. This is your chance to truly serve your crown prince and your kingdom."

"So, this is what being an Imperial is like—a bottomless pit of tricks and lies."

The smile on Wulin's face was sad. "Believe me, what you see now has barely scraped the surface. Here's some advice for you, little slave. Pray in your next life that you'll never be reincarnated into an Imperial family."

He turned to leave, but I shouted.

"Wait!"

The crown prince stopped in his tracks, back still against me.

"If I am going to be your escort, I have one request."

"Speak."

"I want Wanru to be my personal maid. She's currently serving at Princess Shila's court."

I was certain Wulin had no idea who Wanru was, but the prince nodded. "So be it."

Without a backward glance, he left the room.

I didn't follow him. I remained in the throne room for a little while longer.

Truth and lies, tricks, and honesty. Everything was thrown into murky waters and churned until they were completely indistinguishable.

I felt for my scalpel through my dress. The blade, warmed by my body, was comforting as I pressed my hand against it. I was indeed much closer to burying a knife in Wulin's chest. However, why was there an uneasy feeling stabbing me right in the heart?