The man hung from a splintered wooden frame, arms lashed to a thick, horizontal plank while his legs remained dangling in mid-air. He was surrounded by a foul stench of blood, sweat and urine, disheveled hair strewn across his grimy face. His white undergarments were stained red and ripped at the places where the salt-laced whip had struck, leaving him with little more than a single breath remaining in that broken body.

"He's confessed, Your Highness," the Firebrand who had been put in charge of the interrogation said when he saw them approach, bowing respectfully to his regent. "It was a General Helan from Dahai who put him up to it and supplied him with the poison. In exchange, the king of Dahai agreed to–"

"Agreed to put him on the throne of Feng?" Shoya interrupted. He stepped in front of the prisoner and pushed aside the strands of hair obscuring the latter's face. "It's been a while, Brother."

"Him?" Yuehwa stared in surprise.

Hwang Minsu, the deposed crown prince of Feng. She had almost even forgotten that he existed.

She waved her hand, dismissing Ru Fei and the guards.

Hearing Shoya's voice, Hwang Minsu lifted his head. He spat, glaring hatefully at the half-brother who had stolen everything from him.

"I didn't think you had it in you," Shoya said. "Colluding with another kingdom to betray your own."

"Feng belongs to me. I'll do whatever I want with it."

Yuehwa shook her head, retreating to one side of the cell. She was only an outsider here, so there was no need for her to be a part of this conversation.

"Including giving it to someone else on a silver platter? What did the king of Dahai promise you? Let me guess, he told you that he would help you get rid of me so that you could be reinstated as crown prince? Or maybe even better, he'd help you remove our dearest father as well so you can skip a step."

Minsu averted his gaze, saying nothing.

"We caught two of the Dahai soldiers who were supposed to meet you in the mountains to help you escape," Shoya continued. "Except it turns out their orders were a little bit different. They were meant to kill you and leave you for the wolves."

"Liar!" Minsu yelled, his eyes bulging with fury.

"Why would I lie? What good do you think you are to the king of Dahai? Did you honestly believe that he would kindly place you on the throne, instead of swallowing the whole of Feng by himself?" Shoya gave his half-brother such a withering look of pity that made Yuehwa feel a little sorry for the latter.

"T-t-that's not true. We had an agreement. Once Muya fell, he would lend me his soldiers to reclaim the capital. I'm going to be king. I'm going to be king," Minsu muttered, his crazed eyes flitting left and right.

"It's over. Father tried to save your life by banishing you as a commoner, but you chose this path instead. Now, you will die a traitor."

"You can't do this. You can't kill me. I'm the crown prince of Feng. I'm going to be king!"

The distraught laughter and shouts of the once high-and-mighty prince echoed down the damp, musty corridors of the prison, from which he would never leave.

Yuehwa sighed, turning to follow Shoya out of the cell. Hwang Minsu had been given the chance to live, a chance that the king of Feng had denied to Shoya time and again, yet he had chosen to squander it away. She had no sympathy for his plight. People had to accept the consequences of their actions, and his selfish act of treason had cost the lives of so many innocents.

Hwang Minsu had to pay his price–and so would all of them, one day.

#

Three days later, the former crown prince of Feng was executed in front of the Muya city gates and his confession was sent back to the capital on horseback. Yuehwa would have liked to have seen the king's reaction to this news first-hand, but she would have to be content with imagining his state of shock and disbelief that his preferred child was no more. She had little doubt that when the king banished Hwang Minsu, he had every intention of reinstating the latter eventually, once he had figured out a way to get rid of Shoya, the thorn in his side. Perhaps he had even been aware of his son's treachery–and aided him in it–hoping that Shoya would become collateral damage in the siege of Muya. Unfortunately, his wishes had not come to pass.

The wrong prince was dead, and Shoya was his only heir.

With the traitor dealt with and the city of Muya on the mend, Yuehwa and Shoya had to push on with their primary objective–returning Baixun to his kingdom.

When it was ascertained that Baixun was fit enough to make the journey through the Jilin mountains, Ru Fei led them along the unmarked path through the snow-covered forests and valleys. Now, they stood on the incline of a slope, gazing at the city that lay in the distance with its grey-tiled roofs and turreted city walls. That was Qu-an, one of Gi's border cities.

A sea of tiny white tents had been pitched in front of the city, and soldiers marched around their perimeter like rows of ants. The black and silver flags of Gi flapped proudly in the breeze.

"This is where we'll leave you," Ru Fei said to Baixun and Maroo. "If you follow this path down the mountain," he pointed at a dirt track that had been carved out by the footprints of deer, "you should be able to reach the camp by the end of the day."

Baixun looked at each one of them in turn, then he bowed. "Thank you, once again, for everything," he said. "I owe you a life debt."

"Then you'd best stay alive long enough to repay it," Yuehwa quipped.

The prince smiled, letting his gaze linger upon her face for a moment. Then he said, "May the gods keep you safe." His eyes flickered towards Shoya. "All of you," he added.

Bidding them farewell, Baixun and Maroo headed in the direction that Ru Fei had pointed out, soon disappearing down the mountainside.

"Well then, let's get a move on," Yuehwa said, turning rightwards. With Baixun's return to Gi serving as a distraction, they had another important task to complete.

After spending several sleepless nights planning their counter-move against the king of Dahai and the shadowy forces behind him, they had concluded that the most effective way to gain victory was to nip the threat at its bud and weed out the puppeteer hiding in the darkness. If their conjectures were right, then it was likely that the mastermind–whether it was Lady Kang or not—would remain in close proximity of the king, and the king of Dahai was currently at the frontline leading the so-called "righteous retaliation" for the murder of his son-in-law.

If they moved quickly, they would be able to reach the army camps of the Dahai military within two days.

#

After disposing of three Dahai scouts that they found combing the Hudeng pass, Yuehwa, Shoya and Ru Fei slipped undetected into the main encampment of the Dahai army, disguised as regular foot soldiers. Once night fell, they snuck their way towards the king's tent, located in the centre of the expansive camp site.

"That arrogant little prick thinks that he can declare war against me? Does he think I care for this alliance! I have offered him a path to glory and he chooses to stab me in the back!"

"Baixun moved quickly," Yuehwa whispered to the others with a sardonic smile. They were crouched outside the back of the large tentage, hidden in the shadows.

Loud crashes could be heard coming from inside the king's tent, likely from the smashing of anything and everything within reach.

"Ingrate! Thinks too highly of himself! If he wants to pit himself against me then I'll show him what defeat looks like. I'll show him—"

The angry shouts of the king were interrupted by his own choking and spluttering, followed a string of hacking coughs.

"Your Majesty, there's no need to get so worked up," a softer, gentler voice chimed in. "A little hiccup won't affect our bigger plans."

"A little hiccup? You call this a little hiccup! Baixun has withdrawn his army and joined the other side. We're left on our own!"

"Even if all the other kingdoms join hands, they will be no match for you, my king."

"You have a plan? What is it?"

"The plan can wait till later. Why don't you take your pill first? It will make you feel much better."

"Yes, yes of course. Give it to me. Give it to me now."

Moments later, a slender figure emerged from the tent, her face mostly obscured by a luxurious, white fur-lined hood. She gave one hand to the maidservant who had been waiting to receive her outside, but just when it looked like she was about to leave–she stopped.

Yuehwa and Shoya inched further back into the safety of the shadows.

The lady's red lips curled upwards in a smile, then she continued on her way, entering a separate tent that was not far from the king's. A strong, pungent fragrance of orchid flowers wafted into Yuehwa and Shoya's noses, lingering even after the lady was long gone.

"That's Lady Kang," Yuehwa said, pinching her nose to stifle a sneeze. Even though she hadn't managed to get a clear view of the lady's face, she recognised the woman's graceful yet powerful gait. If she wasn't certain before, now she was absolutely sure that the lady was involved in this entire conspiracy.

Shoya nodded. "She must be controlling the king somehow through those pills she's been feeding him," he said. He lifted a flap at one corner of the tent and peered in. Yuehwa bent over and peeked above his shoulder.

The interior of the king's tent was dimly lit by a single lamp, the air murky with wispy tendrils of smoke coming from the sandalwood incense burner by the foot of the king's bed. The king was lying sideways on his bed, his head propped up by one arm, with thick wool blankets covering the rest of his body.

Yuehwa was shocked when she saw what he had become.

Even though there had been signs of dark rings encircling his eyes back during the tournament on Dahai, betraying signs of his deterioration, he had still been fairly robust and energetic then. Now, he had dwindled to half his original size and the skin of his cheeks hung jaunt upon his skeletal frame.

Naying's father was almost at death's door, Yuehwa thought. But he only had himself to blame. The pills draining his life force might have been supplied by Lady Kang, but the greed was all his. A twinge of sympathy struck her as she remembered her friend, far away within the Gi palace walls, and she wondered how Naying would react if she knew what was going on.

The king convulsed as he burst into another fit of violent coughs. When the white cloth in his hand slipped onto the floor, Yuehwa saw the splatter of dark, almost blackened, blood that stained the cotton.

Shoya lowered the tent flap, his expression severe.

"They're poisoning him. It's probably a slow-acting poison that's in those pills, but judging from his current state, he doesn't have many days left. When he's asleep, I'll go in and try to purge as much of the poison from his body as I can, but I expect that won't be enough to undo the damage that's already been inflicted on his internal organs."

Even though the king of Dahai deserved whatever punishment was coming for him, they could not let him die now, or else Dahai would fall entirely into the hands of Lady Kang and her insidious conspirators. He had to survive long enough for them to ensure that control over his kingdom and army was handed over to someone who could be trusted to rule with a just hand, someone who would not be subjugated by the practitioners of the dark arts.

"Ru Fei and I will keep an eye on Lady Kang and see if we can find out whether she's working with others, and what her next steps might be," Yuehwa said. Gesturing to Ru Fei, she crept away from the king's tent and in the direction of the concubine's.

"Yuehwa," Shoya called out.

She stopped, turning to see what else he had to say.

"Be careful."

Yuehwa blinked, momentarily confused. His words of concern tickled her heart like a feather, but she gave him a half-hearted nod and a shrug instead before carrying on. It was difficult pretending not to care, but caring too much was even harder.

#

Yuehwa and Ru Fei loitered outside Lady Kang's tent, carefully watching for any suspicious activity taking place within. Time trickled away until day faded to night, but everything seemed peaceful and calm. Then the midnight gong struck.

"She's leaving," Yuehwa said, noticing the lady emerge alone from her tent at long last, wearing the same fur-lined cloak that she had on earlier. In her hand was a wooden staff, elegantly carved with what looked like the image of a spitting cobra at its top. The latter headed towards the back gate of the encampment, leading towards a forested area at the foot of the Jilin mountains. "I'll follow her and see what she's up to. You sneak inside her tent and look for anything that might be noteworthy—evidence of dark magic, letters that hint at their plans, whatever might be helpful for us."

"But Your Highness, it'll be dangerous for you to tail her on your own. I should go with you."

She shook her head. "I'll keep my distance. Besides," her lips quirked into a sardonic grin, "I'm the Phoenix. Do you think she'll be able to catch me?"

Ru Fei didn't look convinced, but he could not disobey his regent's orders. Reluctantly, he hurried into the empty tent, leaving Yuehwa to catch up with the concubine's footsteps.

The pine forests were shrouded in an eerie cloud of mist that seemed to appear out of nowhere.

Yuehwa had trailed Lady Kang out of the Dahai camp and into the woods. Perched high upon the branches of the trees, she pulled the scratchy collar of her borrowed uniform higher up her neck to keep out the cold. The king's concubine had come to a stop in the middle of a clearing and she merely stood there—waiting. For someone, Yuehwa presumed.

An accomplice? Another practitioner of the dark arts? A victim?

But she didn't have the time to figure out which, because when she shut her eyes for a brief moment to let out a yawn–the woman vanished.

"Where did she go?" Yuehwa yelped, looking around in alarm. It was impossible for a human being to slip away unnoticed from right under her nose. At least it was–till now.

Seeing no sign of Lady Kang anywhere, Yuehwa leapt down from the branch, searching the vicinity for a trace of the woman's whereabouts. There was not even a footprint left behind. It was as if she had disappeared into thin air.

Around her, the fog thickened until it became almost impossible to see beyond her outstretched arm. Yuehwa's spider senses went on high alert. Something was amiss in these woods.

"Come out!" she shouted. "I know you're there!"

There was a soft laughter carried by the wind, or it could have merely been the rustling of leaves.

Yuehwa pulled her sword out of its scabbard, eyes surveying the murky surroundings, waiting for the attack to happen. But instead of a team of assassins armed with weapons, something very strange unfolded before her. A section of fog cleared to reveal a path through the trees.

"Yue-er, get out of here! Run!" she heard a woman's voice scream.

"Mother?"

It was impossible, because her mother was long deceased. Yet the voice was unmistakable. No matter how many years passed, Yuehwa would never forget her mother's voice—the same voice that used to sing her to sleep every night.

Against her better judgement, she stepped down the path.

Then she was somewhere else entirely.

She was home, back within the Hwa palace, except everything was in flames.

Her vision was drenched in blood—blood that was smeared all over the stone tiles, flowing rivulets descending down from the grand stairway that led to the throne room. Walls and pillars had been smashed to rubble. Dead bodies lay strewn about like rag dolls, each of them donning the familiar maroon armour of the Hwa royal guard.

Yuehwa bent over and picked up her kingdom's flag, lit embers still dancing upon its burnt edges. Her fingers clenched over the thick fabric, damp with blood from the last soldier who had been protecting it.

"Yue-er, you must leave now. There is no time to waste."

There it was again, but this time the voice was her brother's.

Yuehwa dropped the flag and ran up the stone steps, bursting through the fallen lattice doors of their throne room. Again the same carnage met her eyes–bodies cruelly cut down, the once-glorious and proud throne room reduced to a crumbling wasteland.

A strangled cry escaped from her lips.

There lying at the front of the hall, around the throne that she had once sat on, was her family.

Her father. Her mother. Her brother, Sang. His queen, Yi'en. Her beloved nephew, Yang-yang.

She rushed forward, sinking to her knees in front of them.

"Father! Mother! Sang!" she cried, checking each of them in turn. They remained silent, their eyes still wide open, reflecting the vestiges of terror that had gripped them before they died. Had she truly heard her mother and brother calling to her before? Or had it all been a figment of her imagination?

"Yi'en? Yang-yang?"

Even her young nephew was gone, the last breath stolen from his small body.

Cradling the boy in her arms, Yuehwa broke down in tears, her cries of anguish echoing within the walls.

This isn't real, she told herself. It's not real.

It couldn't be. Her parents had died many years ago, and Sang's body still lay upon his bed of ice, waiting for her to avenge his death. Yi'en and Yang-yang were safe, back home within the palace walls–not here, not dead. This was not the Hwa palace. This was a horrific lie woven by dark magic, meant to break down her mind.

She stood up, fingers tightening upon the hilt of her sword.

"Come out!" she yelled, anger blazing in her eyes. "Come out you coward! Is this the best you can do? Create illusions? Stop hiding in your shell!"

Again, she thought she heard soft laughter wafting in the air. Mocking her.

Someone stepped out from the shadows behind her brother's throne. Someone she had not expected to see.

"You..."

Shoya, wearing the gleaming armour of the Feng army, with splatters of blood staining the silver. He was holding a sword in his right hand, fingers wrapped tightly around its crystal hilt.

Drip. Drip.

Droplets of dark red dripped from its tip and onto the floorboards, forming a sickening trail as he walked towards her.

Was that the blood of her loved ones?

She opened her mouth to ask him for the truth, to question whether he was the one responsible for the destruction and devastation of her home, but the words remained trapped in her throat. His eyes were the coldest she had ever seen, emotionless and unyielding, staring at her as if she were already dead.

This is not real. This is not real. Wake up, Yuehwa. This is not real.

Shoya raised his sword into the air.

"Yuehwa, wake up!"

The illusion shattered.