The Dragons of Heaven (23 page)

“Who comes to the House of Lung Huang and his Bride?” I called the traditional opening.

“It is Lung Di, Dragon of the Underground and brother to Lung Huang. I come to offer blessings on the womb of Lung Xin Niang,” he responded.

I let a beat pass, then two. This was the moment when I would invite him to the house and the festival. I dared not glance around to see what I should do, not even to Jian Huo or Si Wei. This was my decision to make, and I had to make it myself or appear weak. Another moment passed, but I wouldn't let myself be rushed. I'd been performing for years; I knew how long I could hold a crowd before I began to lose them.

Of course, that knowledge didn't help me with my decision.

If I invited Lung Di to stay, then I could kiss any hope of a cordial relationship with my husband's other siblings goodbye. They would be livid and would take it as a sign of my poor judgment. But if I refused him entry then they might also take issue with my choice, condemning it as arrogance. Who was I, a human, a
laowai
, to refuse a dragon anything, even an honorless one? On top of that, there was the whole Sleeping Beauty issue. Smart people sucked it up and invited the evil fairy to the christening. Could I risk making an enemy out of Lung Di, when it might be my children who would pay the price?

The man below shifted; so did the crowd. Jian Huo looked ready to pop a vein. I was running out of time.

Would letting him into our home be so terrible, if it meant that our children might grow up in safety? Jian Huo would be furious. Even in their shared exile, he never sought out his brother. The one thing he had left, the one thing that kept him from despair, the thing that he held strong to and that differentiated him from his brother, was his honor. It was what made it acceptable for his other siblings to visit, even though they never had before this day. It was all he was. I couldn't invite dishonor into his house. I couldn't do that, not even for the sake of our children.

The crowd was beginning to whisper, but when I opened my mouth, they hushed.

“This is a house of honor. You have tired yourself to no purpose. You are not welcome here.”

I had a brief moment to register the surprise and fury on Lung Di's face before I turned my back on him to face the crowd. Their faces also showed surprise, although I'm pretty sure that if Jian Huo weren't so stuffy he would have kissed me right then. Even Lung Tian and Lung Pan looked bowled over.

“Friends, I thank you for your greetings and welcome you to our house. Please feel free to make it yours as well until such time as we must say our farewells. May friendship and goodwill flow between us.” And with those words, I was done. I swept back through the crowd and up into the house, Si Wei and the rest of my abbreviated entourage following in my wake. The last thing I saw before ducking through the doorway was Jian Huo's face, and the fierce pride and love in his eyes. Whatever the cost, I'd made the right choice.

“
S
o
, tell me about this debt you owed to Jian Huo.”

It was after the banquet, and Si Wei and I had spent most of the evening learning a complicated drinking game from Shui Yin, as Lung Ying had instructed us to call him. Part of the game called for the revelation of embarrassing confidences, rather like a Chinese version of Truth or Dare. I sucked at it, and I had spent most of the night spilling every awkward moment I'd ever lived, much to the entertainment and amusement of my two companions. I didn't mind because I was in full matchmaker mode. If ever two individuals needed to hook up, it was the fox-maiden and my husband's handsome young brother. Si Wei had cottoned on to this, but Shui Yin was proving to be oblivious as only a guy could be.

At my words, Si Wei caught her breath, and Shui Yin wouldn't meet my eyes, indicating that perhaps I'd overstepped the bounds of the game with my question. I'd finally won a round, and this was my only hope of getting the story out of anyone, so I just smiled and waved away their discomfort.

“Oh, c'mon. It's not like Shui Yin doesn't know, and probably everyone else here except me. Plus, the debt is forgiven now, so the water is under that bridge. And you know me, it's not like I'll understand any of the ramifications, or that I'll ever hold it against you. So what's the what?”

My unique butchering of Cantonese proved to be the
huxian
's undoing. Si Wei smiled in spite of herself and nodded her assent. She opened her mouth, struggling to find the words. Shui Yin took her hand, and I tamped down on the urge to jump up and shout “Score!” Two birds and all that.

“It was many centuries ago. I was,” she paused again, then forged on, “I was Ba Wei – eight tails. I had much power and was second only to Jiu Wei.” Her voice grew quiet, and I could tell she was blushing even in the dim light. “I wanted to be first.

“There was a man, a powerful man. I went to him and courted him and made him more powerful. With my aid, he became Emperor. But he was also a cruel tyrant, and when I was with him I became one too. Together we developed new forms of horror to unleash on the world, but we went too far. His generals rose up against him. He lost the Mandate of Heaven, and I was discovered and cast out. The generals cut off my tails. They left me to die.

“I went to every spirit I knew, everyone who I had ever had dealings with, but in my quest for power, in my attempt to supplant Jiu Wei, I had mistreated them all. They turned their backs on me.” She paused and became lost in reflection.

“All except Jian Huo,” I guessed, when she didn't go on.

“I have never understood it. You know as well as I how highly he values honor–”

“He also values pigheaded stubbornness,” I cut in. “I imagine that even with all you'd been through, even with everyone turning you away, you just kept going. Am I right?” She nodded, delicate brows knitted in thought.

“You think that this is so? I had always assumed he gave me shelter so that I would be in his debt. I always assumed that he thought little of me.” Her mouth twisted somewhere between a frown and a bitter smile. “He was quick to warn you away from me.”

“Naw,” I brushed aside her concerns with a wave of my hand. “If he despised you, he'd have left you to rot. I doubt the debt meant half as much to him as it did to you, otherwise he wouldn't have let you off so easy.”

Shui Yin laughed, and Si Wei's grimace gentled into wryness. “You think that guiding you has been easy?”

“Hey!” I cried in mock protest, glad for the lighter mood. I was also happy to notice that they still held hands. “As for the warnings, he's just nervous about me getting to know his ex. Who knows what we might gossip about. It makes him jittery. It's a guy thing.”

“This I can confirm,” Shui Yin said.

“Really?” Her smile was pure fox. “Perhaps you should keep that in mind if you ever get another question. It may be that I have a confession or two you might be interested to hear.”

“Oh no. I will not court my brother's wrath by encouraging you two harridans to gossip.” Shui Yin released the fox-girl's hand to scoop up the cups and pot, summoning a servant to dispose of them. He sat back and surveyed the bare table with satisfaction. “There. That should stop your mouths.”

Si Wei looked bereft for just a moment, then she caught my encouraging wink and fixed him with a pout. “But now that you've taken away our game, what choice do we have except to gossip?”

Shui Yin was no match for the fox-girl's wiles. He stammered, looking to me for help. I shrugged; he was on his own. Si Wei had maneuvered herself closer to him, so that when he turned back to her he met the full force of her grin. “Perhaps you should find some other way to stop my mouth?”

I'll give Shui Yin this, he held it together a lot better than I would have. He only gulped once before meeting her smile with one of his own. He stood and offered her his hand. “Perhaps I should. Shall we explore the gardens while we discuss possibilities?”

As they walked away draped over each other, I allowed myself a tiny two-fisted victory gesture and a whispered, “Score!”

T
he success
of my brilliant matchmaking scheme meant that I was left alone the next evening. Si Wei kept me company during the day while Jian Huo and the other dragons disappeared to who-knew-where, but as soon as Shui Yin returned with his siblings, the longing looks started. After five minutes of it, I told Si Wei to get lost. Jian Huo kept me company during the banquet, but then he abandoned me as well. I didn't begrudge him the time with his siblings; I snuggled into my cushions, watching the world go by.

That's where Lung Pan found me. The sour look hadn't left her face. “I see you are without your protectors,” she said, interrupting my people-watching. Right on cue, my back spasmed. I grimaced, and the comedy of errors began.

“I am sorry my presence displeases you so.” She crossed her arms and raised her chin, smiling for the first time since I'd met her. No. She wasn't sorry.

“Not at all.” I struggled to sit up. Smiled as if my body wasn't ripping itself in two. “Your arrival has brought Jian Huo much joy. I have never seen such happiness as I see in him now that he has been reunited with his siblings. His joy is my joy.” It was the proper sentiment for a wife to express, even though it made me want to cringe. I hadn't taken into account how much Lung Pan refused to accept me as Jian Huo's wife.

“You have no right to share his joy. You are a concubine in all but name.”

I went cold, then hot. I'd been with Jian Huo for long enough to recognize the depth of the insult. She wasn't done bullying, though. “You have no right to call yourself
Lung Xin Niang
. It is a travesty that all have agreed to out of respect for Jian Huo, not for you. You are not worthy to be called wife.”

“You are wrong,” I said before I could consider my words. I should have just ignored her insults. What can I say? I was pregnant, and I was pissed.

“Prove it.” The challenge came from another quarter. Lung Tian and several of the lesser spirits who most disapproved of me had been watching the altercation. My stomach sank as I realized I'd been set up.

“Wh– what?”

“The Lung Pan has made a statement; you have contested it. She will not yield. You must either concede the point or prove your own.”

“Prove that I am Jian Huo's wife?” I asked, still confused. That would be easy enough.

“No.” Lung Tian smiled. “Prove that you are worthy to be so named.”

Well, crap.

Jian Huo, Si Wei, Shui Yin, and a crowd of others hurried over to see what the fuss was about, but they were too late. This was another mess I'd have to deal with on my own. My back spasmed again, and I wished all dragons to perdition, especially ones who impregnated me and had rotten siblings.

“And how might I do that?” I glanced back at the younger dragon. “To Lung Pan's satisfaction, of course.”

Her mouth worked, and I hoped she would make some sweeping statement that I could never prove it to her satisfaction, which would have gotten me off the hook, but Lung Tian was cagier than his youngest sibling. He spoke before she could voice any impractical terms.

“The matter must be decided by a disinterested third party. I will offer myself as an objective arbiter, since I was witness to the challenge.”

I smiled in acceptance of this, to mask my inward seething. Witness? Set the whole thing up was more like it. Lung Pan wasn't cunning enough to plan this on her own.

“The
Lung Xin Niang
must be accomplished in many ways, but most importantly she must have grace, wit, and honor.” He twitched his robes close, as though my lack of these was catching. “Tomorrow we will have three trials to test these qualities in you. If you pass to my satisfaction, then Lung Pan will recant her words, and you shall receive the blessing of dragons.”

To his satisfaction. Well, that nixed it right there. Like that was ever going to happen. I tamped down on the urge to wipe the smug look off Lung Tian's face; in his mind, he'd already won.

Instead, I rose. My cheeks ached from all the fake smiling. “I have every confidence that you will be a fair arbiter in this matter, just as I have every confidence of my own worthiness. Agreed.”

Taking Jian Huo's arm, I forced him to escort me out of the room. Shui Yin and Si Wei trailed us. I didn't stop until we got to our private chambers. I needed to lie down before I fainted from the back spasms.

I sagged onto a long, low couch, lying back and taking deep breaths. It took a few moments, but the spasms subsided. The ringing in my ears and fuzzy whiteness at the edge of my vision went away. I cracked an eye; three alarmed faces looked back at me.

“I'm sorry. What did I miss?”

Jian Huo knelt beside me and took my hand. “Only me asking you a similar question. Several times. What happened?”

I grimaced and tried to rise, but he pushed me back down. Worried that the cramps might return, I obeyed. “I don't even know. I was just sitting there having some people-watching fun, and then Lung Pan came over, and I grimaced at the wrong time, and she decided it was because of her and not because I'm a
fucking pregnant woman
, and then she got nasty and called me a concubine, and I got defensive and told her she was full of it, and I'm pretty sure Lung Tian set the whole thing up anyways, and–”

“Does she ever take a breath?” Shui Yin whispered to Jian Huo.

“Not that I can tell,” he muttered.

“I am so sorry, my Lord.” Si Wei twisted her robe in her hands. “I should have been there to guide her–”

I couldn't let her take the fall. “It's not your fault, Si Wei. It's not her fault, Jian Huo. They knew what they were doing. They weren't trying to get me to insult them; that'd be dirty pool. They got me to put my money on a hustle. Pan set up the shot and Tian sank the ball. So it wasn't even Si Wei's responsibility to keep me out of this trouble. They tricked me into it fair and square.”