Chapter 23

XIAN

Xian stood alone in the darkness of his chamber. He was still dressed in his lóng páo , which was streaked with dirt from the ride back to the palace. His pulse hammered inside his skull, pounding so hard that

his head hurt and he had to shut his eyes.

The oracle had directed him to Changle. The priest had warned that danger was close by. But the white snake had been even

closer than Xian realized.

By his side. In his bed.

The signs had all been there: the healed wound on Zhen's left hip, which matched the scar on the white snake that had pulled

him out of the West Lake. How Zhen had said he was born in Wuyue and his reluctance to go back there with Xian. His uncanny

connection with animals, including Zhaoye and the leopard that had attacked them during the hunting trip.

Back on the dais, Fahai had unleashed a tranquilizer-laced dart that found its mark between the white snake's dorsal scales. The creature had arched and screeched, its body undulating, its powerful tail knocking over footstools even as its movements grew feebler.

When the snake finally stopped moving, the guards locked it inside a large rattan cage.

"Bring it back to the palace," Xian had commanded.

Now Xian opened his eyes. Everything in his chamber was a reminder of Zhen. The teapots Xian had used to show him how to make

a cup of pu'er tea. The wooden rack where Zhen had meticulously smoothed out the creases of Xian's lóng páo , the one he was wearing now. The wéi qí board where he had taught Zhen to play. The platform bed where their bodies had tangled with breathless laughter and drawn-out

kisses.

With a roar, Xian swept the tea ware off the table. Porcelain cups flew over the edge and shattered on the floor. Teapots

smashed, sending shards of purple clay in all directions. He upended the low table with the wéi qí board, which struck the floor with such force that it cracked in half. Black and white stones scattered to the corners and

skittered under the bed.

Xian held out his shaking hands and stared at a bleeding cut on his knuckles.

He had found the white snake, but there was no sense of victory. Just the taste of betrayal, bitter as bile in the back of

his throat.

When he looked up, Fahai and Feng stood in the open doorway, their faces somber. Their knocking had probably been drowned out by the sounds of his rampage. They were the only two who would be forgiven for entering without permission.

Xian clenched his hand. The sting of pain was oddly calming. "Has the prisoner been secured?"

"He's locked in the dungeon," Feng replied. "He had transformed into a human again by the time we arrived at the palace, but

he's still unconscious."

"I put a collar around his neck," Fahai said. "It's made of bīn steel that has been quench-hardened and tempered until a spiral

pattern emerged. The collar has the power to stop him from changing back into a snake and escaping."

Xian let out a sharp, unhinged laugh. "You just happened to have a magical collar up your sleeve, Fahai?"

"No. I procured one when I first had suspicions about Zhen." Fahai's tone was level. "But I didn't want to accuse him until

I was absolutely sure. That's where the realgar powder in the decoction came in."

Xian understood. "Snakes cannot tolerate sulfur. That's why he recoiled when we offered him the medicine."

"I added many strong-smelling herbs to mask the realgar, but snakes have an excellent sense of smell," Fahai said. "He must've

detected the scent—however, at your insistence, and with all of us watching, he had no choice but to consume the decoction."

"When did you start suspecting Zhen wasn't who he said he was?" Feng asked.

"There was something strange about him from the start," Fahai replied. "What he said about his past, his family... something didn't add up."

His family—

"Where's Qing?" Xian demanded.

A flicker crossed Feng's face. "We searched but couldn't find her. Guards are scouring the forests as we speak."

Qing was very likely a snake spirit as well. Zhen hadn't been lying when he said she was his sister. Two snake demons living

as humans in the Changle palace. Xian's hands tightened into fists. What a mockery.

"The other day, when he went hunting with us as our guide," Fahai said grimly, "I had a feeling he was actually warning the

snakes off."

"But we almost caught one," Feng pointed out.

"It must have panicked and crossed our path by accident." Fahai cut a sidelong look at Xian. "I would not be surprised if

Zhen was the one who summoned that leopard to attack Feng as a diversion to allow that snake to escape."

"What does Zhen want?" Feng sounded mystified. "Why did he go to such lengths to infiltrate the palace and get close to Xian?"

"If I didn't know better, I would say it was an act of bad faith by the Min court," Fahai replied. "But Zhen wasn't among

the courtesans offered. They couldn't have known the prince would select him. There must be something else the snake is after."

Xian pinched the bridge of his nose. Feng and Fahai didn't know about the connection forged between him and Zhen that fateful day years ago.

But what about Zhen? At what point had he realized Xian was the boy from the lake?

He must have recognized Xian from the start. And he had used that to his advantage, stealthily charming his way behind enemy

lines... and Xian had been so besotted that he let his guard down. He hadn't realized he'd been played until it was too

late.

Xian looked at Fahai. "Can a white snake spirit be used to create the antidote for my mother?"

Fahai nodded. "If anything, its supernatural abilities will increase the effectiveness of the cure. Possibly the only silver

lining in this regrettable situation."

"There is nothing to regret. We finally have what we came for." Xian's tone was implacable. "Fahai, please let Governor Gao

know that we will depart for Wuyue at dawn. Feng, make the necessary arrangements so that our delegation is ready to leave

with the prisoner in tow. Double our guard for the journey back to Xifu."

"Shall I ride ahead to inform your father?" Fahai asked. "He will be eager to know that we have found what we need for the

antidote."

Xian nodded. "Arriving earlier would give you more time to make preparations in your laboratory. You shall leave tonight."

Fahai held out a pair of cuffs. "These will ensure the prisoner does not escape."

Xian eyed the long, fragile chain linking the fetters. "I'd be more comfortable with something sturdier."

Fahai smiled. "Appearances are deceiving, Prince Xian. These are the most secure bonds you can find. They, too, are crafted

from bīn steel and reinforced with a dragon-claw lock. No weapon can cut through the metal, and only one key in the world

can open the lock."

Xian took the pair of cuffs and their key. So they had magical properties, like the collar. Fahai's knowledge of the arcane

served them well.

"The snake spirit may try to bargain for freedom by offering to heal your mother," Fahai continued, his tone grave. "He knows

very well that you are seeking a cure above all else, and he may attempt to exploit that. But you must not trust him. If he

gets close to her and tries to perform any kind of dark magic, it could cost her life. Do not allow him to deceive you again,

Prince."

"I would be a fool to make the same mistake twice," Xian replied, his tone as hard as bīn steel.

Feng cast Xian a concerned glance before he and Fahai exited the room, leaving Xian alone.

Xian stood where he was for a long time, staring at the white and black stones strewn across the floor. The wéi qí board wasn't the only place Zhen had found a weakness in Xian's defenses.

He had to stop thinking of Zhen as a boy he once cared about. That boy never existed. The white snake was his captive, and

it would have to pay its debt in flesh and blood. And by the end, it would be crystal clear which of them had really won this

game.