Silence is the best course of action.
Silence is the best course of action.
Silence is the best course of action.
I repeat the phrase in my head again and again to remind myself not to react. I’d better get a fucking explanation of what’s going on soon, though, because the woman I love has a death sentence hanging over her head now.
“Lia, you’ve proved yourself to be a brave and skilled fighter.” Gaozu looks sad. “But what you’ve done is wrong. It goes against our rules and breaking them must have consequences. There can be no exceptions.”
Gaozu turns toward the platform and slowly heads back to his throne as if he’s carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. Neither Lia nor I move. We both stare at each other, and then watch as Gaozu takes his seat and places his head in his hands.
“I thought we’d found the one to bring us victory against the Jīn Long, but I fear your presence here will only lead to our defeat.” Gaozu sighs. “Jaxon, bring me the sword at the girl’s waist.”
Lia’s mouth quivers. I don’t move at first. I just stare at her.
“Please,” she mouths, her hand going to the sword.
For a moment, I think she’s going to stop me taking it, but she doesn’t. Instead, she removes it from the scabbard and hands it to me.
“Trust and honor,” she mouths, and it’s then I realize that she and Gaozu are in this together.
I begin to wonder if he’s always known who she is, even when I didn’t? I rip the sword from her hands. I don’t like being kept in the dark, even though I’m sure it’s for a purpose. I take the sword up onto the platform and give it to Gaozu with a bow of my head. My nostrils are flaring, and he can tell I’m pissed off.
He ignores me, though, and stands,
“This sword is the one that severed the head of Wang’s favorite general. It was given to the Zhànshì family for their loyal service and the honor they brought to the Yi Shu. I’m hereby taking it back from them. There is no honor in what Lia has done. She has placed us all in danger. Some of our beliefs might be old, but in our world there is no place for a female warrior. Our women must be protected and loved. It is not their role to fight battles that scar even the strongest of our men. Sexist this may be, but it’s not a belief I’m willing to change.” Gaozu places the sword down on his chair and looks toward Lia. “Your punishment should be death for your betrayal, but you’ve earned your right to live by taking the life of a Jīn. However, I won’t allow you to remain here any longer. You are hereby banished from all land controlled by the Yi Shu.” Gaozu points to a couple of guards. “You two, take her away. Arrange for her belongings to be collected from her home, escort her to the edge of San Francisco, and leave her there. She’s never to return.”
I spin around on the platform to face Gaozu. I want to scream no, and tell him I’m going with her, but when he looks at me, his face is a blank mask, betraying nothing, and I remain silent. I’m not a Yi Shu by blood, only by a favor. I might be a general, one of the highest ranking men here, but to them, I’m the blond demon and only tolerated here because of a prophecy. My life would be forfeit if I showed dissension in front of our leader. Lia’s life is saved, but mine won’t be the same. Silence is the price for my betrayal.
My anger hasn’t died down at all as I watch my general’s remains lowered into the ground. In the coffin with him are the treasures he needs to take his soul into the next life, and once a year on the Qingming festival, we’ll return here to bless him. It’s the least I can do for a man who showed as much loyalty to my vision as he did. I will avenge his death. It consumes me. I dream of the boy I will rip limb from limb until there is nothing left. He’ll not be afforded a respectful funeral like this. His soul will wander forever poor and in suffering—I will make sure of it.
I say one final blessing for my general and walk away to leave his family to their private grief. I have work to do, a raid to end all raids to plan. I’m done with the Yi Shu. It’s time to end this war.
I make my way back to my home, an ornate house protected by my elite guards. It’s a place for me to relax and be worshiped by the people I choose to surround myself with. A servant boy crawls to my feet as I walk in through the front door, and taking the shoes I’ve been wearing, he disappears with them. I don’t know where they’re stored—I don’t need to. Another boy appears. He’s walking strangely, and I know why. He was given as spoils to a couple of my men last night after he ruined one of my jackets. It was his punishment. I raise an eyebrow at him as he holds his hands out to take the jacket I’m currently wearing.
“I hope you learned your lesson,” I remind him of his mistake.
“I did, gracious leader. I will ensure it doesn’t happen again.” He repeatedly bows, and I throw my jacket at him.
“Good.” He’s lucky to get any words from me. I don’t normally speak to insignificant people like the slaves I keep for my own personal entertainment.
Striding through the corridors of my house, I pass pictures of my greatest victories, inscriptions of my mottos, and plans for my great, new world that adorn the walls. I surround myself with depictions of my dominion as a daily reminder to everyone of just how powerful I truly am.
After days of anger and mourning, I need replenishment to my soul. I click my fingers at one of the slaves.
“Have a woman brought to my bedroom at once.”
He bows his head and scurries away to fulfill my request.
My dick hardens at the thought. I need to fuck, long and hard. I need to hear screams of pain, and I won’t stop until the whore the man chooses is half dead as I come hard inside her. A perfect ending.
“Gracious Leader.” One of my guards greets me at my door, a piece of paper in his hand.
“What is it?” I scowl.
“We’ve just received this. I think you’ll want to read it urgently. It concerns the boy who killed our general.”
I snatch it from him not wanting to waste another moment. I open it and read:
Zhàn has been outcast from the Yi Shu.
He was an imposter, Lia Zhànshì.
A woman dressed as a man.
A female but a murderer all the same.
Her punishment is banishment.
Search the area around the Golden Gate.
She’ll be there later today.
There’s no indication as to who wrote the document. I don’t recognize the handwriting. It could be a trap. I need to act carefully and not allow my need for revenge to take over. Besides, a woman killing my general is preposterous. The Yi Shu wimp I had executed must have been lying to me. Fuck, I should have made his death more painful.
“Has anyone checked this out?”
The guard nods. “There was a meeting called at the Yi Shu main compound this morning. The boy called Zhàn was unmasked as a girl during it. Gaozu banished her.”
“But she was the one who killed our general?”
“It’s the reason she received banishment and not death. It would seem their rules are not too dissimilar to ours when it comes to honor in their faction. By killing our general she saved her life.”
“It does,” I agree.