Page 47 of Forest of a Thousand Lanterns

Thetengaruqueen’s ageless eyes materialized in Xifeng’s mind.That tree could be meant for you... or for her.Was it only a pretty thought if the demon guardians believed it enough to have protected the Dragon King’s apple tree for all the ages of the world?

“Apart from the relics, the shrine isn’t empty,” the Emperor went on. “Envoys from every kingdom on the continent bring food and jewels and precious metals as tokens of worship.”

“I’d like to see it with my own eyes,” Xifeng said wistfully. “Will you go with them?”

He shook his head. “The palace officials will. Ministers and scholars, with soldiers from the Imperial Army to escort them. They’ll bring our Ambassador Liao, of course, and a visiting one from Kamatsu...”

“Shiro?” Xifeng asked eagerly, and he stared at her in astonishment. “He was one of my companions on the way here, as was his friend Hideki. He was my guardian and chaperone, in fact,” she added, remembering the story she had told the Crown Prince.

“They’re both doing well and will be part of the envoy,” he said heartily. “I would have brought them today if I’d known that...” He stopped, his eyes on the doorway.

Lady Sun stood watching them, her whole body trembling. “Why,” she said in a dangerously quiet voice, “are you not on your knees, girl?”

“There’s no need for that. Xifeng and I are good friends now.”

Lady Sun’s eyes on him burned like black embers. “Friends?” Lady Sun whispered, and Xifeng despised herself for stepping backward at the hatred in the woman’s eyes. “I don’t think you understand, Your Majesty, that this impertinent girl is nothing but a maid in my service...”

“Lady-in-waiting,” the Emperor corrected her, the corner of his mouth lifting at Xifeng.

She longed to smile back, but dropped to her knees instead. “A thousand apologies, Your Majesty. I did not recognize you,” she lied.

“Of course she did.” Lady Sun still spoke in that low voice like a storm about to break. “She knew exactly who you were the whole time. She’s been asking questions about us, trying to find out when you’d be here with me!”

There are ears all over this palace,Kang had warned,and many of them listen on her behalf.

Xifeng raised her head. The stark, wind-chiseled peaks of Emperor Jun’s face held amusement, not surprise. Had he known all the time that she was aware of his identity? She lowered her nose to the floor again, cheeks warming.Well, what of it? Let him know fate has come calling.

“Insolent girl!” Lady Sun shrieked. She flew at Xifeng, slapping the side of her head with all of her strength. The force of it sent Xifeng down, her ear ringing and stars dancing before her eyes, embarrassment forgotten. “How dare you stand before His Majesty like anequal!”

Xifeng covered her face as the woman continued to hit her, reaching into her tunic to pinch the tender skin on her arms and neck. The concubine drew back and kicked her, sending flares of fire into her ribs, and Xifeng choked on a sob as memories of Guma flooded back. The screaming pain, the warmth of blood rushing to the injured area. But there had always been a lesson in every beating, and this was nothing but senseless, jealous violence.

“Stop this!” The Emperor grabbed at the irate woman, but in this storm, he was mere thunder to the fury of her lightning.

She pried herself from his grasp and fell upon Xifeng once more.

Every muscle in Xifeng’s body tensed to retaliate. She was beyond caring that the Emperor stood witness. She would grab Lady Sun’s ankle and pull her down to crack her head against the table. But it was a gamble, for when she uncovered her face to do so, she felt the nails of the concubine’s hand rake down her right cheek. Five trails of fire burned from her eye to her jaw as the skin shredded, and Xifeng screamed, dripping blood onto the priceless rug.

Two eunuch guards rushed in and dragged Lady Sun away, but Xifeng hardly registered their presence. The room spun as she touched her ruined face, the fingers coming away bloody. Her heart roared like a funeral drum. Someone spoke to her, helped her up, but she heard only an unintelligible rumble. There were eyes, so many eyes on her. She tucked the side of her face against her shoulder, sick and ashamed, and felt the floor tilting beneath her.

The eunuch who had helped her up shook her. “Get ahold of yourself, girl,” he hissed.

Lady Sun stood weeping in the Emperor’s arms a few feet away, clutching at his tunic. “She said she didn’t know me,” he was telling her in a voice as frigid as the northern winds. “There was no need to abuse her like that.”

“I don’t care abouther,” the concubine moaned. “Why were you hiding from me, my love? I didn’t mean to get angry about the map. I only want all of your presents to be for me. There is no one I love above you...”

He shushed her, his face twisted in anger and embarrassment. His eyes met Xifeng’s, and she instinctively hid the injured side of her face beneath a curtain of hair. “Are you all right?”

“Answer His Majesty,” the eunuch snapped at her, but Emperor Jun shook his head.

“She’s in shock. Take her away and have someone clean her face.”

The room continued spinning as the eunuch led Xifeng out. Behind them, she heard the Emperor say wearily, “You forget your place,” and Lady Sun pleading, “My place is by your side, but if you wish, I’ll go to a monastery and never return. I’ll go away. I’ll leave you for good!”

Xifeng turned back to see Emperor Jun burying his face in the concubine’s neck. It was clear from the way they came together that this was a private, regular routine.

A crowd of maids and eunuchs clustered around Xifeng in the corridor. She stared at them in a daze, listening to them murmur and cluck their tongues at the blood on her face and clothing. Someone handed her a wet cloth and she took it gratefully, her hand shaking as she covered the unsightliness of her cheek. A maid asked if she was all right and she tried to reply, but the words stuck in her throat like food that couldn’t be swallowed.

The others stood whispering, their horror and delight doing nothing to ease Xifeng’s still-pounding heart or her dizziness.

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