My apologies for not posting a chapter last week. I was literally awake for twenty-six hours straight in order to finish the book, edit it, and send it to my formatter.
Just a reminder--these chapters will appear in a different order and some in a different form in the final book.
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The bells tolled Third Evening. Shi Hua’s stride slowed as she approached Jeremy’s quarters. She thought she was ready for what they were about to do.
“You don’t have to do this, Sister.” Mateqai, ever her shadow, stood at her side.
“We’ve been ordered—”
“That’s not what I meant.” He took her shoulders and turned her to face him. “Love making should be a pleasurable experience for all participants. Right now, you are upset and anxious—”
“And we may all die in four days.” A bitter laugh erupted from her.
“That, too,” Mateqai remarked dryly. “What I meant was it might be better to wait until you’re in a better frame of mind. Like in five days.”
She shook her head, and her second laugh was much lighter. “If I don’t do it now, I’m afraid I never will.”
He nodded and an odd expression flashed so fast she thought she imagined it. It almost seemed like regret.
Warden Tadhg stood watch at Jeremy’s door as they approached. He inclined his head before he knocked out a specific pattern. The deep thunk of the bolt sliding back set Shi Hua’s nerves dancing again. The door opened, but instead of his normal sleepwear, he was still dressed in his uniform.
“If you need anything before morning, summon me, Sister.” While Mateqai’s words were directed at her, he aimed a very pointed look at Jeremy.
“I will,” she promised before she sucked in a deep breath and stepped across the threshold.
* * *
When the sun peeked over the eastern mountains the next morning, Shi Hua’s horse pranced nervously beneath her thighs as she stood in formation outside Government Gate. Jeremy’s steed stood contentedly and munched on an apple from last fall. The animal’s mood probably had more to do with the idiotic smile Jeremy wore.
“Would you please change your expression?” she hissed to her senior.
“What’s wrong with my expression?” If anything, his grin grew wider.
“You look like a boy who’s been deflowered by the entire population of Love.” She glared at him.
“Well…” He shrugged. “The first part is true.”
She rolled her eyes. “Would you like the magistrate to post a formal announcement?”
His smile faded. “Wasn’t it…nice for you, too?”
“It was…fine.” So she had to imagine she was with Sister Claudia of Love in order to finish. The last thing she wanted to do was to hurt Jeremy’s feelings.
“Fine? It was only fine?”
“Can we not talk about this right now?” she begged.
“You were the one angry because I smiled,” he snapped.
“Because someone shouldn’t be smiling like a fool when they’re about to march into a war!” She said the last part louder than she meant to. The priests and wardens around them stared at them.
Mateqai nudged his horse between theirs. “With all due respect, can you two save the lovers’ spat until after we deal with the demons?” He backed his steed to resume their position in the ranks.
Shi Hua’s face heated. Her warden was right. This wasn’t the time or place to be discussing such things. But then, they shouldn’t be discussing them at all. There shouldn’t even be a reason to discuss them.
And here, she believed her life had become complicated when she was recruited as Ambassador Quan’s bodyguard.
No pennants or banners flew like they would at home in Jing. No banter or challenges to each others’ weapons prowess either. In fact, the Issuran forces were terribly quiet. To them, there was no glory in killing the enemy.
There was even less glory at the possibility of killing their own people. Surprisingly, Crown Princess Chiara agreed to Light’s mad plan.
The clergy from Knowledge stayed up the entire night to calculate materials and trajectories for the modified fireworks. Thief drafted anyone from the other orders who weren’t accompanying the army to help with the production.
Well, anyone except the priests of Light and the priestesses they took to bed.
Shi Hua glanced behind her. Her fellow clergy from Standora all had idiotic smiles similar to Jeremy’s. Sister Dragonfly was right. Men did go insane when it came to bedplay.
A blast of a ram’s horn echoed from the direction of the National Road. Tension rose at the signal. An itch tickled the back of her mind.
Bring them home.
Shi looked over her shoulder. Sister Dragonfly’s height and scarlet robes stood out at the top of the watch tower. But it was the smaller black-cowled figure huddled next to her who had spoken. Chief Warden Little Bear stood on the other side of Yanaba. The young justice must have thrown a major fit for the healers to allow her out of bed.
We will.
The troops in front of them began to move, and Shi Hua nudged her horse into motion. She sent up a silent prayer to her patron deity she hadn’t just lied to her friend.
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