followed Kai Sen’s straight back. His gait was long and loose, but his fists were clenched. He stopped at the corner of an alleyway and peered into its shadows. Drawing back, he said in a low voice, “Skybright is down this alley somewhere. Stay near me, but don’t do anything. Let me see what’s going on first.”
Zhen Ni’s eyes widened, and she nodded. It felt like a diversion almost. Similar to many treasure hunts and hide-and-seek games Skybright and she had played. But now Skybright’s life was at stake.
Kai Sen turned the corner and crept with stealth down the shadowed alley. She slipped in behind, mimicking him, and pressed herself close to the wall. The passage was dank and cold, and she could hear the slow drip of water pinging somewhere in the distance. It was as if they had stepped through another portal to a different place, the contrast was so great. The delicious smells of food had been replaced by damp and mildew. Her cloth slipper slid on slick stone, and she thrust a hand out and grabbed Kai Sen’s arm to steady herself, muffling a cry of alarm. He half turned to gauge her, eyes hooded in the gloom, and she realized how used to this he was—sneaking around in the dark like some kind of assassin.
They had walked far enough down the narrow alley that the din of the restaurants and people along the canal had quieted to a distant hum before he paused again. Another passage veered to their right and she thought she caught low voices. Kai Sen glanced around the corner before leaning back, almost bumping her nose. Even as he pressed a finger to his lips and mouthed “Skybright,” Zhen Ni heard rising tones reverberating against the stone walls. She recognized Skybright’s voice as if it were her own. The other voice was a man’s, deep and rough, and it was becoming louder, more passionate.
Zhen Ni kneeled onto the cold stones, wedging herself beneath Kai Sen, and looked around the corner as well. Kai Sen made a low hissing noise but did not push her back. The next alley was better lit, being surrounded by lower buildings, but dead-ended beyond where Skybright stood with a man Zhen Ni had never seen before. The stranger was broad and wore a gold cap. He towered over Skybright’s petite frame, gripping her by the wrist, and she was speaking to him in a hushed tone.
Her scalp crawled at the sight. What was this? A lovers’ tryst or was Skybright in danger? Her handmaid would never be the type to meet strange men in deserted alleys. But Skybright was no longer her handmaid, was she? Zhen Ni rose a fraction on her knees and felt Kai Sen clasp her firmly on the shoulder. She looked up, and he gave a slight shake of his head, warning with his eyes for her to stay put.
The man wrapped his arms around Skybright, trapping her against him. He leaned in, trying to force a kiss. Skybright didn’t struggle, but neither did she allow their lips to meet, so that the man’s mouth planted on her cheek, then her forehead instead. Zhen Ni felt Kai Sen stiffen, then almost jerk forward before pulling himself back against the wall, for the man’s laughter had turned into a scream.
Instead of the exquisite dress Skybright had had on, she was now completely bare, a serpent coil winding its way around the man’s legs and up his torso. Skybright had risen higher using her serpent length so that she towered over him now. Zhen Ni trembled violently; it was so horrifying to watch. Every instinct within her shouted for her to run. The alley was so narrow that Skybright’s monstrous coils scraped against the stone walls, undulating, making a smooth rasping sound. The man’s eyes bulged in his purple face. Skybright’s forked tongue darted out as if to taste him.
Kai Sen’s fingertips dug into Zhen Ni’s shoulder, but she welcomed the touch because it kept her still. The man’s wretched screaming never relented, filled with a raw terror that made her stomach cramp. It reverberated down the narrow passage toward
Zhen Ni’s eyes widened, and she nodded. It felt like a diversion almost. Similar to many treasure hunts and hide-and-seek games Skybright and she had played. But now Skybright’s life was at stake.
Kai Sen turned the corner and crept with stealth down the shadowed alley. She slipped in behind, mimicking him, and pressed herself close to the wall. The passage was dank and cold, and she could hear the slow drip of water pinging somewhere in the distance. It was as if they had stepped through another portal to a different place, the contrast was so great. The delicious smells of food had been replaced by damp and mildew. Her cloth slipper slid on slick stone, and she thrust a hand out and grabbed Kai Sen’s arm to steady herself, muffling a cry of alarm. He half turned to gauge her, eyes hooded in the gloom, and she realized how used to this he was—sneaking around in the dark like some kind of assassin.
They had walked far enough down the narrow alley that the din of the restaurants and people along the canal had quieted to a distant hum before he paused again. Another passage veered to their right and she thought she caught low voices. Kai Sen glanced around the corner before leaning back, almost bumping her nose. Even as he pressed a finger to his lips and mouthed “Skybright,” Zhen Ni heard rising tones reverberating against the stone walls. She recognized Skybright’s voice as if it were her own. The other voice was a man’s, deep and rough, and it was becoming louder, more passionate.
Zhen Ni kneeled onto the cold stones, wedging herself beneath Kai Sen, and looked around the corner as well. Kai Sen made a low hissing noise but did not push her back. The next alley was better lit, being surrounded by lower buildings, but dead-ended beyond where Skybright stood with a man Zhen Ni had never seen before. The stranger was broad and wore a gold cap. He towered over Skybright’s petite frame, gripping her by the wrist, and she was speaking to him in a hushed tone.
Her scalp crawled at the sight. What was this? A lovers’ tryst or was Skybright in danger? Her handmaid would never be the type to meet strange men in deserted alleys. But Skybright was no longer her handmaid, was she? Zhen Ni rose a fraction on her knees and felt Kai Sen clasp her firmly on the shoulder. She looked up, and he gave a slight shake of his head, warning with his eyes for her to stay put.
The man wrapped his arms around Skybright, trapping her against him. He leaned in, trying to force a kiss. Skybright didn’t struggle, but neither did she allow their lips to meet, so that the man’s mouth planted on her cheek, then her forehead instead. Zhen Ni felt Kai Sen stiffen, then almost jerk forward before pulling himself back against the wall, for the man’s laughter had turned into a scream.
Instead of the exquisite dress Skybright had had on, she was now completely bare, a serpent coil winding its way around the man’s legs and up his torso. Skybright had risen higher using her serpent length so that she towered over him now. Zhen Ni trembled violently; it was so horrifying to watch. Every instinct within her shouted for her to run. The alley was so narrow that Skybright’s monstrous coils scraped against the stone walls, undulating, making a smooth rasping sound. The man’s eyes bulged in his purple face. Skybright’s forked tongue darted out as if to taste him.
Kai Sen’s fingertips dug into Zhen Ni’s shoulder, but she welcomed the touch because it kept her still. The man’s wretched screaming never relented, filled with a raw terror that made her stomach cramp. It reverberated down the narrow passage toward
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