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“Enough.” Lord Hairong’s face darkens. “Kill her now.”

Bracing myself, I knock Shenming’s sword away, his blade slashing my palm. Ignoring the pain, I unleash my magic—flames streaming forth to scald Lord Hairong. He rushes out of the way, cursing—and I spring forward, seizing the porcelain bottle from his grasp and thrusting it in my waistband. Lord Hairong’s eyes slit with fury, his own power surging, the vines outside hurtling in to bind one of my ankles and arms, another lashing me like a whip.

As I twist aside, Shenming hurls himself at me, just as Lord Hairong plunges a dagger into where I just stood… where Shenming stands now—the weapon buried in his chest.

No…

Flames erupt, burning my binds away, my heart leaden with fright. Shenming doesn’t cry out as he blinks uncomprehendingly.

“You fool,” Lord Hairong rages, yanking his dagger out. “I could have given you the world.”

Shenming moves his head slowly as though fighting to clear it. Then he shoves the Elder away with what remains of his strength, flinging him back against the wall. “I don’t want the world you envision,” he rasps.

Blood pours from the wound as Shenming shudders, collapsing to the ground. I rush to catch him, staggering beneath his weight. He looks up at me, his lips forming a single word—my sister’s name? Then his eyes close, a final breath escaping as his body crumples and goes still.

Lord Hairong’s face creases with sorrow as he pushes himself up. Shenming was a tool he molded to serve his own ends, but one he ended up caring for. Just not enough.

I swallow my tears, starting toward the Elder to retrieve the talismans, intent on taking the starfire rather than leave it in his keeping. But his mouth curls as he rushes to the entrance and flings it open, afraid he can’t fight me alone.

“A traitor!” he shouts to the soldiers as he stumbles outside. “Miss Yining has stolen the starfire and killed Captain Shenming!”

I go rigid with terror. The soldiers might have believed Shenming, but they’d never take my word over the Elder’s. With a final glance at his body, I swallow my screams and sprint through the entrance, my vision blurred with wrath.

Later, I’ll grieve.

Soldiers swarm toward me, their faces dark with fury. Fire surges from my hand, the guards leaping out of the way as I barrel through them, racing from the Pavilion of Elders into the unknown.

A fugitive from my own people.

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

I’M HIDING IN A TREE, NOT RUNNING AS THE SOLDIERS expect. They would easily outpace me, as they are more familiar with the terrain. From here, I watch as troops swarm the grounds outside the pavilion, their weapons drawn. Hunting me. Snatches of their conversation drift in the air—Lord Hairong has spun a sordid tale in which I’ve betrayed my people for Thorn Valley, Captain Shenming for Jin.

My fingers dig into the bark, fury numbing the sting of splinters. I hated leaving Shenming’s body behind, along with the starfire. But I can’t be caught. If Lord Hairong secures the starfire in my possession as well, he will deliver both to the Queen of the Iron Mountains, sealing the devastation of the realms. To seize power he has betrayed his own people, the other Elders, the dragon he claims to revere—even killing Shenming.

Grief surges. The captain protected me, brutally deceived by someone he trusted. I never thought of my childhood as lucky, but at least I’d despised Mistress Henglan for her cruelty. It would have been far more dangerous had she been kind when I was desperate for affection, for someone to lean on. Imagine what she could have made me do if I’d loved her… just as how Shenming had been manipulated by Lord Hairong.

And now I must flee, allowing the Elder to malign me, to remain unscathed after murdering Shenming. Who would believe me when it’s my word against his? Certainly not Lord Zhu and Lady Shila, who would silence me for uncovering what they did to Thorn Valley. Only Dian would trust me, maybe my father. I can’t risk them by staying; they could be accused of being my accomplices.

However, I must seek out the Moon Dragon before I go.

At last, the tumult subsides, a lull before more reinforcements arrive. Only then do I climb down, the wind whipping my hair across my face. As my feet touch the ground, a shadow falls over me. I reach for my remaining dagger—swinging around to confront a pair of green eyes burning like those of the witch of the past.

“Dian.” My tension eases, despite the sharpness of her gaze. “How did you know I was here?”

“I know you came to the Pavilion of Elders, that you wouldn’t risk running now when the entire island is searching for you,” she says flatly.

I look around. “Have you seen Father? Does he… know?”

My sister doesn’t reply, snatching up my hand instead, still bleeding from Shenming’s sword. Digging out a bottle, she rubs an ointment over the cut, the discomfort fading as the bleeding stems.

“What did you do, Yining?” she demands.

“What have you heard?”

“The Elders have accused you of many things: stealing the starfire, attacking Lord Hairong when he tried to stop you. They claim you’re a traitor serving the Queen of the Iron Mountains to save the Lord of Thorn Valley,” she says grimly. “But what I need to know above all is, did you kill Shenming?”

“No.” I restrain myself from shouting. “How could you think I did?”