Luxury of Vengeance (3 page)

Chien to believe. "It will just paralyze him a bit. He'll fall over, I'll win, and we're all happier."

"But won't he know?"

Minh waved the question aside as he picked up another of the bowls, "I love my dear brother,

but Tuan is not exactly bright. He would have the empire constantly at war over nothing." And wasn't that the truth. Though Chien pondered if Minh would be much better. Hardly. Men who thought

themselves great leaders rarely were in practice. "What this Empire truly needs is something willing to bring the provinces together. I have plans my dear cousin. Education, industry. Plans that would never

see fruition under Tuan's rule."

"Industry?"

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"Have you not heard? They have begun to see the most interesting applications of science in the

territories outside of the empire. Imagine our strength if we could bring those devices to the empire.

Our enemies would cower before us." Chien had heard tales of the war machines developed outside of

the Empire. Heard tales of the devastation they had wrought. And Minh hoped to bring those vicious

machines to the Empire? "It would prove an effective way to secure my dominance over the distant

territories and stop these ridiculous revolutions." As if sensing that he had lost Chien somewhere along the way, he added, "And if he were to take rule, I'm sure he would make life very hard for you."

Chien frowned, "It is true. Tuan does not care for me as you do, Cousin, but I do not wish to

make the Empress angry."

"She will not be angry. She will never know. That is the best part!"

"She'll never know?"

"Of course not. I'll never tell her and you won't either. It'll be our secret."

"I do wish to help you, Cousin." Chien stated reluctantly. "And if it shall be a secret."

"Excellent." Minh stood and walked to his chest, reaching deep inside of it to retrieve a box.

"Just pour this into his drink tonight just after Mother begins her speech and everything shall be taken care of."

"A few drops?"

"The whole thing." Chien glanced upward while he spoke and saw the disturbingly cheerful grin

that crossed his cousin's face. He recognized the smell of this particular vial. This was not about disabling Tuan in the least. Minh hoped to kill his brother in an exceedingly painful manner.

"And this will help?" At the very least, Minh would get what he wanted in the end. But he would suffer the very same fate of course.

"Of course it will."

"And I will not get into trouble?"

"Chien, don't ask so many questions." Minh was irritated by his doubt and doing a poor job of

hiding it. "It will work out perfectly. Now enjoy your breakfast, I have things to take care of." Minh ate the last of what was left in his bowl and left. Chien did not miss the fact that two guards stepped inside at his absence.

Chien had to force the last of the food down for form's sake before asking shyly for an escort

back to his room. Once he was alone, he looked back into the box. A vial of translucent green liquid sat inside of it. Minh wanted him to poison Tuan.

His method lacked honor as well, but Tuan and Minh were not his true targets for the throne.

They would need to be dealt with of course. They were as wicked as their mother. Wickeder for the

mere fact that they had had so much more time to grow into monsters beyond what their mother had

become.

The worst part about his aunt's betrayal was that she had not always been as such. Once upon a

time, his aunt had treated Chien and his sister, An like her own. She had been full of laughter and

stories. The death of her husband had changed her.

The same way the death of his family had changed him.

The banquet that night would see the last part of his plans to fall into place. He could only hope

the Dragon would protect him.

Chien watched from the verandah as the sun sank into the ground and day slid seamlessly into

night. The banquet would come soon; Chien was not at all completely sure he was ready. His mind

whirled with worries and doubts, and no matter how much he attempted to tell himself that he should

throw them away, the action was far more difficult than the thought.

His personal guards sat before him, their backs to the wall. Chien had always assumed that the

Empress had placed him there in hopes that some lucky assassin would take the bait she had so lovingly

9 | Luxury of Vengeance

placed and do away with him. There had been no assassins, however. General Bao, despite the

minister's doubt of him, took his job quite seriously.

It was how Chien had met him, patrolling along the path that led from Chien's rooms to the

main hall, his dark eyes not missing a single thing. Especially not the sight of a prince busy training when all should have been asleep.

Thinking on it, he could nearly recall the sound of Bao's boots against the stone path. He was

being stupid allowing himself to become distracted like that. He should have been meditating in hopes

that the Dragon would help him calm his mind and find the answers. Instead he was letting his thoughts

once again bring him down the dusty forbidden path.

After a few seconds though, he realized that the sound of boots upon gravel was not simply in

his imagination. His eyes opened and he took in the sight of Bao, that damnable half smirk upon his face, steadily approaching him.

The man seemed so damned confident in his reception that Chien grew more determined to sit

right where he was and allow Bao to come to him. If anything, Bao's smirk widened. Could he hear

Chen's heart pounding even now? "Prince Chien," Bao greeted him with a bow once he drew close

enough.

"General. Have you paid visits to my cousins in such a manner as well?"

Bao laughed and stood, "I would have, but I believe I made a promise of a particularly spoiled

prince."

"You forget your place, General."

"I much prefer you like this." Chien's eyes widened in confusion. "In front of the Empress and the princes, you play the fool. But here in the rising dark you are filled with haughty pride. It suits you."

Bao stood close enough now that he caught Chien's chin in his calloused hand.

"Is that so, General?" But Chien could not think of any witty response, not when this man's

presence seemed enough to cloud his thoughts until he could not remember a whit of his master plan.

All he could think of was the tragedy that would inevitably unfold when Bao broke his heart. At that

thought, he yanked backward and stood to his feet, "I would prefer to continue this conversation

inside."

"Of course." Bao followed him peaceably inside, shutting the door behind him and securing it

before turning back to Chien.

Chien had taken care to ensure that everything had been hidden. The Everbloody sat safely in

his chest, hidden amongst the silks of his robes. The poison that Minh had sent hid in an elaborate thin

box beside his bed. Unlike his cousin, his room was simple. He could not decorate it in the manner he

preferred: In the bold colors that had characterized his mother's homeland or the black and gold that

had characterized his father's reign. So instead he had chosen an austere look. Nothing to distract him,

nothing to do in his room except focus.

Bao looked around for a moment, a frown on his face before his eyes settled onto Chien. He

began to take off his sword when Chien interrupted him, "Is that necessary? I had assumed your

business would be quick."

Rather than being put off by Chien's sharp tone, Bao seemed merely amused. He stared Chien in

the eye and purposefully unhooked his sword from his belt and sat it to the side. "Perhaps we could sit and talk, Prince."

"Why bother calling me by my title if you have no intention of respecting my position?" Chien

sat beside the table as Bao instructed.

"Because it suits you in these moods." He set the long box he had been carrying onto the table.

"You showed interest in my journey before. I thought you might want to hear of it."

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Chien was curious. He had not been allowed beyond these walls in years. Not that he had not

made his way to the village just outside the palace's walls from time to time. But that could only be

done so often without raising suspicions. "Did you find what the Empress searched for?"

"Not at all," Bao frowned, "It appears that whatever source she had heard was incorrect."

"I wonder what she searches for."

Bao gave him a look, "Sometimes I wonder just how much of you is the role you play and how

much is the real prince."

"Is that so? Have you found the answer then?"

"Not quite. But if I never find the answer, it will not be for lack of persistence."

Chien could not help himself from snorting in laughter, "Do let me know then, General, when

you find the solution."

"Do you know the story of the Sword of Heavens?"

"It was granted to the first Emperor by the Dragon. It is the history of my family. Of course I

would be aware." Chien answered when Bao seemed surprised.

"When the governor asked you last month you claimed to have not a clue."

"The governor prefers to pretend that he knows all things. It is easier to amuse him than fight

it."

For the first time since Chien had known him, Bao seemed a bit unsure of himself. "Do you do

that with all people then? Humor them in hopes that they will give you a moment's peace?"

Here was his moment. The moment he could sever this relationship with one easy blow. He did

not need Bao's information any more, did he? Not with things so close. But the same part of him that so

easily allowed him to do away with his evil aunt and her wicked sons would not allow him to lie to Bao in this moment. "Sometimes. And sometimes I find that the truth slips free beyond my control. It unsettles me."

There was a long pause while Bao searched his eyes, and Chien could not help but wonder what

Bao searched for. At last though, he looked down to the box beneath his fingers. "I brought you a

present."

He handed the box to Chien and Chien accepted it tentatively. "A present? General, you did not

have to."

"Did you behave yourself?"

"Hardly."

Bao laughed and Chien found himself smiling as well, "I would hardly expect anything more of

you. But since I have already made a purchase of this, you might as well take it."

Curious now, Chien pulled it close and slowly removed the top of the box. Within the box lay a

purple silk robe, soft and luxurious to the touch. A design had been embroidered along the sleeves, the

threads catching the lights of the dying sun. Chien ran his fingers along it and he could scarcely feel the embroidery. The sleeves were gold, embroidered with a fine black thread. There were no appropriate

words. This was not a gift that Bao could have commissioned in a period of two weeks. Something of this

quality would have taken months to make.

His hand ran once more along the threads and he could feel the tingle along his fingers. There

were spells woven within this robe. Ancient spells of protection. When his hands slipped free of the robe he could feel that there was more beneath of it. The black coat with the dark green of the dragon

weaved in so subtly that Chien nearly missed it.

He could not speak. Were there words for something such as this? He owned finer things to be

sure, but nothing would ever mean quite as much as the robe in his hands. When he did not say

anything for a long while, Bao finally asked, "Do you like it?"

11 | Luxury of Vengeance

Like? That was hardly an appropriate word. This was not the gift of a man seeking simply to

settle his urges. It was a gift of a man who had seen uncomfortably close behind the mask Chien

preferred. When had he slipped this badly? How had Bao seen this much?

It took a few minutes longer for him to find words. He managed a choked, "Thank you." How

long had he wished that he had managed to save one of his mother's robes. These silken robes were not

the fashion of the palace. His mother had brought hers with her from Xing and his aunt had burned

them all when she had taken the throne.

"You like them, I'm glad." Bao sounded relieved.

"They're quite beautiful."

"Yes well, the Empress will likely not approve of them. But the colors and the style seemed to

suit you." Chien made the mistake of looking up into Bao's eyes. This situation had spiraled out of his control. This relationship had gone too far. Too long. The thought of seeing hate in those eyes, filled

Chien with fear.

There had to be a way to end this with everything intact.

Life is suffering. Chien's fist clenched around the beautiful fabric at the reminder. There would

be no happy ending for him, not in this, likely not ever. Because there was no ending in which his aunt

died and Bao did not turn on him. No ending where his aunt lived and he could live with himself.

Better to break this now, protect himself before he fell any further. Yet even as the thought

crossed his mind, when Bao leaned toward him, he moved closer until their lips touched. "Thank you."

Chien whispered once more against Bao's lips when the kiss broke.

This would end badly. With either his sword through Bao's heart or Bao's sword through his.

Even knowing that, Chien could not stop himself from greedily taking another kiss. Better to enjoy than

to regret his control later.

"I should go. I need to speak with the Empress before the banquet." But Bao did not move

immediately, leaning is forehead against Chien's and kissing him once more before pulling back and