Witch Fall (4 page)

A boy sat at the animal’s neck. Behind him, a ridiculously elaborate palanquin-like pavilion rested on its back. Inside the palanquin was a veiled woman. And surrounding both woman and creature were elite, two soldiers deep.

Remembering herself with a start, Lilette darted into the nearest alley. Just as she crossed the mouth, someone grabbed her. Han. He shoved her behind a tall cart, then pressed his body flush against hers. It was unthinkable. A small cry of protest rose from her throat, but he only covered her mouth with his hand.

“Did she see you?”

Lilette took a breath that was full of the smell of leather and steel and murmured unintelligibly beneath his fingers. He let up enough for her to speak.

“Who? What?”

“The woman in the howdah, did she see you?” Han asked.

So that’s what the palanquin was called.

In the small space between cart and wall, Lilette watched the creature lumber past in an oddly swaying gait. She let out all her breath. “I don’t know.”

He cursed, soft and low. “Why did you run?”

She went limp and boneless, feeling like all hope had been bled out of her. “How could I not?”

Han’s gaze went hard. “Do you think my life so valuable that my father wouldn’t kill me for losing you?”

Her eyes heavy with tears she refused to let fall, she met his gaze. “You don’t care if Chen forces me to be one of his concubines. Why should I care if the emperor kills you?”

Han worked his jaw before pulling a knife from an ankle sheath. She braced herself, but he only cut the bottom of his silk tunic and proceeded to bind her wrists. Her hands immediately went numb. She refused to let the discomfort show.

He made no apology, nor did he loosen the bands. “Don’t try that again.” He took hold of her arm, stepped to the end of the alley, and peered out.

Lilette eased forward and watched the creature’s hind parts and a branch of a tail grow smaller. “What was that?”

Han’s expression was grim. “An elephant.”

She wet her lips. “Is it dangerous?”

“A bull elephant is. That one is female. They’re fairly passive.”

“Then why are you afraid of it?”

Han eyed her, his expression unreadable. “It’s not the elephant that’s the problem—it’s the woman riding it. And it’s not me who should be afraid.”

“I never stopped being afraid,” she whispered.

He let out a frustrated growl. “Being one of his concubines is an honor. He is your heir.”

“He is my shackles.” Lilette considered running again.

Han’s grip tightened on her. “Don’t. When you can’t win, you retreat.”

She looked into his eyes that were so dark they were almost black. “I have no retreat.”

“Then you take your surrender like a man.”

Lilette gave him a level stare. “But I’m a woman.”
And we only let you think we’ve surrendered before we gut you,
she added silently.

He grunted. “I’ll bind your feet and carry you over my shoulder if I have to.” With his hand locked around her arm, Han tugged her forward. “Come on.” He looked around as if gathering his bearings before starting down another alley. She had to trot to keep up with him.

The road slanted upward. They left the crowded, noisy streets below and passed numerous walled compounds with winged entrances and imposing gates, behind which she caught glimpses of grand houses and gardens. The tantalizing scent of food and growing things wafted toward her.

She was strong and healthy from hours spent working with Fa on their fishing boat, but she was still breathing hard when the enormous gates of the palace came into view. Instead of heading for them, Han pulled her into a noodle house. He gave a familiar nod to the owner and started up the stairs. At the top, they crossed the room to a veranda covered with tables and chairs. Jade columns supported the roof. Han wove among the scattering of people eating a late midday meal. A few shot Lilette curious glances—she was obviously not of their race and her hands were bound, but none moved to interfere. Not when her captor was an elite, and she was just another worthless woman.

Along one side, they came to an enclosure with wines along one wall, ceramic pots of herbs along another, and a large brazier filled with teapots—it was some kind of drink station. The servant at the brazier nodded to Han as if they knew each other.

Han produced his knife and cut the bindings around Lilette’s wrists. “Don’t let her past you,” he said to the man, who raised an eyebrow before his gaze settled on her.

Han stepped onto the railing, gripped the edge of the roof, and hauled himself up. She leaned over the railing and gaped up at him. He extended his hand. “I need to see what’s going on past the gates, and I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

She glanced back at the server for help. He only moved to block the exit, his arms over his chest. Not seeing another option, she hoisted herself up to stand on the rail. Han gripped her wrist and pulled her up beside him. One hand on the slanting clay tiles, he climbed to the roof ridge. “Watch yourself.”

Trying to ignore the two-story drop, Lilette crawled after him on hands and feet, the grit from the roof tiles sticking to her damp palms. Han crouched behind the roof ridge, which was carved to resemble a scroll, and peered at whatever lay beyond. After hesitating a moment, she eased up beside him. The ramparts loomed before her, a whole two stories taller than the building she sat upon. The gates faced south, toward the ocean. As she watched, they opened to admit the elephant and the elite, giving her a partial view of what lay beyond.

The palace stood in the center of an enormous courtyard, a pair of sun dragons flanking the wide front steps. Lilette’s gaze strayed to the green peeking out behind the palace—the gardens. She and Han had played there for many hours as children.

Behind the palace in the west corner was a smaller compound that jutted against the ramparts. Two shorter walls half the height of the ramparts enclosed the space.

The harem.

Pointedly turning her eyes away, Lilette watched as the veiled woman on the elephant raised a long, slender arm to greet the crowd, her ring flashing with green stones. The gates swung shut.

Lilette’s vision swam and she realized she’d been holding her breath. She sucked in a lungful of air.

Han’s gaze made one more sweep of the courtyard before he backed away from the roof ridge, only rising when they were completely obscured.

She followed him. “What were you looking for in the courtyard? Who is the woman on the elephant?”

He paused. “A very big problem.”

“Which one, the woman or the ele—” Lilette didn’t have a chance to finish. A tile cracked beneath her foot and slid out from under her. She plunged hard and fast for the edge. She twisted so she was belly down, her fingernails clawing at the tiles, but she couldn’t gain purchase. She was going to fall.

Suddenly, Han’s iron grip was around her wrist, and this time she gripped him back. His feet scraped as he slid down beside her. She was too busy trying to convince her body she was no longer falling to realize he hadn’t let go of her wrist. She opened her eyes to find him lying beside her, staring at her with something like sadness in his gaze. Abruptly, he released her and scrambled to the edge of the roof.

Scooting down on her bottom, she asked again, “Bad for whom?” By his set jaw, it was obvious he wasn’t going to tell her any more—Fa had often worn that same expression.

She peered down two stories to the street below and wet her lips. “How do we get down?”

Han crouched low, his hands on the roof line, and then swung down. His momentum carried him forward and he landed in a crouch on the veranda before turning back to her. “Drop down and I’ll pull you in.”

Her heart pounding, Lilette sat on the edge, her legs dangling. She hesitated.

Han leaned forward and looked up at her. “Don’t think about it. Sometimes you just have to move. I won’t let you fall.”

Taking a deep breath and holding it, she rolled onto her stomach and slowly pushed her legs back into open air. Leaning out over the banister, Han grabbed her ankles. As she lowered herself, his hands slid up to her knee, then her thighs. When she was hanging by her hands, he grabbed her waist and pulled her forward. She slid down his chest before he settled her gently on the floor. Slowly, he reached over and placed her hood back over her hair.

His friend, the servant, was grinning. Heat rose in her face.

Han stepped back as if her touch had burned him. He cleared his throat and said gruffly, “I didn’t want you to fall.”

Wordlessly, she nodded.

Helping himself to a rag, he ripped it in half and tied her hands again. He shot a glare at the servant before hauling her back the way they’d come.

Harshen and its people took so much from Lilette, but she could never bring herself to hate them. They gave as much as they took. ~Jolin

Lilette’s body felt impossibly heavy as the palace’s massive gates loomed before them. Six elite wearing imperial-soldier uniforms watched them approach. They held wicked-looking half-moon spears before them. Lilette’s stomach seemed to shrink within her.

Han paid the guards no mind. At the last second, the palace gates opened and the elite parted to let Lilette and him pass.

They crossed the rectangular courtyard heading to the harem. “Keep your head down,” Han said under his breath. “You don’t know the danger you’re in.”

For whatever reason, she believed him. She stole glances at the palace. Each of the four stories was surrounded by a wide veranda complete with a turned-up corner roof. Potted plants grew thick and green everywhere. As they came closer, Lilette made out the intricate carvings on the beams, doors, and window frames. She remembered them suddenly—five-clawed dragons, some on land and some in the sea.

Before the palace was a staircase of perfectly symmetrical lines. In front of the steps, a group of elite guarded a large gathering of men and women. The men wore black armor, the women long, flowing garments in varying shades of green.

Han must have noticed her staring. “You must never so much as touch one of the steps. To do so is to be immediately killed.”

Sweat started under Lilette’s arms. “Because I’m a woman?”

Han shook his head. “Only people who’ve been granted permission by the emperor may touch his home. You have been given no such privilege.”

Actually, she had been, as a child. The privilege had apparently been revoked.

Just as Lilette drew even with the gathering, the doors swung open. A woman in a strange, billowing tunic trotted down the steps. The sight of her blond hair, blue eyes, and fair skin sent a shock through Lilette. She couldn’t take her eyes off the woman. Han picked up their pace, but Lilette resisted his efforts to hurry her, and he seemed unwilling to make a scene by dragging her.

Chen appeared behind the woman, his arm outstretched as if to stop her, and Lilette wondered briefly if this strangely dressed woman was his wife.

“As an ambassador, you are a guest of the imperial house and of Harshen. You will obey our laws,” Chen’s voice rang out.

Not his wife then. Or at least Lilette hoped not.

The woman whirled to face him. “You better remember who holds the power in this world, little heir, because it isn’t you.”

Lilette’s jaw dropped. It had been years since she’d heard a woman—besides herself—challenge a man like that. But that wasn’t what stopped her. Deep inside, her memories were stirring. She knew this woman.

Chen reared back as if he’d been slapped. His hands clenched into tight fists. The elite shifted to grasp their swords, and Lilette had a better view of the people they had surrounded. Over thirty women and at least twice that in soldiers. The women gripped hands, but not out of fear. Instead, their faces shone with power and confidence. Elite soldiers began converging from around the compound. The tension in the air felt like an ember about to burst into flames.

Lilette planted her feet to keep from taking that last step into obscurity. And then she realized what she should have seen all along. The women were witches—ambassadors from Kalari. She gasped, the sound cutting through the tension. The woman on the steps glanced in her direction. Lilette stared at her from beneath the hood, and their gazes locked. Lilette’s mouth fell open. It was like looking at her reflection in a pool of clear water.

The woman was her sister.

Han must have seen Lilette’s realization, for even as a scream for help built in her throat, he clapped his hand over her mouth and yanked her out of sight. She kicked and drove her elbows into him, desperately hoping Sash would somehow recognize her. But Lilette had been a child of eight when she’d gone missing, while Sash had been sixteen, nearly a woman.

Han dragged Lilette behind the palace. She didn’t stop fighting until he dumped her in front of the harem’s lower wall and small gate just inside the gardens. She collapsed, desperately trying to swallow the sobs that tore through her body. Sash had been more like a second mother than a sister. Always taking her to play, bringing her treats. As Lilette had grown older, Sash had accompanied her musical performances with her strings and her voice.

Han stood between Lilette and the sister she’d been longing for since childhood. “My whole life I’ve been trying to get back to her. And she’s here—my sister is here! Just let me go!”

Refusing to look at her, Han focused on the two guards who stood on either side of the gate. They made no move to let Lilette and him pass like the other guards had. Instead, one took a mallet and struck a glancing blow to a gong before settling back to statue-like stillness.

A dozen heartbeats later, the door opened and a strange person walked out. Lilette wasn’t sure if it was a man or woman, as the person wore a man’s robes but had a woman’s face. Lilette was even more confused when the person bowed to Han and said in a woman’s voice, “How may I serve you, elite general?”

“Madame Lilette is to be taken to the secluded compound.” Lilette staggered to her feet and backed away from Han and the guards. “Please.” It was only one word, but there was a tome of fear and dread behind it.

Han kept his gaze trained on her, his face unreadable. “I am sorry.”

He had been her friend once—her only friend in a foreign land. They’d had scaled every tree in the gardens behind the palace, searching for fruit. She could still taste the sweetness of oranges on her tongue, feel the dew-soaked grass on her bare feet as they ran in the shadows of the trees. And now he’d betrayed her.

The guards slid forward, flanking her. She studied the wall—twice the height of a man—before focusing all her loathing at Han. “May your flesh rot on your bones.”

His attention shifted to the man-woman. “Watch her. She’ll try to run.” And with that, Han simply turned and walked away.

Lilette watched him go, hate tearing her apart from the inside out. She wished she could sing. Wished she could remember the words to bring down the palace and all its walls.

Her enemies outnumbered her and were bigger and faster. If she made a run for it, she’d be caught and restrained further. She must wait for the right time. It would come. It had to.

She faced the person waiting for her as her mind pieced together faded rumors and overheard bits of conversation from her childhood. He—for it
was
a he—was a eunuch, and eunuchs were the servants and guards of the harem. He was very plump, from his rolling stomach to his bulbous nose and round face. But beneath all that fat was a hardness she recognized. This man had risen to his position by decisively defeating all who challenged him.

“I am Minor Chief Wang. I oversee the emperor’s harem.” He spoke as easily as if bound women were brought to him every day. Maybe they were.

From inside his robes, he pulled out a small flask and handed it to Lilette. “If you will take a swallow of this.”

She eyed the flask warily. “What’s in it?”

“A harmless tincture.”

She didn’t believe him. He was watching her too closely. “And if I refuse?”

“There are other, less pleasant ways to ensure your cooperation.”

The guards stepped closer. Lilette wanted to fight, but she was tired of being manhandled. And she wouldn’t win.
Patience,
she reminded herself.
The opportunity will come.

Her expression hard, she took a mouthful of the liquid, then held her wrist to her lips and spit as much of it into her sleeve as she dared.

“Half a mouthful is nearly as effective as a full dose,” he told her. He took the flask and twisted it closed. Then he cut the rag that bound her wrists. “If you will come with me.”

It was not a question. After rubbing the circulation back into her hands, Lilette slipped her hand inside her pocket and brushed her thumb along the sharp edge of the phoenix. She studied the ramparts, soldiers pacing across the top, and considered making a run for it. But where would she go?

“Running will earn you twenty lashings with a bamboo rod,” Chief Wang said matter-of-factly.

When Lilette didn’t move to follow, he cocked his head to the side. “The outer gates are shut. There are hundreds of elite throughout the compound—and that’s if you can outrun the ones before you, which hasn’t happened yet. But you’re welcome to try. Usually once is all it takes before a concubine settles down and accepts her new life.”

The guards at the gate inched closer. When still she didn’t move, Chief Wang gave a long-suffering sigh, took a hold of her bruised arm, and tugged her past the guards.

On the other side of the door, Lilette glanced around. Beautiful trees were heavy with fruit, and fragrant flowers bloomed everywhere. Off to the right, a fountain trickled water into a circular lake filled with swans. A monkey called down to her from a tree.

The plants were so rich and full, it reminded Lilette of the jungle of her home. Her eyes welled with tears she refused to let fall. “This is the harem?”

Chief Wang continued walking, his gait hunched over and pained. “Yes. The emperor’s wives, concubines, and younger children all reside here.” Wang glanced at her, his gaze taking her in from top to bottom. “You have been granted the most secluded of our residences.”

“And what of the heir and his concubines?” she asked.

He raised a thin eyebrow. “The heir lives in the palace with his wife. He has no concubines.”

So Chen had made an exception for her. She peered between the trees and saw several small homes. Everything was balanced and flowing. But the serenity was broken by the daunting ramparts, guards prowling along its walkway. It was still a prison, albeit a beautiful one.

Lilette heard murmurs and music before a handful of women came into view beside the lake. In their colorful tunics, they were all beautiful and bright as a summer morning. There were also many eunuchs. All wore black robes, their heads shaved bare under their flat, conical hats with little tassels in the center. They turned to watch her curiously as she passed.

After a while, the houses began to thin until Lilette didn’t see anyone else. Swinging from branch to branch, the monkey continued to follow her. Chief Wang steered her down a side path to a secluded house. Unlike the others, this one had a wall half the height of the harem wall. The monkey perched on the top and called to them.

“Compounds within compounds,” she murmured.

Wang ushered her past the gate, beyond which was a sprawling garden and large house. “You may not leave this compound without the emperor’s permission.”

So she would be alone here. Good. That would make it easier to escape. “What about the older ones?”

Wang shot her a quizzical look.

“The older children,” Lilette clarified as they stepped onto the porch of the house. “You said the younger ones live here. Where do the older ones live?”

“At twelve, all children are taken to the mountain palace.” Wang slid the screen door open and strode inside the house. “The boys are trained as soldiers or monks. The girls are trained in the wifely arts.”

Lilette placed her hand protectively on her belly as resolve hardened within her.
I will find a way out,
she promised herself before following Wang inside.

Before her was a long room. In the center was a short table surrounded by delicately embroidered cushions. A small, cold brazier stood off to the side. Screens partitioned both ends of the house, which smelled of lemon oil.

“Your personal servant is still being chosen. Until then—” Chief Wang uncovered a tray filled with tea, fresh fruit, and spring rolls stuffed with fresh vegetables. “I had this brought a few moments ago. Your servant will arrive to groom you before the heir comes sometime tomorrow.”

“Not tonight?” Lilette held her relief at bay until Wang confirmed it.

“He wanted to give you time to adjust.”

She hid her shudder by studying the intricate, four-clawed dragons carved into the beams along the walls and spine of the house. She ran her fingers lightly over one of the sharp claws, wondering how many hours the carver had spent chiseling away at the beam.