bloodshot, with a milky iris and a black pupil that seemed as deep as the Well of Eighteen Hells itself, and Tang had not seen it since he was a little boy.
'Tang, you try to trick me?'
For the first time since his battle with the wyverns,
Tang felt like a coward. He let his gaze drop and nodded.
'But only to protect you from Cypress. Whether you understand or not, dragon sickness has made you his prisoner more than chains.'
The squinty eye trembled as though from a palsy, but continued to linger on Tang's face for a long time. At last, Lady Feng said, 'Tunnel is long. If we destroy spirit gem, how do we escape?'
'We carry extra air.' To demonstrate, Tang opened his water skin and filled it with breath. 'Then I pull us through passage on rope I leave tied to other end.'
Lady Feng eyed the air sack for a long time, then reluctantly nodded. 'But we do not smash gem until we are outside.' The squinty eye rolled back into her head, and she added, 'Then we destroy Cypress and come back to cave of wealth!'
'Of course-if that is truly wish of Third Virtuous Con- cubine.' Tang ran a troubled eye over the glittering chamber; a month ago, his mother would have looked on the vast treasure with the mocking disdain of one who recognized such things as a worldly illusion. Now, it was all too easy to imagine Lady Feng returning to live out her life among these lonely riches. 'Perhaps we even build palace for you.'
A pithy smile crept across the gray lips of the Third Virtuous Concubine. 'Most excellent idea. You know where to find spirit gem?'
'Cypress wishes to be with love. Gem can be only one place.' Tang looked at the glowing gem in Yanseldara's staff. 'I get staff. You gather your things.'
As the prince turned to climb the ingots, a gentle wave rolled up the beach, stirring the precious coins and soak- ing his feet to the ankles. Tang scowled at the rising water, trying to imagine what might have caused the surge.
Lady Feng grabbed his arm and shoved him into the water. 'You must hide! Cypress returns!'
Fourteen
At the far end of the Ginger Palace's long audience hall, the new chamber- lain drew aside two silk draperies and opened a pair of teak doors. A double column of Minister Hsieh's yellow- cloaked guards marched into the room and split, one line filing to each side of
Ruha and Vaerana. Behind the war- riors followed a parade of servants bearing a triangular table, three teak chairs, and a tray with a steaming teapot and a trio of tiny, deep bowls.
As Hsieh's men took their positions, Vaerana scowled and leaned close to Ruha. 'I don't know why I listen to you. This is going to be worse than Voonlar. They mean to take us prisoner.'
'You are too suspicious, Vaerana. They intend nothing of the kind.'
'Then why so many guards?'
'They are only for ceremony.' Ruha shook her head at the Lady Constable's suspicions, remembering how easily
Minister Hsieh had disabled Wei Dao. 'The mandarin is quite capable of defending himself.'
Vaerana sneered doubtfully, but fell silent as the servants arrived with the furniture. They put the table on the chamber's exquisite floor mosaic, carefully arranging it so the point of the triangle stood over the head of the flame-tailed bird and the base faced Ruha and the Lady Constable. They placed two chairs on the women's side and positioned the third one before the tip of the table.
The man bearing the tea tray stepped to one side, then stood at attention while Minister Hsieh, with Yu Po fol- lowing close behind, entered the room.
The mandarin glided across the floor to the point of the table, then bowed to his guests. Ruha returned the ges- ture, making certain to bend lower than her host, but
Vaerana barely nodded. Yu Po pulled the mandarin's chair out. A pair of servants stepped forward to do like- wise for the witch and Lady Constable.
Vaerana astonished the servant by taking her own chair and placing it opposite the tea bearer. She dropped heavily into the seat, then braced her elbows on the table and faced Hsieh.
'The witch tells me you have some ylang oil.'
Yu Po's face turned instantly scarlet. He slipped around Hsieh's chair. 'You are ill-bred daughter of-'
'Yu Po!' Hsieh waited for his adjutant to stop, then waved at the tea tray. 'You may serve.'
Yu Po's jaw dropped, as did that of the tea bearer and the other servants; then the adjutant bowed to his mas- ter and stepped to obey.
Hsieh smiled at Vaerana. 'Yes, ylang oil is ready.' He looked to Ruha. 'Where is Lady Feng?'
The witch found it difficult to meet the mandarin's gaze. 'I am afraid we do not know.' She saw Hsieh's lips tighten and had the cold, sinking feeling that she was doomed to appear a failure to everyone she met. 'We were not able to follow the spy when he fled to the lair.'
The handle of the teapot nearly slipped from Yu Po's grasp, and the lid clinked loudly.
The mandarin frowned at his adjutant's clumsiness, then asked, 'Then Lady Feng cannot tell you where to find lair?'
'Vaerana is… reluctant… to use your potion on Yanseldara.' Ruha cast an uncomfortable glance at the Lady Constable, who set her jaw and showed no sign of feeling uncomfortable about her mistrust of the Shou. 'I am sorry.'
Yu Po finished pouring and set the teapot back on the tray, then picked up one of the tiny bowls and looked uncertain as to where he should place it. Minister Hsieh graciously gestured to Ruha, and the adjutant placed the vessel on the table before her. When he started to set the next cup before Vaerana, however, the mandarin scowled harshly and cleared his throat. The young man paled and nearly sloshed tea on the table as he swung his hand toward his master.
If the snub troubled Vaerana, she showed no sign. 'I don't want to strain Yanseldara. She's not strong enough.'
Hsieh waited for Yu Po to set a bowl before the Lady Constable, then picked up his own tea. Ruha slipped her cup beneath her veil and also sipped her drink, but Vaer- ana pretended not to see the steaming vessel before her.
The mandarin returned his bowl to the table. 'Whether Lady Yanseldara drinks potion is for Moonstorm House to decide, of course.' Hsieh turned back to Ruha. 'But if you do not know where to find lair, why do you need ylang oil?'
'Perhaps you have caught Winter Blossom?' Ruha asked. 'We do know the general direction to the lair. If we carry the familiar close enough, he will lead us to Lady Feng.'
Minister Hsieh shook his head. 'The lemur eludes us. I fear he goes to hunt for his mistress.' He looked back to Vaerana. 'It appears we have only one way to find Lady Feng-or Lady Yanseldara's missing staff.'
'I'm not going to pour your cricket juice down Yansel- dara's throat,' Vaerana declared. 'It was Shou magic that put her into catalepsy in the first place.'
'And it is only Shou magic that can cure her,' Hsieh reminded her. 'Compared to need to reunite body with spirit, risk to Lady Yanseldara is small.'
'I said no.'
Hsieh nodded politely. 'Very well. Lady Feng is in no danger, but until you find staff-and Third Virtuous Concubine-you have no need of ylang oil.'
Vaerana's eyes flashed silver. 'You're threatening me?'
'I state fact.' Hsieh sipped his tea, then said, 'Until you find Lady Yanseldara's spirit and free it from staff, ylang oil does no good. There is no reason to give it to you.'
'No reason?' Vaerana stood, knocking her chair over. 'I'll give you reason!'
'Vaerana, sit down!' Ruha urged. 'It would be foolish to-'
