Naamah's Kiss - Jacqueline Carey [248]
The matter settled, General Tsieh began rolling up his maps. I stifled a yawn, longing for sleep.
"Venerable Master Lo Feng." The princess hesitated. "You have served the Celestial Empire with dignity and honor in a difficult time. Now we have come to a task that requires a warrior's skill, not that of a sage and physician. War is upon us. I would ask you to remain here, where you might do the greatest good."
"I would be grateful for your aid, old friend," the Emperor added softly. "Truly."
Master Lo bowed his head. White stubble on his scalp glinted in the lamplight. There were deep creases in his cheeks that I didn't remember seeing before. "Then I shall abide by your wishes, Celestial Majesty, and pray that my pupils do me honor in my stead."
"We will, Master Lo," Bao assured him, nudging me with his elbow. "We will make you proud, I promise." Tortoise and Dai murmured agreement, echoing Bao, nodding their heads fervently.
I straightened my back. "Aye, Master! I promise, too. We will make you proud."
His dark eyes shone with tears. "Ah, children! You already have."
* * *
CHAPTER SEVENTY-NINE
In the light of day, our task seemed even more daunting. We were given the swiftest horses to ride and a squadron of five hundred elite archers to protect us, men trained to shoot from the saddle at a full gallop. Speed would be essential. Once we were exposed, Lord Jiang's men would try to cut us off. I would summon the twilight to conceal Snow Tiger and myself as long as possible, but I couldn't hide five hundred men, and we needed their protection. As soon as we began to move, Jiang's men would know somewhat was afoot. All we could do was try to outflank them.
All throughout the camp, soldiers donned their gear, checked their quivers, and honed their swords. We waited, nerves strung taut. Soldiers assembled in tidy ranks beneath their banners, awaiting orders. On the far side of the meadow that separated us from the enemy, riders dashed back and forth.
They suspected war was upon them.
Struggling to keep my teeth from chattering with anxiety, I forced myself to breathe through the Five Cycles. It helped, a little. I watched the princess bid her father farewell. I couldn't see her face, but the look on his made my heart break.
"Is it customary for the Emperor himself to ride into battle?" I asked Bao, seeking to distract myself.
"No," he said somberly. "Usually it is a general who leads. But Emperor Zhu has always been a warrior. And I think he looks to prove beyond a doubt that he has not lost the Mandate of Heaven."
And then, all too soon, it was time.
The Son of Heaven in his gilded armor mounted a snow-white charger, looking more splendid than ever. He raised one hand and gave an order. His banner dipped and swayed, conveying it. Other banners took up the order, passing it on. The Imperial army began to move, thinning and spreading its ranks toward the south.
Snow Tiger rode back to us, her face pale beneath the blindfold.
"Now, my lady?" I asked.
She nodded. "Please."
The men had been given their orders. They averted their eyes as I summoned the twilight and wrapped the two of us in it. In the velvety dusk, the scene was surreal. Snow Tiger lowered her blindfold, eyes meeting mine. The dragon's reflection coiled uneasily in her dark pupils.
"Stay with me, treasured friend," I murmured.
Yes. I will try.
There were soft gasps at our disappearance. Bao swung his head in my general direction. "Moirin?"
"I am here," I said to him. "We are both here."
He muttered under his breath, then gave the order to move out.
Accompanied by the five hundred archers who would do their best to guard our avenue of escape, we rode slowly behind the Imperial lines. The ranks were too densely packed to see aught of the enemies' movements, but word trickled through the ranks. Lord Jiang's outnumbered army was not advancing. Instead, they were repositioning their bronze weapons in response to the Imperial army's shift.
Whether that was good or bad, I didn't know.
We reached the outskirts of the army's