The moon was high. Xue Liulan and Murong Jin, dressed in Yanyun uniforms, hid in the shadows. A patrol marched past. They pressed themselves flat, waiting until the soldiers had vanished.
"Even the outer wall is this heavily guarded," Murong Jin whispered. To get inside without a sound, they'd have to take out an entire patrol.
Xue Liulan just grunted, his eyes scanning the area. Every defense had a weakness.
The moon cast a deep shadow before the main gate, perfectly concealing them.
"Go," he whispered, and was already moving, a silent wraith in the darkness. In the blink of an eye, he had reached the base of a watchtower.
Murong Jin smiled. Just as she was about to follow, another patrol marched past.
An idea struck her. She pointed to the patrol, then to her clothes. Let's follow them, switch our uniforms, and blend in.
He shook his head. The men in a patrol would know each other. If she were discovered, she'd be trapped.
She had no choice but to wait. When they passed, she launched herself into the open. But she wasn't as fast as him. The poison had taken its toll, and her breath came in ragged gasps.
"Someone's there!" a voice called from the tower.
Xue Liulan clapped a hand over her mouth, his eyes fixed on the figures above.
"Where?"
"I heard someone breathing."
"You're just tired. It's almost time for the changing of the guard."
The footsteps faded. He slowly took his hand from her face and gave her a warm smile.
She smiled back, apologetic, and they turned their attention back to the compound.
The watchtower was just the first step. The inner courtyard was the real challenge.
After a moment, Xue Liulan pointed to a soldier carrying a food box.
The kitchens, she mouthed.
He nodded. Go, disguised as a servant. Kill him when you serve his food.
She understood. Just as she moved, he caught her arm and wrote a single word on her palm: Careful.
She squeezed his hand and mouthed back the same.
She scanned the area. There was no cover between the courtyards, but there were a few trees. It was enough. She leaped from the tower, her feet barely touching the ground before she was in the branches.
A sudden, sharp ringing. The branches were laced with tiny copper bells.
His heart sank. Guards were already swarming toward her.
Shing. Her soft sword sang in the moonlight. She dropped to the ground, blade in hand.
She had intentionally revealed herself. He narrowed his eyes, his hand on his hilt.
A trap, she thought. Well then, let's give him a clear path.
She moved, her blade a blur, cutting down the soldiers around her. Then she launched herself toward the watchtower, her sword aimed straight for him.
He had no choice. He leaped from his hiding place and landed among the guards.
"A man of the Central Plains, serving the Yanyun as a dog. You disgrace yourself," she sneered from a pillar above.
The guards stared at him, confused.
"A wise bird chooses the right tree. I suggest you join me," he answered, instantly understanding her play. "You were once a famous swordsman, but you are no match for me."
She just laughed. "True, I can't kill you. But them?" she said, her eyes sweeping over the soldiers. "Easy."
A chill ran down their spines. They had seen what she could do.
"Great hero, we're counting on you," the lead guard said. His life was on the line.
Xue Liulan nodded. "I am one of the leader's shadow guards, sent here for this very purpose."
"A shadow guard?"
"Hmph. So that's why our men could never get to Sayatu. You were protecting him."
"Correct." He loosened his armor with one pull, revealing the dynasty's sword mark beneath. "Today, you will die knowing the truth," he said, drawing his sword.
He leaped, his foot kicking off the pillar, his other leg aimed for her shin.
She jumped, their feet meeting in mid-air. She used the force to flip, her soft sword swinging, the tip grazing his throat.
He parried, their blades locking. "Trying to murder your husband?" he whispered.
"If we're going to put on a show, we have to make it believable," she answered with a smile, her blade sliding down his with a shower of sparks.
He spun, landing on a railing. She landed in the branches of a tree, as light as a leaf.
"Impressive," he called out.
"You flatter me," she answered, her eyes darting to the stunned soldiers below. She looked back at him. In the moonlight, he was just watching her, a helpless smile on his face. "This time," she said, her lips curving, "I won't hold back."
As her voice faded, she launched herself into the air like a hawk.
He stood his ground, his sword hanging at his side.
"Hero, be careful!" the soldiers yelled.
Her hand, holding the sword, paused. This was the master stroke of her family's style. He could parry it. But what if he couldn't?
Her blade fell, aimed for the space between his eyes.
Leaves rustled. The soldiers stared, mouths agape.
She landed, the tip of her sword stopped an inch from his forehead. His scabbard was pressed against her shoulder, its tip digging into a pressure point.
"So I lose after all—though not unwillingly," she said, her eyes curving into a smile.
He sheathed her sword for her, then swept her into his arms. The cold fury from a moment ago was gone, replaced by a deep tenderness.
He leaped down and walked past the awestruck soldiers. "Take me to your leader."
"Yes." They bowed.
He walked toward the entrance to the inner courtyard. The guards there stepped back. "We cannot leave our posts, great hero. Please, go on."
He nodded. Just as he was about to step through the gate, a voice, calm and cruel, slid out from the shadows. "Did you really think you could fool me with such a childish trick?"