‘Go on,’ he said. ‘What happened?’
‘You must know that there have been uprisings within the empire over the last year. My fourth brother, Ming Han, had a military command, same as all my brothers. He was sent to put down a rebellion near the border of the Jiannan province. Li Tao’s domain.’
‘Which is where we are now.’
‘The empire is too large for the imperial army to control,’ she explained. ‘Control of the empire is a delicate balance between the imperial forces and the regional armies. Han joined with Li Tao’s troops in the effort. We later received reports that Han had been ambushed by rebels and killed.’
She looked away, pressing her lips tightly together. For a moment, he thought she’d lose the fight. Always so strong.
‘You don’t have to explain,’ he said.
‘No, I want you to understand. A soldier who had once served under my father swore Ming Han was killed by Li Tao’s soldiers. The warlord has been secretly building his army. Our marriage is merely a ploy.’
Something didn’t seem right. ‘One of the warlord’s soldiers betrayed him to you?’
‘Wu was once a member of the Dragon Guard. He’s a man of honour and he risked his life for me. I trust him.’
The same way she had trusted her bodyguards. As she now trusted him.
‘When Father learns what happened to Fourth Brother, he’ll denounce Li Tao as the murderer he is,’ she said. ‘And the empire will be better off for it.’
Ailey’s family was involved in the sort of politics he knew to stay far away from. The Chinese emperors ruled as descendants of heaven, but they were just as readily assassinated and replaced as any mortal.
Their lost legion had been caught at the centre of the rebellion following Emperor Li Ming’s death. The Tang rulers were masters of intrigue. They had perfected the art of it over centuries of rule. What chance did a band of barbarians have against such deceit?
After order was restored, Emperor Shen had allowed them to settle in the frontier to the west, in a region that had been abandoned by the empire. They guarded one of the northern branches of the many trade routes that originated from Changan.
It had been over a month since Ryam had left the marshlands where they were stationed. He had brought twenty men with him into the southern province alongside a shipment of precious cargo. A routine encounter with imperial soldiers had gone badly and he was knocked unconscious in the fight. Once he recovered, there was no trace of his men.
They were soldiers, organised to fight as a unit and follow orders. They had needed someone to lead them, someone diplomatic enough to negotiate without starting a blood bath. But he didn’t know anything about that. He was nothing more than one man with a sword.
The imperial army had tolerated their existence in the frontier until now. Ryam prayed the conflict hadn’t changed the Emperor’s mind. Without Shen’s protection, they would be hunted down like dogs. He could return to find that they had all been marked for death for his mistakes.
Maybe that was why he needed to get Ailey home safely. Pay off his debt, as she liked to say. He had spent too much time within the empire and their ideas were seeping into him. For once, he needed to get something right.
They cut through the woods, following the stream over the rocks for the rest of the afternoon. Ailey could sense her spirit easing as they ventured further into the forest. The dense growth closed behind her like a barricade. If fortune favoured her, the soldiers would still be hunting for the gang of bandits who had supposedly abducted her. She could return home before Li Tao realised she knew of his cowardice and treachery.
‘You’ve risked so much to help me.’ It was so hard to start conversations with him when he didn’t use any of the accepted forms of address. She didn’t know whether to be formal or intimate.
‘Anyone would have done the same.’
‘I don’t believe that,’ she said.
‘Maybe I just wanted the company.’
He was smiling. She definitely needed to remain formal, for her own protection.
‘Those bandits could have smuggled me to a brothel in some remote corner of the empire. Or worse, they could have ransomed me back to Li Tao.’
As jiedushi, Li Tao had sworn to protect the empire, yet he plotted against it. They called Ryam’s kind barbarians, but there was nothing barbaric about him. His manner was direct and honest. It was her own countrymen she needed to be worried about.
The water at the bend formed a pool between the rocks. He stepped over a broad stone and then his hands circled her waist to lift her. His arms flexed as he set her down.
‘Be careful here, it’s slippery.’ He flashed another one of his easy smiles that sent her floating. His touch sent a lazy ripple up her spine and the look he gave her went on for a heartbeat too long.
She looked down at the water. ‘There are fish in there,’ she said absently.
‘Really? Where?’
Her shoulder brushed against his as they knelt to peer into the water. The turn of a tail sent a splash to the surface. The closeness that would have been improper with anyone else seemed so natural with him. Her heart was beating so hard and she could barely breathe. A school of grey fish darted beneath the surface, but all she could stare at was his reflection. The golden hair and light eyes.
Then she caught sight of her own reflection beside his. She looked like a madwoman! Her braid had fallen apart, leaving her hair in a wild nest. Horrified, she scrubbed at the smudge of dirt across her cheek.
He turned to her, his face inches from hers. She froze with her hand against her cheek.
‘Are you hungry?’ There was a hint of mischief in his eyes.
She was. They had been running all morning. She needed the rest as well, but had been reluctant to slow down their journey.
‘How are you going to catch them?’
He held up his hands and wiggled his fingers.
‘You cannot,’ she said.
‘Watch me.’
He loosened the ties of his vest and tossed it aside. Tiny knots formed in her stomach as one boot and then the other landed by her side. She ducked her head to stare at the moss beneath her knees. He had no shame at all. She peeked back over to see that he was still wearing his shirt as he slipped waist deep into the pool. The fish scattered in all directions, their dark bodies gliding in frantic circles as they tried to escape.
He shot her a warning look when she giggled. With the back of her hand pressed to her mouth, she watched as he cupped his hands and dipped them carefully under the surface, going as still as a mantis. The fish gradually settled and resumed their gentle sway. She held her breath.
In a flash he scooped his arms upwards, flinging a cascade of water up onto the grass. She shrieked and scrambled away.
‘You did that on purpose!’
Water dripped from his chin. He swiped at his face. ‘You’re scaring the fish,’ he accused.
She moved into the shade to seat herself as he crouched again. He pounced with an even greater splash, again coming up empty-handed. She fell back, grabbing at her sides. How long had it been since she laughed so hard it hurt? Not since her brothers had all been together. Not since they had left their mountain home for the capital.
She wiped at the tears at the corners of her eyes. ‘Have you ever been able to do this?’
His mouth twisted. ‘When I was hungry enough.’
‘No wonder you were starving when we met.’
‘Quiet.’