Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 120336 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 602(@200wpm)___ 481(@250wpm)___ 401(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 120336 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 602(@200wpm)___ 481(@250wpm)___ 401(@300wpm)
I swallowed hard. “He’ll win. He has to.”
Song’s gaze darkened, and for a moment, I saw the man beneath the veneer of control—the soldier, the survivor, the one who had seen more than he ever let on. “Lei will win. But it won’t be easy. Leo’s prepared for this. He’s been waiting for it much longer, before Lei ever knew there would be a battle, long before Leo killed Chanel.”
“But Leo is ready to die.”
“I hope so.”
“You hope so?”
“Never underestimate what a man will do when his own legacy is at stake. . .and. . .”
“What?”
“And when his own happiness is at stake too.”
“What does that mean?”
Song’s gaze dropped to the steaming cup he was holding. “It means Lei isn’t just fighting Leo for the East, for power or his place in history. He’s fighting for you.”
“He already has me.”
Song turned his view my way. “If he is alive, he has you.”
Fuck this. I’ll kill Leo myself.
I scanned the side tables next to me. “Where are my guns?”
Song smirked. “You will not need them tonight.”
“I know but I still want to have them next to me when I go to the feast.”
“Monique, Lei must fight this alone.”
I clenched my hands into fists, trying to quell the tremor that threatened to betray me. “I don’t want him to fight alone. I want to help.”
Song’s lips curved into a faint, knowing smile. “You’ve already done your part, Mountain Mistress. More than you realize.”
I blinked. “What do you mean?”
“Do you want tea?”
“No. I want answers.”
“Answers often come easier with tea.”
I crossed my arms and narrowed my gaze at him but before I could respond, he picked up the teapot and began pouring my cup. “Let me tell you a story.”
I raised my eyebrows.
The fragrant brew rose in the tent.
He set the pot down and then got a small jar of tea. “It’s an old tale—one of love, power, and a fox spirit.”
“A fox spirit?”
“Yes.” Song placed honey into my cup and then stirred the tea. “The fox spirit was ancient, clever, and feared by all. It lived in the mountains, shifting shapes, tricking travelers, and stealing treasures. Its power was unmatched, or so it thought.”
Song put the spoon back in the honey jar. “One day, this fox encountered a woman. She was not beautiful by the standards of the time, nor was she particularly remarkable. She had no power, no wealth, no great name to speak of. And yet. . .”
He picked up the new cup of tea and carried it over to me.
I watched him. “And yet what?”
“And yet, the fox fell in love with her.” He handed me the cup of tea.
I took it. “Thank you.”
Nodding, he headed off, grabbed his cup, and returned to his chair. “At first, the fox resisted. It told itself that love was a weakness, a vulnerability. But the more it resisted, the stronger the love grew. The woman, in turn, loved the fox without fear. And in that love, something extraordinary happened.”
Song took a sip. “The fox became more powerful than it had ever been. Its tricks became sharper, its treasures greater, its enemies fewer. Not because it had gained new abilities, but because it finally had something worth protecting. Something that made every risk worth taking.”
I stared at him, waiting for the rest of the story, but Song just went back to sipping his tea. “So. . .what happened to the fox and the woman?”
He shrugged. “That depends on who tells the story. Some say the woman died, and the fox went mad with grief. Others say the fox gave up its spirit to live as a man by her side. And then there are those who believe the fox simply. . .disappeared, taking her with him to a magical place where neither could be harmed.”
I frowned. “And you’re telling me this because?”
“Because you remind me of the woman, although you are much more beautiful than her,” he said simply, leaning back in his chair. “And Lei reminds me of the fox spirit.”
I gripped the teacup tighter. “You’re saying I’ve made Lei stronger?”
“More powerful than he even realizes. Love does that to people. It sharpens their focus. It gives them something to fight for that’s more than just survival or ambition. Lei would fight for his place in the East regardless, but you. . .” He gestured toward me with his cup. “You’ve made him fight for something greater.”
The heat of the teacup warmed my palms. “And what about Leo?”
“Your love with Lei has now made Leo weak.”
“How?”
Song’s jaw tightened, and his mask of calm slipped just enough for me to catch the flicker of something—contempt, maybe, or pity. “That. . .is not for me to explain.”
“Why not?”
“If you had been paying attention, you would have already known the answer, Mountain Mistress.”
“I’ve been paying attention, but Leo is all over the damn place and sometimes inside of my mind. So. . .please explain to me how Leo is weaker now?”