Chapter 40

“Master, this subordinate has searched all of Sheng Manor — no trace of Shadow Twelve.”

Clattering within the carriage; the two shadow guards’ hearts in their throats, breath held, not daring to speak.

Shadow Eleven worried deeply. So late — where could Twelve have gone? He was no longer the shadow guard of old, no internal energy to shield him; if danger found him…

Heart tightening, he guessed in a muffled voice, “Master, could Sheng Manor be hiding something?”

Grasping at straws — the shadow guard had vanished from Sheng Manor, and the moment trouble arose, Sheng Hesu had scrubbed himself spotless, his account airtight.

Yin Wuji lifted the curtain, regarding Shadow Eleven with a dark face. “And those two from Spring Breeze Tower?”

Of all times, Master still brooded on those two. Knowing Twelve wasn’t one to storm off in a huff, Shadow Eleven still ached for him. “They’ve been sent back to the inn. Master wouldn’t discard Twelve over two men like that… would he?”

Twelve wasn’t some kitten or puppy — he was a person. The fire in Shadow Eleven’s words froze the air instantly — pure oil on flames.

Yin Wuji’s eyes narrowed, sizing up the shadow guard who had just defied him. So this was what Shadow One had trained for him?

Fists clenching, realizing the offense, Shadow Eleven’s face went briefly ashen. Listening Crane Manor’s shadow guards all held an instinctive dread of Yin Wuji.

Would Master send him to the Punishment Chamber? His fists tightened further.

Shadow One stepped bodily before Shadow Eleven, blocking the suffocating pressure, head bowed, deferential. “Master — finding Twelve is what matters most now.”

Setting all else aside: even if Master’s regard for Shadow Twelve were mere whim, the child in Shadow Twelve’s belly was Master’s bloodline. Master could not simply abandon them.

If Shadow Twelve had truly been taken, not a moment could be lost.

Yin Wuji glanced back at Sheng Manor’s gate; the glow of the red lanterns made the residence deeper, darker, as if hiding secrets.

Suppressing the agitation at the shadow guard’s disappearance, Yin Wuji said, “Shadow One stays to watch here. Shadow Eleven returns to the inn with Mu Yusheng — watch those two.”

The arrangement excluded Yin Wuji himself. Learning Shadow Twelve might be in trouble, the schadenfreude drained from Mu Yusheng’s face. “Where are you going?”

Who would move against a harmless male favorite — unless Shadow Twelve had discovered something, or they meant to use him for something. Not found in Sheng Manor; the only connection to Sheng Manor was —

Yin Wuji said gravely, “I’m going to Spring Breeze Tower.”

“I’ll find Hezhou,” Mu Yusheng said, suddenly serious, “and clarify everyone connected to Sheng Hesu.”

He had always thought Qingzhou’s only thorn was that old shadow guard. Now it seemed beneath Qingzhou’s calm surface, undercurrents had always churned.

Someone had already lost patience — and moved against these newly arrived powers.

The small dagger still in Shadow Twelve’s hand, his whole body limp and strengthless — a knockout drug, clearly. Someone had bound him to the bed; the flat position strained his belly. Swinging the dagger to cut the ropes at his hands and feet, his first act was to stroke the round belly in comfort.

Struggling up from the bed brought a whirl of dizziness; gripping the bedpost, he waited for it to pass.

Straining to the wall, ear pressed against it, listening hard, trying to place where this was.

Muffled amorous sounds, mingled with impacts. Shadow Twelve’s face burned; awkwardly rubbing his nose, he couldn’t imagine why anyone would bring him to such a place.

And what threads tied this place to Sheng Hesu?

Sounds at the door; Shadow Twelve arranged himself as if still bound, bristling, killing intent leveled at the entrants.

The two bearded brutes recoiled at his aura — then, recovering, shared a flush of anger. A male favorite raised in wealth, and even his glare had teeth.

But drugged and bound — what could he possibly do to them? The two approached the bed.

No confidence he could kill both at once, Shadow Twelve concealed the dagger without a ripple — even as the two came close, looking him over.

Lewd grins in their eyes; Shadow Twelve read it clearly. The long-absent nausea crushed his face white for an instant. Riding out the retch, he stayed coiled.

One man raised his chin — coarse fingers rasping, making him frown. The man said, “Thought he’d be a fighter. Looks like an invalid.”

The other chimed in, “Invalids are the fun ones, no? By the end he’ll be trembling all over, even his gasps delicious.”

Words Shadow Twelve had heard many times on assassinations; his heart stayed still — yet suddenly the drug in his veins felt strange.

Listening Crane Manor’s shadow guards were immune to all poisons. What manner of drug was this? He grew warier of this place by the moment.

Steadying himself, he watched for the right moment.

“Blindfold him?”

A malicious suggestion — and the two agreed at once.

One went to find something to cover the shadow guard’s eyes; the other rustled toward the ropes at his ankles.

Shadow Twelve’s gaze went razor-sharp. Now.

The rope-untying one took the dagger between the shoulder blades — Shadow Twelve knew by heart where a single strike killed.

One down, no time to breathe; bearing his heavy body, Shadow Twelve slashed the dagger across the other’s throat. Blood sprayed hot across Shadow Twelve’s face; clutching his belly, he collapsed to the floor.

The door creaked; Shadow Twelve’s gaze snapped over, dagger leveled — and in an instant, the ice in his eyes melted without warning into clear water.

Startled, he said, “Master?”

Yin Wuji, pushing in, shut the door swiftly and crossed to him in strides. Seeing the carnage in the room, his face grew grave; eyeing the blood on the shadow guard’s face, he asked, “How are you?”

He feared the shadow guard was wounded.

Two words, and the suspended heart in Shadow Twelve’s chest came down. “This subordinate is fine.”

Then: “The belly is fine too.”

Perhaps knowing its father stood in danger, the child within was remarkably quiet.

The blood on the shadow guard’s face was an eyesore. The moment Yin Wuji’s hand extended, the shadow guard turned his head away; the hand froze midair.

Explaining, Shadow Twelve said, “My face… is very dirty.”

Even he couldn’t stomach it — Master shouldn’t touch these men’s blood.

Bringing himself level with the shadow guard’s eyes, Yin Wuji gripped his nape, drew out his handkerchief, and wiped the blood away bit by bit — the shadow guard given no room to resist throughout.

Only when the face was wholly clean was Yin Wuji satisfied.

Somewhat dazed, Shadow Twelve said, “Master…”

Master didn’t mind that he was dirty?

Master looked travel-worn, as if worried by his disappearance. Emboldened, Shadow Twelve asked, “Did Master come looking for this subordinate?”

Waiting eagerly for the answer — Yin Wuji’s hand paused, the remaining strokes perfunctory, rubbing the shadow guard’s cheek red. Still the shadow guard watched him, eyes burning. “I came to catch you,” Yin Wuji said.

Leaning to the shadow guard’s ear, he warned, “No running.”

So Master thought he had fled — hence the trouble of coming here to catch him.

Honestly, Shadow Twelve told Yin Wuji, “This subordinate won’t run.”

Unless Master cast him out of Listening Crane Manor, even watching Yin Wuji take new favorites, Shadow Twelve would stay at his side.

The fragile but steadfast gaze softened Yin Wuji’s heart. “Truly unharmed?”

The shadow guard shook his head.

Rubbing his fingers, Yin Wuji moved to lift the shadow guard — and saw other marks on his face.

Shallow and deep, as if scraped by other hands.

Gripping the shadow guard’s chin, fingertip scraping over, Yin Wuji demanded, anger in his throat, “What is this?”

Had the shadow guard been coveted? Looking again at the two corpses sprawled on the floor, Yin Wuji was vexed enough to kill them all over again.

Killing alone wouldn’t suffice, he thought darkly — but the shadow guard hadn’t answered yet.

Instead Shadow Twelve tilted his chin, rubbing against Yin Wuji’s hand, restless. “This subordinate feels hot.”

Hot?

Yin Wuji’s hand went to the shadow guard’s forehead — scalding, and the once-pale face flushing with unnatural color.

“This subordinate was drugged,” eyes glazing, sweat beading his brow, Shadow Twelve endured, “It may not be a knockout drug.”

No wonder — drugged as he was, he had still had the strength to kill two men. Wet-eyed, Shadow Twelve looked at Yin Wuji, the craving in his gaze hooking him — and Yin Wuji asked, knowing full well, “Shall I go back for those two from Spring Breeze Tower?”

The drugged one was the shadow guard; the one aching without relief wasn’t him. Cold-faced, Yin Wuji watched how long the shadow guard could endure.

Reason began collapsing the moment the shadow guard’s hand slid downward. Yin Wuji caught it.

The shadow guard blinked, then lowered his head, attempting to bite.

Heat sweeping through, sparks near conflagration. Yin Wuji tipped up the shadow guard’s jaw — eye corners scarlet — and answered through gritted teeth, “Why seek far when it’s near at hand?”