Thirty-Three Tastes Of Poison

VIII. The Envoy

Emőke knew the girl was there to lure her into a trap. How else could a Moon-Marked refugee find Emőke at a Linsi inn in the middle of the night? Even if Emőke believed in luck, she could not allow herself to be that gullible. Min Lian forced the girl to serve him. There was no doubt about that. Yet, there was something in the girl's eyes that she could not reject—urgency, determination, relentless bravery. Perhaps, something darker, deeper. 

"Help me escape, help me live," the girl asked. She did not beg, kowtow, or kiss the seams of Emőke's cinched coat. She never stooped to pleas.

"I know you can bring me to the Green Shadow," the girl insisted. "You know the dissidents."

In the darkness of the inn's room, Emőke sat next to a low table, clutching her box with thirty-two empty vials. Even though Lightning was gone, his warnings remained with Emőke: everyone in Linsi wanted her life and her secrets.

"How did you find me?" Emőke asked.

"I followed you after my escape," the Moon-Marked girl answered. She hesitated before continuing. "I lurked behind the building when you joined the blond-haired demon with colourless threads. He's unlike anyone I've ever seen. What is he?"

"Dreamlight is a friend," Emőke answered.

"Your friend is a devil," the girl concluded, causing Emőke to scoff.

"Aren't we all?"

She rose briskly, looking around and lifting a hand to silence the girl. Spies could be everywhere. And they were. Like invisible rats with paws of shadow, they followed the Envoy. They knew many secrets, but none of those belonged to Emőke. Thus, she had the upper hand. When the girl drew closer, Emőke caught her wrist, feeling the irregular pulse beneath her soft skin.

"Follow me," the Envoy ordered, then paused, asking the belated "What's your name?"

"Lady Xin Yuan called me 'Su'," she answered. "Some people say I look a lot like her." A plain name for a lovely girl. Xin Yuan did have a strange sense of humour.

Preserving her neutral expression, Emőke weighed her options. As long as she knew Su was Min Lian's bait, Emőke remained one step ahead of the General. Agreeing to Su's request was dangerous, but she knew what to expect. Risking her mission, she disassembled the balcony with her yellow threads and created a temporary bridge. A fine route for their escape.

Once they blended into the night, the Moon-Marked girl followed Emőke through the labyrinth of narrow streets. Quickening her pace, Emőke never looked back. She only stopped when they found themselves stuck between the wall of a merchant's residence and an old music house—a perfect place for an ambush. Her ambush.

When the Envoy froze, the girl retreated, her black frock dissolving in the darkness. If Min Lian's people followed them, they were in for a surprise. Emőke stepped forward while her threads of yellow light transformed into deadly needles above her head.

In one sweeping motion, she took three unsuspecting soldiers from the roof. Her strikes were precise and deliberate, enhanced by the anger in her heart. Did Su expect her to believe nobody had picked their trail? Of course, Min Lian had sent people to follow them. Of course, those people hid in all the nooks and crannies of the city. Of course, Emőke could hear their whispers.

Three soldiers in black rags wept on the ground while two more hid behind corners. Weak but determined, the girl tried to stop the Envoy, her Moon-Marked powers extinguishing Emőke's threads. But Emőke had prepared herself for that trick, her enhanced eyesight helping her dodge two lazy strikes from the side. As expected, Min Lian's people were there not to kill her but to watch her bring the refugee to the Green Shadow. They were not ready to fight, and superior Magor eyesight made Emőke faster, better, and more difficult to catch. For a time.