Blood of the Fox

Chapter 21

Ruyi wiped her hands and sheathed her short sword and received the letters with pleasure. The first one was from Ting'er.

My dear sister Ruyi,

Words cannot express how ecstatic I was to hear about your amazing feat! That you should have retrieved the Peach and then come to be adopted by the household of the Third Prince, it is almost beyond belief. These days the people in the inner palace talk of nothing else.

I only wish that I could visit you and share in your joys. Alas, we cannot leave the inner palace. My only hope is that perhaps that at the Golden Hunt we will see your face? Will the Third Prince be bringing you? It is a shame it is a decade away still as I miss you more and more every day.

With all my love,

Ting'er

Ruyi raised her eyebrow, impressed. If Ting'er was asking then that means she herself was attending. Had she passed the auditions? She ripped open the second letter, from Jiajia.

My friend Ruyi

How are you? Living with the Third Prince, it must be like living in Paradise! I can't describe how envious I and all the other girls in the Empress' Palace are. What is he like? Do you see him every day?

Ruyi, it's been so lonely without you in the Palace. Even Ting'er doesn't have time for me anymore. Ever since she passed the auditions, the Empress has been summoning her every day. She is to accompany the Princess Yuting in her dance, I forget what it's called, it's the same one you were supposed to do. I suppose she told you in her letter already.

I wish you could come back or better yet that I could visit you! Perhaps you could think of a way?

Jiajia

Ruyi frowned, staring down at the letters for several moments. Why hadn't TIng'er mentioned anything about accompanying Princess Yuting in the Golden Hunt? Was she scared that Ruyi would get angry at her? But of course Ruyi would understand that it wasn't her choice, it was not as though she could go against the order of the Empress.

Thinking about it was all quite pitiful. There was no way that Princess Yuting would let Ting'er stand out and would find every manner to push her down. In fact it was quite strange that she had allowed Ting'er to perform at all, forcing her to stay behind was much more in line with her personality.

Oh well, Ruyi shrugged to herself. It's none of my business. Since she had missed the audition there wasn't any way for her perform. In the furor over what had happened she had almost forgotten about it.

Tucking the letters away, Ruyi picked up her sword again.

***

"How is your training going?"

Three days ago Yuezhen suddenly summoned her and asked her this question.

"Replying to his Highness, it is going well."

"Good. Meet me in the Black Drago Grotto, three nights from now."

He had dismissed her before she could ask him any more questions and so three nights later, Ruyi found herself standing at the entrance of the Black Dragon Grotto with Dao, the older servant holding a lantern and gazing at her with a strange expression.

"What does the Third Prince want to take you here for?" He asked for the hundredth time. Ruyi wanted to roll her eyes. "Since I didn't know all the previous times you asked, do you think my answer will change now?"

Dao chewed his lip thoughtfully. Ruyi said, "What is this place? Is it called the Black Dragon after the Third Prince?"

She knew the Third Prince was a black coloured dragon which apparently was quite rare among the dragon race. The Jade Emperor was a golden dragon, as was the First and Second Princes.

"No... it is named so because of the Elder Emperor, he was also a black dragon. It was his private place of meditation."

Dear Gods, Ruyi blinked. What am I doing here?

As she gazed at the entrance of the artificial many tiered cave, carved into the side of a mountain, she could indeed feel the thrum of power through her veins.

There was a streak of lightning and suddenly the Third Prince appeared with Junye by his side. As usual the Third Prince was dressed in purple brocade. Junye was frowning. Ruyi and Dao hurried to kneel.

"Master, surely I should accompany you?"

"No I want you to stay here and make sure we are not disturbed."

Junye's frown grew. Ruyi thought, How many people are you expecting to come to this place at this time of the night?

Junye said, "Master, that door, you don't know what's behind it..."

What door? Ruyi looked dubiously at the entrance. Had the Third Prince never been here before? Was it forbidden? But surely if it was forbidden there should be guards but other then them, there wasn't another soul in sight.

"Then we shall find out." Yuezhen extended his hand. "Are you ready, Ruyi?"

As always when he said her name, her heart gave a traitorous little leap that made Ruyi want to slap herself. Subconsciously she licked her lips and then looked at the offered hand. It was white and unblemished, each finger perfectly formed. Beside her Dao was staring dumbly.

Ruyi gritted her teeth and straightened up. With determination, she reached out and took his hand. His palm was cool and dry. Hers however...

But why should I be scared?! Ruyi told herself furiously. After all we were even closer than this in the Mystic Realm, particularly when I was giving him my blood!

Thinking about it she gave his hand a stubborn squeeze. "Yes I'm ready."

In response his eyebrow quirked up and a smile lifted the corner of his lip. Afterwards Ruyi would curse herself for her foolishness. In actual fact nothing could have prepared her for what was about to happen.