Chapter 14: The Golden Canary

Wuxue froze. Shisan’s lips had left a trace of warmth on her cheek. She was twenty-two and had never been kissed like that before. If Shisan had tried to stab her in the face, Wuxue would’ve known what to do. But that little kiss…

Heat rose from Wuxue’s ears and spread across her cheeks.

She wanted to throttle the shameless Shisan. But when she looked at Shisan’s foolish grin, she decided it probably hadn’t been on purpose. The mission came first. She’d settle accounts with Shisan later.

Her circuit of the ballroom had confirmed five hidden guards: one behind the orchestra, one on each side of the second-floor stairs, one at the main entrance, and one in the center of the dance floor.

There were only five, and their positions offered excellent sightlines. They could watch every corner, seal off every exit, and provide backup to one another. Whether guarding or responding to an attack, they’d chosen the best possible spots.

Wuxue, by comparison, was poorly equipped. Skok hadn’t given her enough weapons, and this environment made them difficult to use. Even if she succeeded, escaping would be a problem. And she still had a deadweight in tow. Shisan’s presence might be the most dangerous thing about this whole mission.

Normally, a job like this wouldn’t have been difficult. But Wuxue hadn’t taken it on herself. Skok had provided limited information and weapons, and someone had installed that damned device in the back of her neck. It all made the job rather tricky.

But a hunter who survived in the wilderness didn’t stop being a hunter just because she’d lost her rifle and hatchet. Years of killing had driven experience deep into her bones. No matter how harsh the hunting grounds or how cunning and dangerous the prey, a real hunter always found a way to hang her prize on the wall.

Wuxue knew exactly what she had to do first. She looked at Shisan.

“Wuxue, should I put some ice in your water?” Shisan asked, making sure Wuxue noticed her. “Your face is so red. Are you hot?”

“No, thank you.” Wuxue turned her down. Her face was red because of Shisan, not the heat.

“Wuxue, when are you going to make your move?” Shisan kept chattering. She grabbed a dessert from a server’s tray and shoved it into her mouth with no regard for manners. Chewing, she added, “I want to go home.”

“Keep your voice down.”

Wuxue surveyed the ballroom again and led Shisan to a quiet corner. This time, she had to get it right on the first try. “Stay here. Don’t move.”

“Okay.” Shisan nodded obediently. “Come get me when you’re done, all right?”

Wuxue didn’t answer. She’d already made up her mind: she was abandoning Shisan.

Half an hour had passed since they’d arrived. The wine in their stomachs was beginning to do its work. There were no men here, only women, but a pleasant tipsiness was still enough to serve as an excuse for letting desire take over.

The dance floor had grown busier. Some women paired off, holding hands or wrapping their arms around each other’s waists. More still were single girls, waiting for a partner. The lights dimmed, and the orchestra’s music slowed. Under the sultry lights and the sultry blues, bodies brushed against bodies as people searched for someone to dance with.

Wuxue joined them. She swayed with the music, moving like a rose in bloom. Her target hadn’t appeared, but the hunter’s eyes quietly tracked everything around her.

Still, in this lake of desire, the hunter was prey, too.

“Hi. Are you here alone?” A woman approached Wuxue.

Wuxue sized her up. The woman had gray hair pinned up and wore a backless evening gown. Her bright red heels brought her nearly half a head taller than Wuxue.

She was beautiful, but that wasn’t what caught Wuxue’s attention. It was the red rose tattoo on her shoulder.

“Could be,” Wuxue replied. She wasn’t sure whether the woman had seen her with Shisan earlier, so she chose an answer that left room for interpretation.

“Want to have some fun?” The music picked up, and the woman edged closer.

Wuxue stepped backward to the beat. She wasn’t comfortable getting close to people—not since Qiongna. If it hadn’t been for Shisan’s kiss, she wouldn’t have blushed all the way to her ears. But she’d always been good at her job. She hid her discomfort without letting it show.

“I’m not looking for fun. I’m looking for Lanxiang,” Wuxue said.

Lanxiang wasn’t just anyone. She was the Countess’s kept lover—and Wuxue’s target.

“Heh.” The woman gave a soft laugh. “That woman’s busy entertaining the Countess of Copperbeard County. I doubt she’ll have time for us.”

“In that case…” Wuxue curled her lips, somehow managing to look even more seductive than the woman in front of her. “Surely I can at least meet her.”

Perhaps Wuxue looked too alluring. The woman boldly slipped an arm around her waist and pressed close.

Wuxue didn’t like being touched that way. She coyly pushed the woman back. “Help me meet Lanxiang, and I’ll give you my room number.”

“Deal.”

The woman took Wuxue’s hand without hesitation and led her straight through the couples on the dance floor, heading for the second floor. Wuxue followed at a light jog. Along the way, she made sure to watch the guard stationed by the second-floor windows. The guard pretended to sip from a glass, but her eyes followed Wuxue and the stranger.

The stranger suddenly slowed. They must have reached their destination.

Sure enough, a crowd of women had gathered around someone. At the center sat a woman in Indian-style clothing, smoking a hookah. Her features were exquisite. Luo Shisan was a pretty girl, but this woman in front of Wuxue was a genuine beauty.

“Is that Lanxiang?” Wuxue asked.

“Yes. That’s her.”

The woman said the name with unmistakable pride.

Wuxue gave Lanxiang a professional once-over: the shape of her ears, the distance between her eyes and the bridge of her nose, the length from her ankles to her knees. Once Wuxue had those details, no disguise could keep her from recognizing Lanxiang.

“Want to say hello?” the woman asked.

This wasn’t part of the plan, but there was no harm in learning more.

“Of course.” Wuxue raised an eyebrow with a smile.

The woman still hadn’t let go of Wuxue’s hand. She boldly pushed through the crowd and dragged her up to Lanxiang. Wuxue was a little surprised. This woman clearly wasn’t an ordinary guest.

During the approach, Wuxue noticed the two guards on the second floor moving toward them. They didn’t intervene. They only waited nearby, ready to step in if needed.

“You two know each other?” Wuxue asked.

“We’re more than acquainted.” The woman smiled. “Lanxiang and I know each other very well. Looks like you’ll have to give me your room number after all.”

“I see Lady Vino is gracing us with her presence.”

“Has she no shame, coming to see Lanxiang?”

Whispers drifted through the crowd to Wuxue. This woman really wasn’t an ordinary guest. If they were calling her a lady, she must be nobility. The Jinye Kingdom had plenty of rich people, but the rich and titled were much rarer.

She and Lanxiang clearly had some history. Wuxue stayed quiet. When two clams fought, all the hunter had to do was wait.

“Lady Vino, what an honor.” Lanxiang pushed a woman off the sofa beside her, making room. “Come, sit with me.”

“No.” Vino refused. She lifted Wuxue’s hand. “I just wanted to tell you that my new date wanted to see what you look like.”

Wuxue saw a fleeting expression cross Lanxiang’s face. Her brow furrowed, and for a moment she looked almost hurt. Then the expression disappeared.

“Well, have you seen enough?” Lanxiang asked Wuxue. A hint of hostility glinted in her eyes.

“Have you seen enough, darling?” Vino asked, deliberately cloying. “Shall we go back to your room?”

Wuxue didn’t answer. She only nodded. She had no interest in getting caught up in a fight between two other people. And she certainly didn’t want to take Vino back to her room. For now, Vino might still be useful. Wuxue needed to pry some information out of her, then find a quiet place to dispose of her.

“Why don’t we have a couple of drinks first?” Wuxue said as Vino led her away.

“Changing your mind?” Vino asked. She wasn’t stupid.

“I’m curious about you—no, about you and Lanxiang.”

Wuxue didn’t like having Vino pull her around. She freed her hand and turned to take two glasses of wine from a passing server.

“Are you hoping to keep her yourself?” Vino asked.

“Isn’t she the Countess’s Golden Canary? I can’t afford to keep someone like her.”

Wuxue was ready to start asking questions. “Or have you kept her yourself?”

Vino twirled a lock of gray hair around her finger. She seemed reluctant to meet Wuxue’s eyes, but she answered honestly. “Yes. Before the Countess, she was my Golden Canary.”

“How did she end up with the Countess?”

“Whoever has the money owns her,” Vino said bluntly. “Maybe tomorrow she’ll be some other big shot’s mistress.”

“Then… do you like her?” Wuxue had caught a hint of something and kept probing.

“Like her?” Vino burst out laughing. “I loved her. I loved her so much I thought I’d die.”

Then her expression turned bitter. “But none of that matters now. It won’t get in the way of us spending the night together, will it?”

Wuxue could tell that the wounded gray-haired woman was trying to drown her sorrows, but she had no intention of bringing Vino back to her room. She still had questions to ask. Until she got her answers, she wouldn’t deal with the noblewoman.

“Of course not, my lady.”

Wuxue played along, tracing a finger over Vino’s shoulder. “But your former lover—this Golden Canary—is truly captivating. I came here looking for a little fun, but she’d never look twice at a nouveau riche like me. Still, I’d like to see her again tomorrow. Can you help me?”

Wuxue added, “If you won’t, I might think you still love her.”

“Of course I don’t!” Vino protested. Her forced bravado only made the denial less convincing. Then she added, “I’m not going to see her again. But every day before dawn, she goes to the yoga studio on the top floor to practice. She steps out onto the balcony to meditate for ten minutes. If you’re on the next balcony over, you can see her alone.”

Vino seemed to regret pretending to be so generous. She added, “If you do see her, make sure you dress up. Don’t let her outshine you.”

“Thinking of her so much, Lady Vino? Does that mean you don’t want my room number anymore?” Wuxue forced down the shyness she usually felt and took Vino’s hand of her own accord.

She fetched Vino another glass of wine. This time, without anyone noticing, she slipped something else into it.