an impatient sound. ‘I told Auntie you wouldn’t listen to anyone.’
That left them at a standstill, staring at each other across the field of battle. But she wasn’t quite the enemy. He traced the shape of her mouth and the curve of her throat. Suyin’s breathing quickened in response. No one else dared to suggest that he back down. Certainly no one had counselled him regarding his own welfare.
She was beautiful.
She was complicated.
There wasn’t a thread of trust between them, yet he still wanted her. Discipline and caution meant nothing when she was near.
‘Tell me one thing,’ she said. ‘What does the dagger mean?’
‘It’s a reminder.’
‘Of what?’
‘Shibao.’
‘The siege against Tibet.’
Of course she knew the history. She had been Emperor Li Ming’s consort for fifteen years. She’d shared the sovereign’s bed. Resentment flowed like poison through Li Tao’s veins. Jealous of a dead man. There wasn’t a more worthless emotion.
‘One of the worst defeats of the empire,’ he said.
‘But you were commended for your bravery. Everyone knew your name after that battle.’
‘It was undeserved.’ He wasn’t being humble. If she meant to appeal to his sense of honour and duty, it didn’t exist. ‘In the end, all debts must be paid. The message of the dagger is that no one can be careful for ever.’
If only she knew the truth behind the legends. He was no hero. He was tempted to tell her everything, but with the old empire falling to ruin around them, it made no difference any longer.
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