‘Eight, get a stick for her to bite on.’ Nine’s tone was indifferent as he helped Xi Qian’e strip Three down, his fingers gently pushing at torn skin, split by a knife. His touch was colder than ice. ‘Wrap it with linen, or she’ll end up eating the splinters.’

  Footsteps left, then returned; when the bamboo rod was pressed to her lips, she didn’t hesitate and bit down.

  Xi Qian’e dabbed at her sweat with a handkerchief; with her hands and feet tied to the bedframe, she truly empathised with the suffering of fish lying on a chopping board.

  ‘This will hurt,’ said Nine. ‘Okay, prepare yourself. Three, two, one —’

  He propped his right elbow on the bed and tore the knife out of her.

  Fuck.

  Tears sprang to her eyes, pain like nothing else exploding out of her. It took all her self-control to stop a scream from ripping out of her — everything seized up, spasming, and Eight forced down her chest to hold her in pce.

  ‘Can’t you knock her out?’ Xi Qian’e’s hands wrapped around her head to keep it still. ‘Or give her something for the pain —’

  ‘I can’t. She’s too weak right now and can’t handle sedation or qi-blocking. Otherwise, she might stop breathing. Or have organ failure, that’d be fun.’ A paste was smeared onto her wounds — then she swore as Nine poured alcohol into it.

  But her swear words were all muffled, so it was useless anyway.

  Then, as though he were sewing up a plush doll, Nine stitched up her wounds. The needle’s sharp chill bit into her as it pierced her skin and flesh. ‘You did good not to take out the knives,’ he said. He held up the needle as Eight cut the thread for him. Then, his empty left sleeve swinging, he continued onto the next gash. ‘Else you’d be dead by now.’

  Three went limp like a fish when the next knife was taken out.

  ‘You’re quite lucky. Being in the snow for so long kept dirt and disease from getting in, you don’t have much of an infection. You nearly lost your fingers and toes though.’ Nine tutted, ‘It’s a shame you didn’t, it would be cool to sew them back on —’

  Eight rapped the top of his head and said, ‘Nine, focus. Before the Third Princess sps you.’

  ‘Fine.’

  Despite Nine’s raging unprofessionalism, he was indeed skilled, and Eight knew the motions well; two shichen ter, Three was bandaged up into a zongzi, barely able to move and covered with insect-itching pins and needles, mourning the state of her life.

  ‘Don’t do anything strenuous for now,’ said Nine, ‘though you’ll probably have to anyway.’ Then, he swatted Eight away, telling the other to fetch the tonics.

  The bulky man rolled his eyes and left.

  Watching him go, Nine said to her, ‘Don’t let the wounds wet or “win” any new ones. Don’t stay out in the cold either and make sure you take your medicine on time.’

  ‘Of course.’

  ‘Alright, I’m done.’ He stood up and washed his hand in a water basin, rolling the bar of soap between his fingers as he spped the water. ‘By the way, the st Ripening was a fail. The prospective Sixes and Fours all ended up dead.’

  Three gasped. ‘The whole lot? That’s forty people —’

  ‘Yeah. Two of the five pairs of Sixes decided to Tie, and the other three died from their injuries. We had a winning Four, but he went insane and killed himself.’ Nine shook his head, menting, ‘The quality of the trainees this time really aren’t up to par.’

  Her fists clenched, scrunching up the bnkets. Xi Qian’e’s worried gaze burned into her face. She couldn’t help but say, ‘Weren’t they immature? After all, Six and Four were still expected to live a few more years…’

  ‘Death waits for no-one,’ Nine shrugged. The left sleeve fpped up like a bird’s wing. ‘Also, the head shadow wanted to call you in — it was your turn to supervise them this year, you know. Eight had to take your shift.’

  She fell silent, goosebumps rising on her flesh.

  ‘You ought to thank him ter.’ He ruffled her hair with a bony hand, a lopsided grin on his face. ‘He hates Ripening Ceremonies just as much as you.’

  ‘I will.’

  ‘Good.’ Then he opened the door, sliding out, vanishing into the dark of the corridor.

  Xi Qian’e sat by her side, combing back her hair. Those cool hands pressed against her skin, behind her ear, and the muscles in her back softened to let the pain ripple away.

  The princess didn’t ask.

  She smiled.

  The door opened. Eight came in, holding a bag and bowl in each hand. The bowl held dark brown liquid, one that reeked of bitterness and the menacing aura of Nine’s sadistic smile.

  ‘Eight,’ she said, ‘thank you.’

  He stilled, then smiled. ‘Did Nine tell you?’

  ‘He did.’ She scrutinised the lines of his face — to her relief, his eyes remained clear and weightless, free of dark. ‘Are you alright?’

  ‘I’m fine. After all, I got over your Ripening, nothing can shake me nowadays.’ He handed the bowl and pouch in his hands to Xi Qian’e. ‘In the bag are hard blocks of… something bck, I don’t know what they are, don’t ask me. Soak a block in a bowl of boiling water, mix until it has the consistency of porridge and have her drink it before breakfast. Take one a day — there’s enough for half a month. Her body will heal the rest after.’

  ‘…Why are you all so confident?’ The princess looked up at them, eyes fshing back and forth. ‘That Nine, you, and those physicians from the city. Why do all of you treat her injuries like nothing?’

  What sort of question was that?

  ‘…But they are nothing,’ Eight said. A hint of confusion settled over his face — a simir settled over her own. ‘After all, we’ve all gone through body refining.’

  ‘Body refining?!’ Xi Qian’e nearly leapt out her seat. Three couldn’t understand the expression on her face — what on earth was there to be surprised about? ‘Isn’t that — doesn’t it have high death rates? Why —’

  Eight shrugged, ‘Well, it works. And there’s more than enough shadow trainees, there’ll always be a survivor or too.’ He pointed to Three’s limp body, ‘She’s been refined to heal faster. Four was more agile and Six was stronger.’

  At Xi Qian’e’s horrified face, Three cracked a sheepish smile. ‘You don’t need to worry, Xi Yu. It’ll take more than a few stabs to kill me. Most shadow guards have essentially reached the limits of the human body —’

  ‘You’re telling me,’ the princess hissed, ‘that shadow guards have been impnting and ingesting poisons, herbs and minerals into their bodies? Those experiments were banned centuries ago —’

  ‘They’re not experiments,’ a voice called out, ‘But rather the fruits of medicine!’ Nine skidded back into the room, a grin on his stupid face. ‘The Shadow Hall has perfected the art of human refinement five imperial reigns ago. Nowadays, it’s mostly searching for those who’ll survive it.’

  ‘It’s a banned, prohibited practice! Emperors have executed others in the past —’

  He ughed, ‘Your Highness, don’t be so na?ve. It has always been the throne that funded the Shadow Hall, from the establishment of the empire until now. A decision well-made, too.’

  Pointing to Three with an almost crazed, obsessive grin, he said, ‘Just look at her! Three’s my favourite — she’s the best I’ve seen, heals from nearly everything. One’s also good, he broke our strength records twice during his refinement.’ His smile grew wider, ‘Your Highness, why don’t you refine your body too? Think of the possibilities — you could become more powerful, or flexible, or —’

  ‘Nine, enough!’ Eight grabbed the other man’s wrist, anger sparking on his face. ‘Don’t you dare entice others!’ He turned back to them and said, ‘We’re leaving. It was nice to meet you, Your Highness. Three, take care of yourself.’

  He marched out the door, dragging Nine as he went. The rosewood shut with a soft click.

  And just like that, they were gone, out of sight with a void left behind.

  ‘…I kept your things safe,’ Xi Qian’e said. The awkwardness of her voice echoed in the air. Then it became a little angry. ‘But you didn’t keep yourself safe, hmm?’

  So, Three’s skirt was safe.

  She smiled. ‘Thank you.’

  ‘I should be the one thanking you.’

  ‘It’s fine.’ She paused, then said, ‘Pass me the medicine, if you could.’

  ‘I doubt you can hold it. It’s hot.’

  ‘I can use my right arm.’ She cheerfully flexed her muscles, ‘I’ve got more strength here than in your whole body, Master.’

  ‘Suit yourself.’ Xi Qian’e pced the bowl into her palm. It was warm in her hands, the heat seeping through the earthen cy. Scowling, she lifted the rim to her lips — her face scrunched at the bitterness.

  Holding her breath, she downed the whole thing in one go and pced it on her p. ‘That tastes terrible,’ she groaned. ‘I can’t believe I’m going to be drinking that every day.’

  ‘Then don’t get hurt,’ Xi Qian’e snapped. The other’s breathing grew harsher, ‘Three, never again. I don’t care if you have the vitality of a cockroach — you can’t let yourself get hurt like this.’

  She turned to look at the other. ‘Even if you’re at risk? I can’t, Xi Yu.’

  Her right hand was seized by trembling fingers — through the bandages, in a burst of dampened eyes, Xi Qian’e whispered, ‘Because I’m your master, Three? Or is it because I kissed you?’

  She clenched that hand back, tighter. ‘Both.’

  But then a heavy disappointment smmed into those red eyes. It terrified her, sending fear down her spine, and in an almost desperate plea she asked, ‘Can’t it be both? You’re a princess, I’m a shadow guard, isn’t that okay?’

  ‘…Three,’ Xi Qian’e whispered, ‘am I forcing you? Am I —’

  ‘You’re not.’ In a gritted bid to change the subject, she said, ‘Anyway, st night, the assassins were sent by the empress and First Prince.’ Bitterness, thrashing and violent, boiled up her throat. ‘The empress loves his son, doesn’t he? If I see the Fifth Prince, can I kill him? In pin sight?’

  She had nearly lost her Xi Yu because of him. She had nearly died because of him.

  That man —

  She wanted him to know suffering, didn’t she?

  And she could maybe help Xi Yu take that throne.

  Those fingers pulled out of hers. ‘You’re injured, Three.’

  ‘I won’t be in a few days. Even if I am, I can still kill him. The only reason I couldn’t before was because of the emperor. I want to do this, Xi Yu.’

  ‘You want to kill him, you want to serve the throne, you want to protect me, you want to like me.’ Xi Qian’e’s voice turned cold, almost bitter, worse than the medicine she’d just drank. ‘Three, would you still want those things if you weren’t Three? A shadow guard? Just someone else, with a different identity —’

  ‘Impossible,’ she said. ‘I’m a shadow guard. If I’m not a shadow guard, then I’m not me. There’s no other way.’

  ‘What are you talking about?’ Xi Qian’e stood up, her stool scraping against the wooden floor. It toppled to the ground with a crash. ‘How can there be no way? Once I become emperor, I could legitimise your status. You could become a noblewoman, or an official, and live a good life with me —’

  She roared, ‘It can’t happen!’ Panic, rising like a tidal wave, poured out of her. ‘Listen, Xi Yu. I’m a shadow guard. No other life is a possibility. I know exactly how my life has gone, and will go — I was born, became a trainee, and Ripened. I’ll serve the throne, die, and in my next life I’ll do exactly that! I must’ve lived every past life doing so and I will for every single one in the future!’

  ‘Three —’

  Heaving, she screeched, ‘This is my reason for living, the reason for my existence! It’s going to make me happy, give me a fulfilling life, with every day filled with joy —’

  ‘Three.’ The princess’s eyes bored into hers. ‘Do you think you’re happy?’

  She fell silent. Bck swam in front of her eyes, fshing with a woman’s white coat and a cold, impassive face. Darkness, a suffocating, heart-choking and terrible, horrible strangling in her chest, the Head Shadow’s face full of disappointment —

  ‘I will be,’ she said. ‘I will make sure of it.’

  ‘Fine then,’ said the other. ‘Kill whomever you like.’