Chapter 186: The first flame

Ru Yi woke before dawn, although she wasn’t entirely sure what had pulled her from sleep.

Qingyue was still sleeping beside her, one arm resting loosely over the blanket. While Yexue was curled on the other side with her hair scattered across the pillow.

A moment later, Qingyue’s eyes opened. "You’re awake."

Ru Yi gave her a faint reassuring smile. "So are you. Did you sleep well?"

Qingyue nodded as she rose from the bed and reached for her clothes, while Ru Yi watched her with an unfamiliar mixture of pride and sadness.

There was something almost regal about Qingyue even when she was tired, something that made it easy to understand why people had once been willing to follow her lead.

Soon, the three sisters were dressed and making their way outside. The courtyard was already filled with men. There were fewer than Ru Yi had expected, and many looked nothing like soldiers. Some were older men with weathered faces, while others were barely more than boys.

A few carried old swords or spears, but most of the weapons were mismatched, rusted or damaged from years of neglect.

Qingyue stopped in front of them.

Ru Yi watched her shoulders straighten.

"I know what you’re thinking," Qingyue said, catching their undivided attention.

The men exchanged glances.

"You’re wondering why you should follow someone who has nothing to offer you except a ruined fortress and a name that the capital wants erased."

The courtyard became silent.

Qingyue removed the sword from her waist. "But I didn’t come here to ask you to fight for my name, or to help me take back what belongs to me."

She picked up one of the wooden practice swords. "I came here because this place was once yours, and because someone took it from you."

Her eyes moved across the gathered men. "If you want to leave, you can leave. I won’t stop you. But if you stay, I won’t ask you to do anything I wouldn’t do myself."

One of the older men stepped forward. "And what exactly can you do, Princess?" His voice had a mocking tone to it.

Qingyue’s eyes sharpened. "You can always find out."

The strongest-looking man among them stepped forward. He was broad-shouldered and carried himself like someone who had once been a trained soldier. "How about I test the little princess myself?"

Lieyin immediately smiled. "This should be entertaining." She liked it whenever men underestimated them. They would always be in for a rude awakening.

The man attacked without warning.

Qingyue blocked his first strike, then another, but the force of his attack drove her backward. Ru Yi’s heart jumped when she saw Qingyue’s injured side tense.

For a moment, she thought Qingyue might’ve lied about her injury fully healing and was pushing herself too hard.

Then Qingyue changed her stance. She waited until the man’s weight shifted forward before sweeping his legs out from beneath him. He hit the ground.

The wooden sword landed beside his hand and the courtyard fell silent.

Qingyue extended her hand. "Again?"

The man stared at her before accepting her hand. A murmur passed through the gathered soldiers.

Ru Yi smiled.

There she was. The woman who had once been an exiled princess, now standing in the middle of a ruined fortress and earning back the loyalty of people who had every reason to doubt her.

Yexue stepped forward next. Lieyin followed.

Soon the courtyard filled with the sounds of wooden swords striking against one another. Ru Yi watched for a while before realizing there was something else that needed her attention.

Food.

She walked toward the storage room and found Officer Liang already counting the remaining supplies.

"How long will this last?"

He looked at her. "If everyone eats normally? Perhaps two weeks."

Ru Yi frowned. "That won’t be enough."

"No."

She looked around the room.

There were sacks of millet, dried vegetables, preserved meat and several jars of pickled food, but nowhere near enough to feed an army.

Ru Yi began sorting through everything. "How many resources do you think we can get from Yunhai?"

Officer Liang looked surprised. "You’re thinking about trade already?"

"It’s necessary. We have to find a means of survival longterm." Ru Yi picked up one of the sacks. "If we’re going to defend this place, we need food before we need anything else."

She began making a list.

By the time she finished, she realized she had somehow begun thinking like someone responsible for keeping an entire city alive. The realization frightened her a little. But it also gave her purpose.

She wasn’t just the woman who had caused their exile anymore. She could help them build something. If they would still let her.

Later that morning, Han Shuying approached Qingyue near the fortress walls. Ru Yi was close enough to hear them.

"There is something else you need to know," Han Shuying said.

Qingyue turned toward her. "You’ve been avoiding this conversation."

"I’ve been waiting for the right time," Han Shuying replied casually.

"And now?"

"Now you need to understand that reclaiming Ashen Fortress isn’t enough."

Qingyue’s expression became serious. "Are you going to tell me where the relic is or are you going to keep playing this game of yours?"

Han Shuying’s gaze shifted toward the mountains. "Believe it or not, but The Heavenly Sovereign Seal is real."

Ru Yi felt a chill run through her.

Qingyue’s fingers tightened around her sword. "How do I get it?"

"You don’t simply find it." Han Shuying lowered her voice. "There are three keys required to reach it."

"Where are they?"

"One lies in the Blood Lotus temple like I told you before, beyond the eastern mountains. Another is connected to someone within the imperial court."

"And the third?"

Han Shuying looked directly at Qingyue. "You already know the person who possesses it."

Qingyue frowned. "Who?"

"I’ll tell you when you’re ready to make a deal like I asked. You know I’m not one to give things so freely."

Before Qingyue could demand an answer, Han Shuying walked away.

Ru Yi watched her go, unease settling in her stomach. There was something about Han Shuying’s knowledge that frightened her. Something she couldn’t quite understand.

She barely had time to think about it before Kael approached.

"Ru Yi."

She turned, her forehead creasing when she saw the serious expression on her face.

"You have until tonight."

Ru Yi’s heart sank. "Kael..."

"I mean it."

"I know."

"If you don’t tell them yourself, I will."

Ru Yi looked toward the courtyard where Qingyue and the others were still training. "Please. I’ve still not worked up the courage to do it."

"You’ve had enough time." Kael’s voice softened slightly. "I know you’re afraid."

Ru Yi looked at him. "Yes."

"Good."

She frowned. "Good?"

"You don’t get to decide whether they forgive you. You only get to decide whether they hear the truth from you." Then he walked away.

Ru Yi stood there for a long moment. His words hurt because they were true.

Later that day, Yexue found Ru Yi sitting against one of the stone walls, staring at the list of supplies she had written.

"You look exhausted."

"I am."

Yexue sat beside her and handed her a cup of water. "You’re doing too much. You need to take it slow."

"We need every help we can get," Ru Yi replied with a sad smile.

"We need you alive too." Yexue leaned closer. "You’re part of this now."

Ru Yi looked at her. "What if I’m not as good as you think I am?"

Yexue frowned. "Where is that thought coming from?"

"Just answer me."

Yexue studied her for a moment, then she smiled. "I don’t love you because I think you’re perfect."

Ru Yi’s breath caught.

Yexue reached for her hand. "I love you because you’re you. Even when you’re stubborn, reckless and impossible." And even when you love my sisters more than you love me.

Ru Yi’s eyes burned.

Yexue squeezed her fingers. "So stop trying to become someone worthy of being loved."

Ru Yi looked down, afraid Yexue would see the tears gathering in her eyes.

"You already are."

Ru Yi leaned against her shoulder. For a few moments, she allowed herself to simply exist there.

Then a shout came from the outer wall and everyone turned towards the sound. A scout stumbled through the gate. His clothes were torn, blood staining one sleeve.

Qingyue immediately ran toward him. "What happened?"

The man struggled to breathe. "They’re coming." The scout looked at Qingyue. "Imperial soldiers. They’re matching towards the gates."

Qingyue’s expression hardened. "How many?"

The scout swallowed. "Hundreds of them."

Ru Yi’s blood ran cold. The words seemed to travel through the fortress like a winter wind.

Hundreds.

They barely had enough men to defend the inner walls, let alone fight an imperial army.

Qingyue looked toward the mountains. "How long?"

"Perhaps two days."

Han Shuying’s expression became grim. If the imperial army was matching towards Ashen Fortress then it meant Empress Lihua had an informant that wasn’t Han Shuying.

"If they’ve already found us, we have less time than that." Lieyin reached for her sword.

Ru Yi looked at the three sisters. She had spent the entire journey from the capital watching them rebuild something that had been stolen from them. And now she realized that she could not continue hiding behind them.

Ru Yi stepped forward and looked at all three sisters. Her heart was pounding so hard she could barely hear anything else. "There is something I need to tell the three of you."

Qingyue’s expression softened. "What is it?"’

Ru Yi swallowed hard, her fingers trembling. "There’s something you need to know about what happened in the palace."