Feather and Flame by Livia Blackburne

Author:Livia Blackburne [Blackburne, Livia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Disney Book Group
Published: 2021-11-09T00:00:00+00:00

True fear coursed through Mulan’s body—the realization that something was very, very wrong.

It was the minister who broke the silence first. “Your Majesty shouldn’t be wandering the grounds this time of night without a bodyguard.”

The shadows moved. More shapes resolved themselves out of the darkness—the hulking frame of the minister of justice, the quick-stepping minister of personnel. One after another, they came out, her entire cabinet save Shang.

“What are you doing here?” asked Mulan.

“We might ask the same question of you, Your Majesty,” said Minister Liu.

“I’m empress. Can I not go where I please?”

“You’re certainly allowed to go anywhere you like, but there are risks.” He looked so small, stooped there with the giant field behind him. So harmless.

“You’ve been having me followed,” said Mulan. Not just during the day, she realized, but even during those times she thought she’d been sneaking out alone.

“We’ve been keeping track of Your Majesty’s movements, for your protection.”

“Don’t lie, Minister.” It was a relief to finally speak plainly. “You’ve betrayed me, all of you.”

Minister Liu drew a sharp breath, as if he’d been asked to consider a distasteful recipe. “We prefer to think of it as loyalty to China. The country must have stable leadership from someone with experience in these matters. A strong ruler who can handle the challenges of leading such a great country.”

A ruler who is not a woman. “I was chosen by the emperor as his heir. You dishonor his memory.”

“The emperor was a wise man, but his judgment waned with old age.”

There were more movements now. More shapes stepped out, outlined in the bulky edges of armor.

Mulan took a step back, bending to retrieve her knife from her shin. Her heartbeat sped up in a way she only knew in the moments before a battle. “Regicide? Heaven will judge you.”

“We would never commit such a crime.” Minister Liu spoke as if explaining an obscure bit of history. “We simply suggest that Your Majesty take a brief trip to the countryside to rest. Ruling has been hard on your health, and some time away would do everyone much good.”

The soldiers formed a semicircle around her. Mulan unsheathed her knife. How hard had her ministers had to look in order to find soldiers willing to raise hands against her? One soldier moved in ahead of the others, and Mulan kicked out his knee. He went down with a grunt. When Mulan raised her head, she faced a wall of swords.

The minister’s voice carried over the blades. “We’ve ordered our soldiers not to kill you, but Heaven will forgive us if you trip and fall on one of their blades. I advise you to drop your knife.”

Mulan looked around. The moon was down. All around, she saw nothing but shadows. But did the palace ever truly sleep?

“Treason!” she yelled. “Treason against the empress!”

This time, the soldiers moved as one. The points of their swords formed a curved wall, just a hand’s width from her skin.

“I’d hope you wouldn’t think us so incompetent as to allow anyone within hearing distance,” said Minister Liu.

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