Page 111 of Savage Throne
Nodding, he headed off, grabbed his cup, and returned to his chair. “At first, the fox resisted. It told itself that love was a weakness, a vulnerability. But the more it resisted, the stronger the love grew. The woman, in turn, loved the fox without fear. And in that love, something extraordinary happened.”
Song took a sip. “The fox became more powerful than it had ever been. Its tricks becamesharper, its treasuresgreater, its enemiesfewer. Not because it had gained new abilities, but because it finally had something worth protecting. Something that made every risk worth taking.”
I stared at him, waiting for the rest of the story, but Song just went back to sipping his tea. “So. . .what happened to the fox and the woman?”
He shrugged. “That depends on who tells the story. Some say the woman died, and the fox went mad with grief. Others say the fox gave up its spirit to live as a man by her side. And then there are those who believe the fox simply. . .disappeared, taking her with him to a magical place where neither could be harmed.”
I frowned. “And you’re telling me this because?”
“Because you remind me of the woman, although you are much more beautiful than her,” he said simply, leaning back in his chair. “And Lei reminds me of the fox spirit.”
I gripped the teacup tighter. “You’re saying I’ve made Lei stronger?”
“More powerful thanheeven realizes. Love does that to people. It sharpens their focus. It gives them something to fight for that’s more than just survival or ambition. Lei would fight for his place in the East regardless, but you. . .” He gestured toward me with his cup. “You’ve made him fight for something greater.”
The heat of the teacup warmed my palms. “And what about Leo?”
“Your love with Lei has now made Leo weak.”
“How?”
Song’s jaw tightened, and his mask of calm slipped just enough for me to catch the flicker of something—contempt, maybe, or pity. “That. . .is not for me to explain.”
“Why not?”
“If you had been paying attention, you would have already known the answer, Mountain Mistress.”
“I’ve been paying attention, but Leo is all over the damn place and sometimes inside of my mind. So. . .please explain to me how Leo is weaker now?”
Song checked his watch. “Drink your tea, Monique. The feast awaits, and you’ll need your strength.”
I wanted to press him further, to dig deeper into what he wasn’t saying, but something in his eyes stopped me.
In fact. . .I felt like he wasn’t just telling a story.
He was warning me.
I lifted the cup to my lips, and the scent of jasmine filled my senses. The tea was smooth and warm, but it felt heavier somehow, like I was swallowing more than just liquid. I was swallowing the weight of the night to come.
The decisions.
The danger.
The battle.
And as much as I hated to admit it, Song was right.
I needed my strength.
“You still look worried, Mountain Mistress.”
“Because I have a brain.”
“You’ve given Lei something his father never could. Hope. A reason to fight that isn’t built on rage or revenge. Lei will win as long as you don’t end that hope.”
“I won’t.”
“Good.”
