"So you do, but I think you are lying. It is so much bet- ter if she takes lover." Hsieh shook his head in disap- pointment, then gave Ruha a stern glance. "Perhaps you tell me what you are doing in Ginger Palace-and no lies.
Today, I grow impatient with lies."
When Ruha paused to consider how much she should say, the mandarin rose. "Please do not refuse." He glanced at two guards, who took Ruha by the arms and jerked her to her feet. "Truth potions are most damaging to mind, and you cannot escape."
"It was not my intention to try to escape-and let us both hope that does not become necessary." Ruha fixed an icy glare on Hsieh and remained silent. When he finally waved his guards off, she began, "Not long ago, a staff of some sentimental value was stolen from the Lady Yansel- dara…"
The witch told Hsieh of how someone was using the staff to steal Yanseldara's spirit, and ofVaerana's belief that Lady Feng was responsible, and of her own effort to recover the staff from the Ginger Palace, and, finally, of her subsequent discovery of the Third Virtuous Concu- bine's abduction. The mandarin listened patiently and closely. He did not interrupt, even when she told him of
Tang's involvement in the Cult of the Dragon and how the prince had attempted to conceal his mother's kidnap- ping.
When Ruha finished, the mandarin contemplated her account in silence for many moments, then raised his hand and held up three splayed fingers. "I have ques- tions. Where is Prince Tang now?"
"He seems to have decided that the only way to redeem himself is to personally rescue his mother." Ruha did not say in whose eyes the prince wished to redeem himself.
The less Hsieh knew about the prince's attraction to her, the better. "I believe he has taken a company of guards and gone to attempt that."
Hsieh winced, but nodded and folded down one of his fingers. "Second question. Theft of spirit takes no more than two or three days. Why has Lady Feng not fin- ished?"
"I am not certain. But I do know Prince Tang was awaiting the fresh ylang blossoms aboard the Ginger
Lady." When the mandarin furrowed his brow, Ruha has- tened to add, "The kidnapper believes he is in love with
Yanseldara. Perhaps they are for a love potion?"
Hsieh shook his head. "Then why does he steal spirit?
Only reason to use love potion on spirit is to bind it to another spirit, for long journey through Ten Courts of
Afterlife."
A feeling of nausea crept over Ruha. "The thief is…
he is not living. He is one of the undead."
An expression of pity passed over Hsieh's face, and he folded down his second finger. "Final question. Who is kidnapper?"
This was the question Ruha had been dreading. She had omitted any mention of Cypress's identity, fearing that the mandarin would decide it was safer for Lady
Feng to cooperate with the dragon than to help Vaerana save Yanseldara. Nevertheless, the witch had no choice except to hope she could persuade Hsieh to ally with her, for it was growing clearer all the time that she did not understand enough about Lady Feng's magic to save
Yanseldara.
"Who take Lady Feng?" Hsieh demanded.
Ruha swallowed, then said, "The same barbarian who
tried to assassinate you."
Hsieh frowned at her. "No one tries to kill me."
Ruha nodded. "On the Ginger Lady. The dragon."
"You are greatly mistaken." Hsieh's rebuke was both confident and gentle. "Dragon is after gold and jewels-"
"And you," Ruha replied. "His name is Cypress, and he is the leader of the Cult of the Dragon. He fears you have come to replace Tang and stop the palace's trade in poi- sons, and so he tried to kill you."
"That is most impossible." Hsieh shook his head stub- bornly. "I send messenger with word of my visit only one day before dragon attack. Because I travel with only light bodyguard, I instruct Prince and Princess to tell no one of my journey-unless they tell Lady Feng?"
Ruha shook her head. "I overheard them say Lady
Feng was abducted before your message arrived."
"Then dragon cannot know I am coming. Who tell
him?"
That was when Yu Po appeared at the door. "Esteemed
Minister, I beg permission to report."
Hsieh frowned and started to hold him off, but Ruha, who needed time to think, said, "Yu Po is not interrupt- ing. Let him speak."
Hsieh nodded to his adjutant, who quickly picked his way across the debris and bowed. "Princess Wei Dao is most comfortable in her apartment," Yu Po reported. "As
I was inspecting her chambers to be certain of her safety,
I find this."
The adjutant opened his hand, revealing the exotic
Calimshan gold that Tombor had put into Ruha's coffer to impress Wei Dao.
Hsieh studied the coin, then scowled at his adjutant.
"Wei Dao is Princess, Yu Po. Do you expect to find no gold in her chamber?"
"Not gold like this."
Yu Po pinched the edges of the coin with both hands and pulled. The coin came apart, revealing a tiny com- partment where a small paper message might be con- cealed.
Hsieh took the two halves from his adjutant. "Most ingenious. Do you find what is inside?"
"No," Yu Po admitted.
"But I know who sent it to her," Ruha said. "And if I
am correct, Esteemed Mandarin, I also know who told
Cypress you were aboard the Ginger Lady."
"Wei Dao?" Hsieh asked.
"That coin was given to me by someone who promised it would win the princess's hospitality," Ruha said. "It did."
"How come Yu Po finds it in her chamber?"
"I saw her sneak it from my gold coffer. The person who gave it to me said the princess had a fondness for foreign coins," Ruha explained. "Now I think it contained a message from a spy in Moonstorm House, warning Wei
Dao of my identity. The princess has been most insistent about wishing to kill me-regardless of Prince Tang's commands to the contrary."
Hsieh pushed the two halves of the coin together and folded it into his palm, then waved the witch toward the door. "It seems our mutual problem is solved, does it not,
Lady Ruha?"
Ruha did not move. "No. How could it be?"
"If dragon kidnaps Lady Feng, then kidnapper is no threat."
The witch was confused by the mandarin's misunder-
standing-until she recalled that Hsieh had seen her destroy Cypress on the Dragonmere. She had said noth- ing about the dragon taking another body, and Ruha cer- tainly saw no reason to broach the subject now.
"Do you not understand, Lady Ruha?" Hsieh asked.
"We have only to locate dragon's lair; then we find both
Lady Feng and Yanseldara's stolen staff."