whom were still shaking off the heaviness of sleep.
Suddenly she felt something different. She shot up again. Unfamiliar voices. From farther away, but not that far. She cast her spirit beyond the Gliding Dragon , felt the tug within her navel, something she hadn’t felt in a long while.
The fog hides us. They’ll never know what hit them. She heard the man speak, felt his anticipation and greed. Ai Ling shook Chen Yong’s shoulder. He was warm with sleep. “What is it?” he asked, his voice hoarse.
“Come on deck with me,” she said. “Something’s wrong.”
“In our sleep clothes?”
“There’s no time. Hurry!”
They tried to rise at the same time and tripped over each other. There was a tangle of limbs, before Chen Yong caught her by the waist, set her on her feet, and opened the door. Lantern light filtered in from the passageway. Ai Ling strapped her dagger to her side but didn’t bother to pull on her shoes as she followed Chen Yong.
Dense fog so thick she couldn’t see beyond arm’s length hung over the ship. The air was wet, cold. She shivered. The sun had not yet risen. She walked to thestarboard side, with Chen Yong beside her.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, peering into the white haze.
“It must be another ship. I heard someone not from our crew speak.” She gripped the railing. “Wait, I’ll learn more.” She looked at Chen Yong. His hair was not yet pulled back, and too worried to appear aloof, as he had these past two weeks, he rubbed his cheek with one hand. She cleared her mind and cast her spirit over the water, searching for the people she could not see but knew were there.
She found them, counted twenty-three men in all. Most were on deck. Eager, filled with the desire to plunder, they carried long wooden tubes and rocked on their heels, waiting for the captain’s orders. Their ship had moved closer to the Gliding Dragon , but the fog made them impossible to see.
Ai Ling pulled back, gasped when she returned to herself. “We have to find Peng. I think they’re pirates, and they’re going to attack soon.”
Chen Yong ran toward the bridge, and Ai Ling followed, barely able to see in the thick mist. They burst in without knocking. The captain was bent over a large table covered with maps. Yen stood beside him, as they studied one map together.
Peng’s head jerked up, and his dark brows lifted.
“A peaceful morning,” he said, straightening. “Did you run out of clean clothes to wear?”
She had forgotten about her sleep clothes and wrapped her arms around herself.
“Ai Ling believes a pirate ship will be attacking the Gliding Dragon soon,” Chen Yong said.
Peng’s gaze hardened, the amusement disappearing. “What makes you think this?”
“I can’t explain. You must believe me.”
“I can vouch for her words,” Chen Yong said.
“Where are they?” Peng asked.
“Beyond the starboard side and drawing nearer as we speak,” she replied.
“Yen, ready the crew. Prepare for attack.”
Yen bowed and retreated with quick steps.
“It’s a large ship,” she said. “I counted twenty-three men.”
“I knew there was something different about you. But this…” Peng seemed unable to find the right words.
Chen Yong grasped her shoulder, surprising her. She felt concern and a strong sense of protection before she closed herself to him.
“Go below deck, to your cabin,” Peng said. “You’ll be safer there.”
“No,” she replied. “I can help.”
He glanced at Chen Yong.
“She can,” he said. “And it’s no use trying to talk her out of anything.”
Ai Ling almost laughed.
Peng shrugged off the dark silver coat he wore. “Put this on at least. It’s cold.”
She reached for it, the material slippery in her hand. She pulled the coat on, still warm from his body. “Thank you.”
He gave a curt nod. “Let’s go.”
They emerged into the mist. It was as if they were floating in the air, though the ship still swayed with the waves,
Suddenly she felt something different. She shot up again. Unfamiliar voices. From farther away, but not that far. She cast her spirit beyond the Gliding Dragon , felt the tug within her navel, something she hadn’t felt in a long while.
The fog hides us. They’ll never know what hit them. She heard the man speak, felt his anticipation and greed. Ai Ling shook Chen Yong’s shoulder. He was warm with sleep. “What is it?” he asked, his voice hoarse.
“Come on deck with me,” she said. “Something’s wrong.”
“In our sleep clothes?”
“There’s no time. Hurry!”
They tried to rise at the same time and tripped over each other. There was a tangle of limbs, before Chen Yong caught her by the waist, set her on her feet, and opened the door. Lantern light filtered in from the passageway. Ai Ling strapped her dagger to her side but didn’t bother to pull on her shoes as she followed Chen Yong.
Dense fog so thick she couldn’t see beyond arm’s length hung over the ship. The air was wet, cold. She shivered. The sun had not yet risen. She walked to thestarboard side, with Chen Yong beside her.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, peering into the white haze.
“It must be another ship. I heard someone not from our crew speak.” She gripped the railing. “Wait, I’ll learn more.” She looked at Chen Yong. His hair was not yet pulled back, and too worried to appear aloof, as he had these past two weeks, he rubbed his cheek with one hand. She cleared her mind and cast her spirit over the water, searching for the people she could not see but knew were there.
She found them, counted twenty-three men in all. Most were on deck. Eager, filled with the desire to plunder, they carried long wooden tubes and rocked on their heels, waiting for the captain’s orders. Their ship had moved closer to the Gliding Dragon , but the fog made them impossible to see.
Ai Ling pulled back, gasped when she returned to herself. “We have to find Peng. I think they’re pirates, and they’re going to attack soon.”
Chen Yong ran toward the bridge, and Ai Ling followed, barely able to see in the thick mist. They burst in without knocking. The captain was bent over a large table covered with maps. Yen stood beside him, as they studied one map together.
Peng’s head jerked up, and his dark brows lifted.
“A peaceful morning,” he said, straightening. “Did you run out of clean clothes to wear?”
She had forgotten about her sleep clothes and wrapped her arms around herself.
“Ai Ling believes a pirate ship will be attacking the Gliding Dragon soon,” Chen Yong said.
Peng’s gaze hardened, the amusement disappearing. “What makes you think this?”
“I can’t explain. You must believe me.”
“I can vouch for her words,” Chen Yong said.
“Where are they?” Peng asked.
“Beyond the starboard side and drawing nearer as we speak,” she replied.
“Yen, ready the crew. Prepare for attack.”
Yen bowed and retreated with quick steps.
“It’s a large ship,” she said. “I counted twenty-three men.”
“I knew there was something different about you. But this…” Peng seemed unable to find the right words.
Chen Yong grasped her shoulder, surprising her. She felt concern and a strong sense of protection before she closed herself to him.
“Go below deck, to your cabin,” Peng said. “You’ll be safer there.”
“No,” she replied. “I can help.”
He glanced at Chen Yong.
“She can,” he said. “And it’s no use trying to talk her out of anything.”
Ai Ling almost laughed.
Peng shrugged off the dark silver coat he wore. “Put this on at least. It’s cold.”
She reached for it, the material slippery in her hand. She pulled the coat on, still warm from his body. “Thank you.”
He gave a curt nod. “Let’s go.”
They emerged into the mist. It was as if they were floating in the air, though the ship still swayed with the waves,
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