I slipped into the small courtyard lined with clusters of bamboo, a lone crabapple tree shedding its pale petals upon the stone table beneath. Several guards were clustered outside the entrance of a low building, more patrolling the grounds. They exchanged curious whispers, wondering at the chaos, yet remained at their posts.

A lantern within the room threw the silhouette of a man across the window. Liwei. My heart leapt at the sight of him. I studied the courtyard, counting twelve guards on duty. I would have to move swiftly, mercilessly, to dispatch them before they had a chance to cry out. A risk even then, as I quelled the remorse that rose in me. As I gathered my magic, a hand clamped down over mine. A stranger’s. I grabbed her wrist to throw her off, but she twisted out of reach, catching my arm from the other side.

“Wait,” she whispered urgently. “It’s the change of shift; more guards are coming.” As she spoke, another dozen soldiers entered the courtyard.

I shook off her grip and faced her. Arched brows, a delicate mouth, a slight flush to her skin. She looked like she had stepped out from one of those scroll paintings depicting the classic ideals of beauty. Something about her face seemed familiar, though I could not place her. A sword was strapped to her back and her dark garments blended into the night. As her head darted up, she raised a finger to her lips in warning. Her movements were deft, with a fighter’s grace, which meant she must be trained. Yet she was no Celestial soldier, as eager as I was to avoid detection.

“Are you one of the empress’s guards?” I asked carefully.

The woman’s nose wrinkled. “The Celestial Empress would rather see me dead.”

Something we shared. I warmed to her, though my suspicions were still roused. “Why are you here?”

She glanced at the silhouette by the window. “To get him out. Isn’t that why you’re here?”

I nodded. “How do you know him?”

“He’s an old friend.”

At the affection in her tone, my tension eased, though curiosity pricked me. I wanted to trust her, yet some alliances were a fragile bond, snapping beneath the slightest weight.

Her gaze fell on my sword. “Now that we’ve decided not to kill each other, shall we work together?”

There was an arrogance to her manner like she had been born to privilege. “I have not decided anything,” I said carefully.

She shrugged, folding her arms across her chest. “Very well. You may dispatch all the guards on your own.”

I glared at her. “Can you handle your weapon?”

“As well as you,” she returned.

“A battle, even a quick one, will draw attention. Someone might call for aid.”

“If you hold them steady, I can handle the rest,” she said confidently.

“Will you kill them all?” A slight tremor in my voice.