The Last Dahlia

041

Shoya found Yuehwa standing beside Wan Jue's sarcophagus, staring down at the likeness of the former queen that had been carefully carved into the white stone. Her fingers lay resting on the inscription that described Hwang Nanzhe's love for his wife, running back and forth along its grooves as if trying to commit each character to memory.

Within lies the one true love of he who was born in the darkness of day, to whom he promised an eternity of light.

I would promise you that too, Yuehwa. If only I could.

But there always seemed to be too many things standing between them. Kingdom, justice, family, all of it forming a gulf that continued to widen, putting them on paths that might never meet again, even as she stood before him now.

"There seems to be some improvement in Baixun's condition," he said, interrupting the silence of the crypt.

Yuehwa lifted her head, and his heart sank when he saw the initial flicker of surprise in her eyes give way to emptiness.

"The golden chrysanthemums are quite something," she murmured, turning her gaze towards the sea of gold that bathed the room in a warm light.

"They are. It would be worthwhile to do more research into their effects. Now that there are signs of Baixun's own consciousness trying to break through the surface, it's a matter of time before he wakes."

"I imagine there will be many people unhappy to see him rise from the dead."

"Shouldn't we be unhappy too? After all, he did try to attack our kingdoms, and I'm sure he will do it again once he is reunited with his men."

A wry smile appeared on Yuehwa's face. "I'll welcome the fight with open arms when that happens," she said. "Baixun is an honourable opponent. Ambitious, yes, but above board. If not for the fact that I'm bound to protect the sovereignty of Hwa for the sake of Yang-yang, perhaps I'd be happy to shove the responsibility over to him. Assuming he wasn't the mastermind behind my brother's death, and Yang-yang's poisoning."

"You think very highly of him," Shoya replied, looking away so that she would not see the shadow of jealousy tint his gaze. He knew how Baixun felt about Yuehwa, and there were times when he felt like the crown prince of Gi would be able to give her a better future than he could, yet when he was forced to make a choice, he had still chosen to hold on to her.

I was selfish, he thought, and because of that, I may have lost her forever.

Yuehwa walked down from the raised stone platform and towards the stairway leading out of the tomb. "So, are we ready to find out what secret is hidden inside the white tiger?" she asked.

Shoya followed her up the stairs, where the stone tiger stood guard over the tomb's entrance. The waltnut-sized rubies that the statue had for eyes sparkled dangerously in the dim lighting, as if warding against any potential thieves. His gaze slid down the tiger's back, until it located the small keyhole that Sheng Yun had spoken of, camouflaged against the white marble. He took out the chrysanthemum key from his right sleeve, slipping it into the hole.

"Let's hope this doesn't trigger any booby traps," Yuehwa quipped, referencing the narrow misses they had trying to get into the astrologers' vault the first time.

Shoya laughed mirthlessly. Facing a rolling stone wheel seemed like a preferable option to whatever they were about to dive into. Their lives back then were far better than what they were now.

He turned the key in the lock. There was a soft click and the circular segment of the marble popped out into his hand.

Yuehwa peered into the hole, then reached in for the bronze handle that was visible within. She gave it a pull, and a small metal cylinder the length of a lady's hairpin came sliding out. The body of the cylinder was clean and smooth, but there was a stylised image of an eagle imprinted into the wooden stopper.