TheImperialPalacewasquiet.Highinthesky,thesuncastlongshadowsacrossthethroneroom.Sittingonhisthrone,theEmperorwassilent,lostinthought.HehadheardmoredisturbingreportsofB??riKhanandhisShadowWarriorswreakinghavocallalongtheSilkRoad.Itwasonlyamatteroftimebeforepanicandfearspreadthroughthekingdom.Andwithpanicandfearcameinstabilityanddanger.Thiscouldnothappen.Heneededtoprotecthispeopleandkeephiskingdomsafe.

Hearingthethroneroomdoorsopening,theEmperorlookedup.Hischancellorwascomingtowardhim,urgencyinhissteps.Whenhereachedthethrone,hebowedlow.Then,straightening,hespoke.“YourMajesty,”hebegan.“Awordinprivate?”

TheEmperornodded,tryingtokeephisfaceneutralastheotherofficialsandattendantsintheroommovedaway.HehadknowntheChancellorforalongtime.Forhimtolookthisworried,somethingmustbetrulywrong.

Unfortunately,hewasright.“ScoutshaveinformedmethatB??riKhanhasinfiltratedthecity,”theChancellorsaid,hisvoiceurgent.“HeassemblesattheNewPalacewithasmallgroupofhighlyskilledassassins.”

TheEmperorbowedhisheadinthoughtforamoment,hismindracingatthenews.B??riKhanwasboldtogoaftertheNewPalace.Thebuilding,aptlynamed,wasnewandnotyetfinished.Builtinhonorofhisfather,itwasimportanttotheEmperor.Itwasalsolessguarded,whichmadeitaneasiertarget.IfB??riKhanweretotakeit,itwouldalsomakeforagoodstatementofhisstrength.

WhentheEmperorlookedup,thekindexpressionhenormallyworewasgone.Initsplacewastheexpressionofafierce—anddeadly—warrior.“Preparemyguards,”hesaid.“Weridetothesiteimmediately.”

“YourMajesty,”theChancellorprotested.“Itisfartoodangerous.”

“Yourloyaltyandconcernformysafetyaregreatlyvalued,”theEmperorsaid.Butitwasclearhehadnointentionoflisteningtohisadvisor’sprotest.Motioningtothegeneralsandotherofficialswhohadmovedintotheshadowstostepforward,hepreparedtogivethemorders.

ButtheChancellorinterruptedhimbeforehecouldstart.“IfImaybesobold,YourImperialHighness??.??.??.”hebegan,earninghimasternlookfromtheEmperor.Butdespitethelook,theleadernoddedforhimtogoon.“PutmeinchargeofyourImperialArmy.AtleastallowmetohavethemfollowyouandsurroundtheNewPalace.”TheEmperorwassilentasheweighedtheChancellor’swords.Takingthesilenceasanopportunity,theChancellorpressedon.“Pleaseconsideryourcitizens.Yoursafetymustbeensured.”

ThewordsstrucktheEmperor.Whileitwasnotwhathewouldchoose,theChancellorwasright.HewastheEmperor.Throwinghimselfrightintotheenemy’swaitingarmswithoutbackupwasafoolishmaneuverthatcouldleavetheEmpirewithoutaruler.No,theChancellorwasright.

Turning,hegavehisorders.“IamplacingmychancellorinchargeoftheImperialGuard.Hiscommandismycommand.”Asthegeneralsandofficersbowedinassent,theEmperorwenton,hisvoiceloud.“Thisbrutewhoattacksourtraderoutes!Thismurdererwhothreatensourwayoflife!IwillkillthisB??riKhanasIkilledhisownfather.Withmyownhands.”

Withoutanotherword,theEmperorstrodeoutofthethroneroom.Behindhim,theChancellorwatched.Forseveralminutes,hestoodthere,hiseyesnarrowedandhishandsclaspedinfrontofhimasallaroundtheroom,officialsandgeneralsflutteredabout.Afterafewmoments,hemovedtooneofthewindows.AflickerofapprovalflashedinhiseyeswhenhesawtheEmperorridingawayfromthepalace,flankedbyhisguard.

Turning,theChancellorlookedatoneoftheseniorofficers.“AssembleallImperialGuardsmenimmediatelyinthissquare.Thatincludeseveryguardoneverytowerandeverygate.”

Theannouncementwasmetwithshockedmurmurs.“Butwhowillprotectthecity?”theofficerasked.

“YouquestionthejudgmentofHisMajestytheEmperor?”theChancellorsnapped,hiswordsharsh.

Immediately,theseniorofficershookhishead.“Ofcoursenot,Chancellor,”hesaid,backpedaling.“Iwillseetoitimmediately.”

Whenatlastthethroneroomwasempty,theChancellorwalkedtowardthethrone.Ashedid,heliftedhisarmandpulledapinfromthebackofhisneck.Astheman’sbodyslumpedtothefloor,unconscious,ahundredsmallbirdsroseinhisplace.IthadbeenXianniangthewholetime.Thebirdsroseupandshottowardtheopendoor.Soaringintothesky,theyflewinatightformation,shiftingandtwistingsotheyformedalong,denseshape.

Theywereasignal.

AnddownintheNewPalaceconstructionsite,B??riKhansawit.Asmilespreadacrosshisface.Xiannianghaddoneit.ShehadconvincedtheEmperortoleavehispalaceopenandunguardedandracerightintohistrap.Themanwasafool.Andnowhewouldpay.SignalingtohisShadowWarriors,B??riKhanwatchedastheyslippedintothescaffoldingalongthewestwatchtoweranddisappeared.

MulanpulledBlackWindtoastopinfrontoftheImperialCitygates.TheyhadriddenhardfromtheMountainSteppeGarrison,andthehorsesandtheirridersweretired.Butspottingthegatesopenandunmanned,sheandtheotherImperialsoldiersinstantlywentonthealert.Mulan’sbodytensedandshefeltherskinprickle.Somethingwaswrong.SpurringBlackWindon,sheandherfellowsoldiersracedintothecity.

Citizensjumpedoutofthewayinfearandsurprise.Thesoldiersdidn’tslowuntiltheyreachedthemainsquareoftheImperialPalace.

Astheyenteredthesquare,MulanpulledbackonBlackWind’sreins.SheslowedthehorseandlookedoverhershoulderatCommanderTung.Hemethergaze,herworrymirroredinhiseyes.Thesquareshouldnothavebeenopen.Thegatesshouldn’thavebeenunprotected.WherewerethemenwhoweresupposedtobeguardingtheEmperorandthepalace?

Therewasthesoundofcreakingwood.Whippingherheadaround,Mulansawthegatestothesquareshutting.Amomentlater,thedoorsslammedclosed.Theyweretrapped!

“Ambush!”Mulanshoutedtotheothersoldiersasthenervoushorsesnickeredandshiftedontheirfeet.

Unsheathinghissword,CommanderTungyelledoutorderstothesoldiers,movingthemintoformation.Justashefinished,darkfiguresappearedonthebalconiesthatringedthesquare.Amomentlater,thefiguresshiftedandcameintofocus,revealingthemselvestobeB??riKhan’sShadowWarriors.Theyleaptfromthebalconies,landingonthegroundwithdancer-likegrace,theirswordsalreadyraisedforbattle.

ThecommanderturnedtoMulan.“ProtecttheEmperor!”heordered.

Mulandidn’thesitate.JumpingoffBlackWind’sback,sheracedacrossthesquare.Herarmswhippedherswordthroughtheairinpreciseandfluidmotionsasshefendedofftheattackers.Behindher,CommanderTungcalledfortheotherstokeepherpathclear.Instantly,Honghui,Cricket,Po,andtherestofthesoldiersranaheadtofendoffthewarriorsinMulan’sway.

Clearofherattackers,MulanenteredthepalaceinsearchoftheEmperor.Quickly,shemadeherwaytothethroneroom.Assheran,shesilentlythankedCommanderTungforhisleadershipandpreparation.Hehadspenttheirjourneytothecapitaldescribingthelayoutofthepalacetoherincasetheywereseparated.Sheturnedleftandrightandthenwentupaflightofstairs,reachingthedoorstothethroneroom.Pushingthemopen,shewalkedinside.Theoutsidenoisesofbattlefadedasthedoorsclosedbehindher.Spottingafigureonthethrone,shehurrieddownthelongroomandthenbowed.

“YourMajesty,”shesaid,herracingheartbeatslowingwhenshesawtheleadersafe.“IamHuaMulanfromtheFifthBattalion.I’vecometoprotectyou.”

“Impossible.”

Mulan’sheadliftedinsurprisewhensheheardthefamiliarfemalevoiceanswer.Lookingup,hereyesadjustingtothedarknessoftheroom,shesawthatitwasnottheEmperorsittingonthethrone.ItwasXianniang.Thewitchstaredbackather.Thenthewomanstoodupandspokeagain,hervoicelacedwithdisbelief.“Awomanleadingaman’sarmy.”

Mulan’seyesnarrowed.Thewitchcouldthinkwhatshewanted.ThetruthwasCommanderTung,Honghui,andalltheothersoldiershadacceptedher.Andtheywerecountingonhernow.“WhereistheEmperor?”shesaid,unsheathingherswordandadvancingtowardthethrone.

ButherstepsslowedasshecameclosertoXianniang.Painandgriefwereetchedonthewitch’sface,makinghersharpfeaturesoddlymorebeautiful.Shelookedvulnerable—andscared.Mulanfelttheurgetoaskherwhathadhappened.Butshedidn’tneedto.Sheknewwithoutwords.B??riKhan’svictorymightbeapproaching,butXianniangwasalone.Insomanyways.