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Anthony kept the empress’ cryptic eyes in his sight as the elevator sank into what appeared to be an endless abyss; he couldn’t tell the depth using Jaenona and his connection since she was always a hand’s reach away.

“How deep does this go; are we heading into the core of the Earth?”

“Hmm.  How would you like to hear a story?”  she asked, arms held under her bust and returning his stare without a hint of fear, yet through his unnatural senses, he could tell something was bothering her.

He nudged his head to the side, pulling his long, flaming bangs to the side.  “Sure.  Just tell me when I can call Maria.”

“Maria?”  The corner of Wu’s mouth lifted.  “I assume Rachel is sleeping, but would it not be wiser to leave a personal text for her to call?  I cannot see a girl receiving such news from another woman going well, and I suspect you know this well, which leads me to believe…”  she trailed off with an expectant look, letting Anthony fill in the blank and making him force a chuckle.

“Eh-heh.  Yes, a bit of a mind game; it will make her call faster than a simple text, which she might ignore if I explain everything.”

The empress shook her head and giggled.  “Oh, the games of the young.  Hmm.  As to my promise of a story, it starts as many other tales… once upon a time.”

She shifted her weight to bring his attention to the mirror inside their descending cage.  “There was an event that changed China’s landscape…”

“The Oscillation?”

“Hmm-hmm.”  Her twinkling caramel eyes creased.  “A… shifting of powers, I suppose you could say, and there was a young slave girl that watched the men that passed her around in this new order, and she learned.

“A few… unfortunate events occurred around this girl in this cultural revolution, which propelled her into places of great authority, and she cultivated every advantage until a great… readjustment phase provided a means to utilize everything she’d learned, puppeteering events behind closed doors to grant her everything denied her… and those like her.”

Anthony could see a web spreading out from this story, drawing his mind in different directions.  “It’d be too obvious to be you, which makes me believe this girl was who gave you a path to become what you are.”

Wu’s gaze drifted to look at herself in the mirror.  “Certainly a reasonable deduction…  Why don’t we fast forward?  There was a certain woman who found her world burning around her, and the scales of power had shifted—she needed strength typically not granted to the flowers of this world—and so, she sought out a person that could give her what she desired.”

Lifting a hand to stare at her knuckles, the empress’ focus lifted to her perfect fingernails, not clipped for fighting, yet Anthony figured it was one of many traps and deceptions she presented to those she faced.

Her comments thus far and Jaenona’s warning told him that this woman used extravagant dresses and feminine appeal like every other deadly tool in her arsenal; in a way, he could see her as a more mature version of Rachel, using absolutely everything she had to achieve her goals.  The woman was an apex predator.

Anthony decided to test the waters now that they were alone.  “Twilight?”

“Ho-ho.  Diving into the deep end, are we?”  the woman mused, vision flicking to him.  “No, Twilight only appears to those that have already passed through the fires.  What would you say if I wasn’t the empress over all of China, and I conquered this very place we are in five days ago?”

“I’d be impressed,” Anthony admitted, mouth tightening as he connected everything that he’d heard.  “The Great Firewall of China is no joke, and I assume you have total control over it to make the rest of the world believe you are the sole ruler.  Ack…”

Wu giggled and twirled her finger in a playful manner.  “So, the U.S. hasn’t caught on yet?  Thank you for the information.  Dropping a grain of rice that you already suspect to gain more concrete data is critical in maneuvering this landscape.”

He sighed, running his fingers through his hair before scratching his scalp.  “You distracted me by telling me you, at the very least, know of Twilight, and that led me to tell you that everyone I’m in contact with thinks China is stable.  Yet…”

“I’m trusting you with that little detail,” Wu winked.  “Through our interactions, I’ve concluded Rachel is too paranoid to let that reach the wrong ears, and it also gives her a tiny bit of leverage when we eventually speak, which draws her in sooner than later.”

Anthony shook his head as the elevator began to slow.  “How far have you planned things out?”

“Hmm.”  Wu’s smile fell.  “Not far enough, and that is why I have discarded my entire schedule for the week to trap you within these walls.”

“Which is…”

The doors opened to paradise—golden skies, a walkway of jade, and a well-trimmed garden—and he whispered a word he’d learned when studying other styles of martial arts, “A grotto-heaven?”

“Very good,” Wu commended, motioning for him to continue onto the path as her train of cloth shimmered into place around her hips, and she held her hands behind her back.  “This is the lesser grotto-heaven of the Forbidden City…  I took everything south of the Great Wall from Qin Shi Huang five days ago… which came at a significant cost, but if I was to maintain my grip over China, I had to take Beijing.”

A mournful look crossed her face as she glanced around the magical, hidden city underneath the mythical historical site.  “I lost a few very important people I’ve come to respect in this raid…  Hou Yi, who saved my life twice since The Oscillation, and Yang Guifei, who lost her life at the hands of the Myth of Xiangliu.

“Her absence leaves the Shanghai Municipality with a power vacuum, which Lin Siniang is attempting to fill; those warriors that followed Liu are still grieving the loss of their comrade and commander, yet order must be maintained.”

Anthony’s mood fell as the empress shared something personal; naturally, she didn’t hold China herself, and there were likely armies that had gathered behind her.  “Will China be alright if you disappear for a week?”

Wu’s amused laugh caught his focus, yet it didn’t touch her eyes.  “While I lead China, it is far from defenseless.  Shangguan Wan’er is handling things in my stead, and I have personally battled every general that oversees the ten provinces under my rule.  I am in control of Central and East China, and there is a reason I am in Beijing.”

The woman’s vision softened as they came to a large red gate that showed signs of damage, yet seemed to be repairing itself from the shimmering light filling in the deep cuts in the wood, and she slid her fingers over a glowing arrow, still stuck in the barrier.

“Besides, the Azure and Yellow Dragon Sects have pledged themselves to my China, and they are maintaining the borders.  Right now, nothing is more important than Ai; she blames herself for Yang Guifei and Hou Yi’s deaths, among many others she’d come to like, heh, even if she’d never talked to them…  Such a silly girl.”

Anthony nodded solemnly, taking her statement to mean the soul item had been watching everything Wu did throughout the weeks and those she’d interacted with.  On the other hand, he knew it was probably hard for the empress, as well, since they might have been alive if the pair had been able to synchronize.

Growing curious as to why China went by their Legends instead of their given name, and not wanting to dredge up bitter memories, he asked; he knew why the Paris Legends did it, but what was China’s reasoning?

Wu was quiet a moment, her focus still on the shaft of what Anthony assumed belonged to Hou Yi’s projectile.  “Why do we use our Legend’s names?  Hmm-hmm.  There are many reasons, one of which is to protect our relatives during this turbulent time and thereby guard our own hearts; there is also fear and notoriety that comes from utilizing a recognizable historical name.

“If one’s past is cryptic, then it sparks uncertainty in those that view you as an enemy, and I must take every precaution until my goal is secured, which means I am dead to my family so long as I am Empress Wu.  You can help me achieve my vision sooner,” she chimed, showing him a charming smile while turning to him.

“Umm.  To be honest, Empress, I don’t know how much help we can really be; I did study several breathing techniques under a Taoist master,” he admitted, thinking back to his time with Rachel’s grandfather.  “I highly doubt it would be helpful considering the grandmasters—probably immortals—that you’ve trained under.”

Wu giggled, and the gate swung inward from her gesture.  “We shall see.”

Silence took them as the woman guided him through the maze of paths through the inner palace walls.  He noticed far more damage inside, likely the realm prioritizing outer defenses rather than the inner sanctum; giant craters and entire buildings were left in rubble.

His focus darted to Jaenona and Ai as the girls came jogging out of a side entrance, dressed in some kind of Chinese cultural gowns; he smiled upon seeing the eldritch girl with a duck accessory on her belt, which was possibly Ai’s first gift to her new friend.

“Empress, uh, I felt you coming—ack…”

Jaenona reached out to grab Ai’s sleeve to help stabilize her, slowing their pace to a walk before saying, “Remember, Ai, are we not to be calm and dignified in sacred grounds?”

“Oh!  Yeah.  Yeah.  Thanks, Jae.  Ahem.  Slow…  Slow…”

Anthony chuckled at the nickname the girl had given his soul-bonded companion, and Wu beamed at the white-haired child; there was a small fear growing within him that the woman wanted to steal the eldritch girl.

“W-Where are we supposed to go, Empress?”  Ai hesitantly asked, trying not to rush too fast by matching Jaenona’s pace.  “Oh, Jae loved my room!  Uh, right, training; are we going to the rocky place?”  she swiftly interjected, stumbling with her words, possibly at Wu’s internal prompt.

“That would be wonderful.  Would you lead the way, Ai?”

“Mhm!  Umm, can Jaenona help me b-be useful, Empress; she’ll stay for t-the whole week?”

Wu reached out to pat the girl on the head and adjust a few of her hair accessories.  “Anthony has committed to it; however, you must be a big girl and realize she will leave.”

The chocolate-haired girl’s big, red eyes moved to him, practically shining like a puppy dog.  “She’ll be back, though, won’t she?  Jae’s my first friend.”

Anthony was looking for a way to let her down easily when Wu threw a curve ball, almost causing him to trip.

“Perhaps.”  The woman’s sly smirk shifted to him.  “If Rachel takes my offer to fill in as the Provincial Ruler of Shanghai in my army, she will be close enough to visit.  I fear no one else will be able to reign Lin Siniang’s little group in after the hole Yang Guifei left.”

She tilted her head as if to counter her earlier statement.  “Well… Qin Liangyu could whip those women into shape, but she’s made it clear she wishes to stay on my personal guard.”

Hope filled Ai’s eyes as she turned to Jaenona and him in their slow walk, straining Anthony’s expression.

“You’ll be here for the empress and me?  I have so many things I want to show you!”

Anthony shot a light glare in Wu’s direction, and the woman had the nerve to display an utterly innocent smile.  “You’re evil.”

“Ho-ho.  I don’t know what you are talking about.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful for Ai to have a trusted friend to support her in this war; she does need someone beside me, and Jaenona is absolutely divine…  Hehe.  I’d take her myself if it were possible, but I was told that was not an option.”

Twilight…  Anthony internally sighed; Wu had considered stealing Jaenona for herself, and, in a way, she was taking full advantage of this surprise visit to pull every string she could to draw them to her side.  She wasn’t a cobra; this woman was a dragon, willing to devour everything to achieve her goal of a unified China under her ideals.

Recalling the woman’s earlier statements, he cleared his throat, spotting stairs that would take them onto a path to a waterfall and river.  “Weren’t you told that we would be very busy in the next few weeks elsewhere?”

“Indeed, I was,” Wu giggled.  “Knowing someone is taking in what information you give is a divine feeling.  I expect you will have your hands full with a surprise visit of some powerful eldritch entity, and there are others that have been prepared to help you in that endeavor.  Unfortunately, my hands will be full here, and… I expect to lose this war, Anthony.”

Ai stiffened like a board.  “W-What?!  Empress, i-is it because—because of me?!”

Jaenona took one of the girl’s hands while guiding her down each large step.  “That is not her meaning, friend; I hear the song of you fighting five wars on various fronts, and the empress can only last for so long.”

Wu’s fingers tightened against each other at her back.  “Did I mention how terrifying you are, Jaenona?”

“Hehe.  Thank you, Empress!”

Anthony sucked on his bottom lip, processing everything Wu was trying to portray; it wasn’t just her life but hundreds of millions in the balance, and while the empress was seen as a tyrannical authoritarian, she also had her people’s best interest in mind.  She was a staunch believer in meritocracy—having ousted the previous regimes’ fat—ridding the nation of leeches.

He didn’t know a lot about Qin Shi Huang, but much of this would be decided by Rachel when he returned.  In a way, Wu was also putting herself on the chopping block to be judged by him; she made it clear she needed Rachel, and he was her key to getting his girlfriend on her team.

Still, the part that confused him was why Wu needed them if she was already so powerful—strong enough to face Yseress; a ruler of the 3rd Circle—especially considering her global contacts.

Wu likely guided him to these training grounds to reveal that information—it was going to be a demonstration—and that was dangerous for a leader like her to reveal her hand.  This meeting was far more important to her than he’d first thought; he needed to take this seriously.

“What do you fear, Empress Wu?”  Anthony hesitantly asked as she held out a hand for Ai to take, looking worried; she took one last look at Jaenona before vanishing into speckles of light, merging with her true, cloth body.

Wu’s soft gaze settled on Jaenona as she went to his side.  “A necessary monster of my own creation…  I’m sure Rachel will be interested once we have a chance to speak one-on-one.  For now, why don’t we focus on what you’ve been paid to do?  Watch closely; I’ll only show you once.”

Anthony didn’t like the entertained gleam in the woman’s caramel irises as her train vanished and her heel touched the moving river; her feet didn’t sink into the water, her shoes leaving slight disruptions as she moved away from a flat rock in the deep, crystal clear canal.

Large fish swam within, unbothered by her passing, and her expression pacified while swaying in a dance that carried water out of the pool.  Anthony straightened, gaze following every action she made.

It had nothing to do with the liquid gathering around her into a Taoist symbol; she was simply releasing the colossal reserve of qi within her, expanding, only to be drawn back in to be shaped by her will.

He didn’t blink, yet she disappeared nonetheless, leaving a crying flare of light in her place as the water fell to the ground—now deep violet in color—and a quake ran through the earth and air, transferring to his frame with the sonic booms that followed.

Anthony spun into action, Jaenona’s shaft entering his hand as he split the giant, purple wave that threatened to carry him away, and he locked his jaw while forcing himself to see through space, discovering a fracture to reach into, plucking Ai out of the air to land on her butt.

The girl’s stunned face began to redden as she teared up, and Jaenona reverted from her spear form to hold the crying girl; Anthony was wholly focused on finding the empress in the maelstrom she’d created.

Anthony jogged forward, leaving Jaenona to comfort Ai.  Only a tiny stream remained in the river, fish blown down the river with the rest of its liquid, and, as the pelting water eased, the veil of shifting mist revealed the waterfall—or where it had been—yet, he couldn’t see the ridge with the haze.

He jumped into the emptied canal, still unable to fully view the foot of the fall due to the disturbed environment, yet as he neared, he caught sight of smooth skin; Empress Wu half-turned, right arm covering her bare breast, and she leveled a sad smile in his direction—Anthony’s gaze was on her shaking left fist, though—a crimson line flowed from gashes in her arm to the mud.

“As… you can see.  I have become too strong for my own good…  My body is falling apart due to the qi I have cultivated; I need Ai to…  Oh, what a bother…”

He shot forward to catch the woman as she fell to the riverbed, hearing the water return; luckily, the woman’s soaked, unbound brown locks were far longer than they first appeared, covering her bust, but Wu’s babbling soul item wasn’t too far behind him with Jaenona by her side.

“D-Don’t look!  I’m so sorry, Empress!  I’m sorry…”  she cried, diving at her empress to refashion herself around her mistress’ body.

Anthony forced a smile while lifting the woman up, and he noticed liquid falling from the diamonds infused into the crown that appeared on Wu’s head.  “No need to worry, Ai; we’re here for you.”

He was about to leave the riverbed before the waves reached them, but the white-haired girl beside him tugged on his shirt, pointing at where the waterfall had been.

“Okay…  Where did the hill go?  You’re kidding me.”

The ridge was nowhere to be seen, and from where he’d picked up Wu, there was an expanding crater over fifty meters deep; he couldn’t see where it ended due to the fog.  Cascading liquid could be heard in the distance, yet he wasn’t able to spot it past the debris still obscuring the sky above them.

Jaenona gave him a beaming nod.  “It will heal, Master.”

“That’s… not what I’m worried about.”

Breathing out a long stream of air, he carried the unconscious empress to her palace, and halfway back, Ai reformed her human body, seemingly having trouble after the backlash she’d received from her mistress’ strike.

“I’m supposed to protect her,” Ai sobbed, jogging beside Anthony as he set a hurried pace; the girl’s gaze was fixated on Wu’s arm.  “It’s… it’s just so much—I’m garbage!”

Anthony slowed a tad, reflecting on what he’d seen; he couldn’t even perceive the empress’ empowered movement, but he did identify the break in the pair’s union.

“Ai,” he whispered, drawing the sniffling denier’s attention.  “I think we can help you.”

The girl’s eyes swam.  “Y-You mean it?!  I… I won’t be thrown off whenever t-the empress needs me?”

Jaenona put a comforting hand on her back, causing Ai to latch onto her first friend.  “You are the clay, and she, the fire…  The empress must let you into her soul.”

“B-But…”

“Oh, Ai.”  Anthony’s focus darted to the vulnerable woman in his arms, and she leveled a playful smirk up at him.  “It’s as I feared; I am the issue.  I seem to be too closed-hearted and cannot allow you to fully know me…  I fear I will hurt you when I must trust you are stronger than I think.”

Ai swiftly shook her head, which was likely the first time she’d rejected her mistress’ words.  “No!  You’re perfect, Empress!  I’m the problem…”

“Hmm…  Such a stubborn child.”

Anthony cleared his throat, still walking toward the palace.  “I’m guessing you want me to set you down now?”

His back stiffened as she snuggled closer with a short giggle.  “Mmh.  I think this is a wonderful place to start letting warmth back into this cold heart…  Hehe.  I may need a little comforting myself.”

“Empress Wu…”  Anthony groaned, unsure if she was serious or not with the cryptic glow in her caramel eyes.

“Ho-ho.  It’s really unfair to tease a woman when she knows you’re taken by another.  Were you tempted?”  she asked, motioning for him to allow her to her feet.  “Mmgh…”

He bent down, allowing her to use him to stabilize herself as she almost fell, legs shaking a tad.  “I’m flattered, Empress, but…”

“Hmm-hmm.  No, I suppose one can never really trust someone like me, but I had hoped for at least a little temptation.”

Ai hovered nearby, totally oblivious to the context of the conversation.  “E-Empress!?  Will you be okay?”

“I’ll be fine, Ai.  Do you remember how I taught you to brew some tea?”

“Mhm!  Yeah, I can do that!”  she cried, running ahead of them to grab the items with Jaenona behind her.  “I’ll get the medical kit, too!”

Wu gave him a side-long look at him, likely teasing him by relying on his support more than was necessary.  “Good girl.  You look like a man that knows his way around bandages.  Hehe.  Will you tell Rachel you held a naked woman in her time of trouble, I wonder?”

“Heh-he-he…  This is going to be a long week.”

The woman giggled.  “I am so looking forward to our time together.  My, doesn’t it seem like you are drawn to women that could put a hole through you?”

“I don’t remember saying I was drawn to you,” Anthony returned.

“Haha.  Fair.  Hmm.  I wonder if that will be the same after spending some intimate time together.  Oh, this is going to be so much fun!”

Anthony tried not to put too much thought into it as her legs gave way, and she voluntarily transferred to his back, feeling her body press against him with each breath she took.

“I hope this isn’t too uncomfortable.”

“…Not at all.”

“Hehe.  Perhaps I should take a bath after such a workout… I may require some assistance in removing this sweat.  Hmm?”

Jaenona appeared from the crack in a wall.  “I would be honored to support you, Empress; I have been trained in such bathing methods by Alexa, Scarlet, and Maria.”

“Haaa.  You certainly are in sync for her to rescue you like this, but I wonder if you can view things through her?”  the woman mused, and Anthony was a bit amused when she fell asleep or faked it to remain on his back.

He could sense everything Jaenona did or saw, which was how he was able to perceive dimensional lines, yet Anthony could also limit that sight; at the same time, he considered the possibility that she was playing these games—having sent everyone away—to engage in this atypical training; she was making a concerted effort to lower her iron-clad walls.

Placing her in the bed Ai guided them to, he placed the waterproof holds the girl had brought, and when Wu awoke, she assured them that it wouldn’t be necessary, prompting him to help her to the hot spring.

She played with him further by telling him he could use her phone to call Maria if he waited nearby; Wu didn’t say he had to watch her, and he guessed it was yet another test—she had a hard time trusting it seemed and wanted to test his character—of course, maybe there was the door opened to take things further.  It was hard to tell when it came to the dragon.

He remained steadfast, back against one of the support pillars in the hot spring as the empress bathed in the rejuvenating pool with the children attending to her.  Wu explained what Charlemagne was doing upstairs, having already projected how it would go before leaving.

The Colnarians—the aliens that created the A.I. which tried to destroy him—were a race facing their own extinction, but not by typical standards; they had reached a mental block in their ability to achieve goals and a vision.  Only a few of their race remained capable of such concepts, and they were looking to humanity for inspiration.

Unfortunately, their first encounter was during the 1980s, and a staunch anti-religious group injected their ideology into the confused, peaceful race.  Those individuals would go on to form the Cult of Reason after The Oscillation—leave it to humanity to take advantage of their first contact with an alien race—a peaceful race—and turn them into their ideological tools.

France would build rapport with Lev and her companions; Wu had already obtained everything she wanted from them, which was how the empress had gained her information lock regarding the empire splits in her country.

With the Colnarians’ technology, she’d been able to fool the U.S. satellites and information grid, but instead of disrupting things, she’d shown constraint, keeping her influence and focus on China’s prosperity.

It was a powerful move; everyone feared approaching China due to the strong presence Wu presented to the world, allowing her to keep foreign agents at bay, and Zheng Yi Sao kept China’s seas totally secure.  The South Empire, led by Liu Bei, was giving the female pirate goddess some trouble, but Wu had maneuvered her forces in a way that caused a stalemate among her competitors.

West China was under the control of Emperor Cao Cao, and was possibly her most formidable enemy, yet he was waiting for North and South China to weaken her.  Northeast China and its four provinces were under the regime of three warlords; it was a lawless, highly contested zone for its fertile lands, and a powerful Crystal Break had caused a lot of trouble in the area.

Anthony soaked in the information as Wu did the healing waters, adding playful comments here and there in an attempt to force him to peek; he resisted her taunts, including the desire to go through the woman’s phone.

His call to Maria was short, and when Rachel’s number came up on Wu’s device sooner than he expected—he’d entered her contact information on the empress’ request—the woman let him go with a short giggle.

“I wonder if she knows how dedicated of a man you are, Anthony; I am not impressed often, yet you have earned my respect.  You’ve made a woman question her appeal.  Hmm-hmm.”

“Eh-heh.  You are quite enchanting and engaging, Empress,” Anthony smoothly returned, stepping toward the doorway to answer his girlfriend’s call.  “If I weren’t already entangled with Rachel, I’d be a fool not to take your advances.”

“A wise answer,” she sighed.  “Such a shame, and I suppose I should be more considerate of your position.  Still, heh, there may be times I can’t help myself!  You’re so stalwart and reliable that it makes my heart quicken.  Have fun with your lunar snack!  Oh, perhaps a little facetime for a little more… intimate visit?  Hehehe.”

Hurrying down the hall so Wu wouldn’t try to sabotage things, he quickly realized, with Rachel’s hearing, it didn’t matter, and the devious dragon knew it.  She truly was a formidable opponent, and this was her being friendly.

He cleared his throat and took a deep breath.  “Hey, Babe!”

 

* * *

 

Rachel sat on one of the sofas in Cahira’s mansion, playing with her phone as she dissected the message and news Maria had passed on to her; the fact he’d given the amused unicorn the information told her it was more urgent than he wanted to let on.

The Empress of China had presented them with the answers far too generously, and since she already had an alien under her thumb, it made Rachel think the entire thing could be a setup.  Twilight would surely know about Anthony’s eldritch side, and Wu appeared crafty enough to puzzle it out upon meeting her boyfriend.

She was playing an entirely different game than everyone else on the planet, and the only other person she could get great answers from would likely be Solomon; Rachel wondered if even this was a part of the mysterious man’s plan.  There were puppeteers pulling strings in the shadows toward their own ends, and she wasn’t sure if Anthony could be manipulated by Twilight now that he was across the globe.

More than anything, her tail and ears were agitated by Anthony actually agreeing to stay an entire week with this woman’s claws sinking into his flesh.  She’d pointed them in a direction that Rachel couldn’t ignore, though, and she saw the reasoning he’d made the deal—it didn’t mean she had to like it.

Gut tightening as she glared at her phone, Empress Wu’s contact info on the screen, Rachel wanted to drop everything and race off to China to wring the sly woman’s throat.  She wanted her boyfriend, his eldritch weapon, and her at the same time; Wu was far too greedy for her own good.

“Your leg is shaking again, Mistress,” Yseress giggled.  “Are you that intimidated by this woman; no trust in your boyfriend?”

“C’mon, Big Sis.  She’s a snake; she’s trying to steal Jaenona from us!  No!  We need to go over there and show her who’s boss, Rach!  We can’t lose anyone else like Mom!”

Haaa.  I know, Nia, Rachel hissed, scratching her left ear.  We’re big girls, though, and Anthony isn’t so weak.  A week, though?

She bit her lower lip, sucking on it for a moment; honestly, Rachel really wanted a kiss when she got up, and Wu shattered that dream with the possibility of teasing her boyfriend for an entire week.

Dang it!  She’s gotten under my skin, Rachel growled, dialing the number; it rang far too long before Anthony answered, pulling her mind in unsavory directions.

“Hey, Babe!”

Rachel’s tail stood on end as Wu’s giggles sounded in the distance.

“I appreciate you lending me your boyfriend, Rachel; I’ll be sure to give him all of my attention.”

Gah.  She’s really trying to piss me off.

“Hey…”  she responded, unable to settle with anything but a dull tone, making Nia wince.

“Eesh…  Stay strong, Anthony!”

“Are you sure you should be cheering for him, Nia?”  Yseress snickered.  “I give him two days before he breaks.”

Trying to ignore the nephilim, Rachel said, “Give me the cliff notes.”

She coldly listened, using Emotional Detachment to separate herself from the desire to confront the entertained women in the background, making occasional notes about their experience, including him catching her in his arms when naked; she had to get the details from her weary boyfriend when that was revealed.

Wu was devious in her comments, and Rachel saw a pattern emerging; every action was meant to make Rachel fixate on the Chinese woman.  None of it was ‘death worthy,’ yet aggravating enough to make her legs thump to run to Anthony’s side; she’d stolen her boyfriend for a week, and she wanted to make that fact very clear.

When Anthony finished his report, Rachel sat back, puffing out a long breath and letting her tone tell him she wasn’t happy with Wu derailing them; she’d wound them up and put them on course for a fight with the Lioness of Britany, which she had to know had Jeanne d’Arc’s attention.

Wu was playing a powerful hand yet also exposing secrets Rachel had to take into consideration; the woman truly was worth meeting, and that only further proved to anger her.  At some point, she had to go to China, and Wu was setting things up for them to be on the same team.

“Alright…  Try not to get caught in too many of her webs,” Rachel growled, knowing it was impossible to escape them all.  “I’ll save Melissa’s sister and stop this war…  Stay safe.”

She hung up before he could respond for a reason she couldn’t explain, biting her lower lip again while leaning forward and pressing the phone against her forehead.  Her mind was twisted with thousands of possibilities that could spin out of control in China and force Anthony into an impossible position.

Nia’s soft voice filtered through the silence.  “I’m worried too, Rachel…  Will Anthony and Jaenona be okay?”

“Mmh-hmm-hmm.  Are you two serious?”  Yseress laughed.  “Anthony just prevented a world-shaping event; if anything, China should be worried about him.”

A small smile lifted the corners of Rachel’s mouth as she got to her feet.  Thanks, Yseress.  Are you ready for a little Crystal genocide?

“Oh!”  A flurry of flaming black feathers revealed the devil-eyed nephilim.  “Where do I sign up?”

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