Page 39 of A Forgery of Fate

“Call it what you will.” He poured himself more tea. “Your troubles outside this estate are not my concern. For me to be involved, it is more than fair that I should have a price.”

“You call an arranged marriage a price?”

“As I said, it’d be temporary.”

“Howtemporary?”

“That depends on how quickly you can deliver my painting,” said Elang, sipping calmly. “Once it is finished, there will be no need for further deception. You will be free to resume your lawless activities in peace.”

I glared. “What about my mother, my sisters?”

“Your family will not be joining,” he replied. “It is difficult enough to contrive a way for you to come.”

“I won’t leave them.”

“You will, if you wish them to live,” said Elang. “Ai’long’s protocols are strict, and my grandfather and I are not on cordial terms.” He reclined into his chair. “But do as you like—they are your family, not mine. I care not what happens to them, and I did promise you’d be my equal.”

Insufferable dragon.I downed my tea in one gulp and hated that it really was quite comforting. I almost forgotabout my swollen cheek and the pain in my jaw. “Where will they go, then? Madam Yargui will be looking for them.”

“While you are in Ai’long, your mother and sisters will reside here on my estate. You have my word that they will be protected and want for nothing.”

I noticed his pause. “But?”

“They will not be permitted to leave or receive visitors, for their own safety. Until you have kept your end of the bargain.” Elang preempted my objections by lifting a small wooden chest onto his desk. “Should you succeed, your family may have this as payment for their troubles.”

Inside the chest shone a mound of sparkling jewels. Rubies, emeralds, diamonds—some as large as chestnuts—an emperor’s bounty! Not to mention, they sat atop a generous bed of plump and lustrous pearls.

I hated that I was tempted. Just a handful of these jewels would be enough for Mama and my sisters to live comfortably for years. No more scrambling to find work, no more worrying about having enough coin to buy Nomi medicine in the winter. We could finally leave Gangsun and find out what happened to Baba.

“Say I come with you to Ai’long,” I began. “What would I need to do? What are the parameters of this…arrangement?”

“You would need to convince my grandfather that our marriage is genuine.”

“You mean, make him think we’re in love?” I had to restrain myself from cackling. “I’m not that good an actress.”

“Dragons measure love in many ways. Some fondness for me will suffice.” Elang inclined his head, an eyebrow ticking upward. “That is, unless you prefer to—”

“No!” I didn’t even want to hear what he had to say. Just imagining having to embrace this monster, tokisshim…I shook away the thought. “Fondness is fine.”

“Agreed.” He sipped again. “Now, once my grandfather is convinced, then we may progress to the next part of our deal.”

“The part where you need me to paint the future,” I remembered. “Let me guess, a cousin has been trying to take your throne, and you want me to reveal who. Or maybeyou—”

“Your imagination is most amusing,” Elang said, not sounding amused at all. “But spare yourself from guessing. You won’t have it right.”

Insufferable andarrogantdragon,I adjusted in my head. “What do you need me to paint?”

“If I tell you now, you will have to accept our deal.” His yellow eye glowed. “Or I will have to kill you.”

Normally I’d roll my eyes at such an ultimatum. The problem was, I believed him. “I can keep a secret.”

“Not this one.”

“You don’t trust me?”

He gave me a look that said,Obviously not.“I suggest that you be patient and take the evening to read over the contract with your family. We will revisit this discussion.”

“What you’re saying,” I concluded, “is that my mission will be dangerous.”

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