Page 45 of A Forgery of Fate

The scales along Elang’s ear raised like hackles, the only acknowledgment he made of my presence. He kept working. He was dressed in a swath of cloud-white silk, hardly appropriate gardening attire. Meanwhile, I wore the same ragged outfit as yesterday, swapping in a new tunic but only because the old one was stained with Gaari’s blood.

I tossed my hair behind my shoulders as I straightened. “I’ve made my decision.”

Finally I had Elang’s attention. He wiped his hands—hisclaws—of dirt. “I’m listening.”

His black mask was as jarring as ever. Paired with his cloud-white robes, he reminded me of Tamra, the god of death. Except for the clashing yellow and gray eyes, eternally at odds.

“A month,” I said, getting straight to the point. “I won’t be away from my family for longer.”

“I wouldn’t have asked for more,” intoned Elang, “for that is the time I require as well. By happenstance, the end of the month coincides with the Resonant Tide in Ai’long.”

“The Resonant Tide?”

“When the waters are darkest in my realm. It oft occurs when you humans are celebrating the end of a dragon year.”

It was currently the middle of the dragon year. I clasped my hands together, ignoring the sudden pressure in my fingertips. “Wait. It’ssix monthsuntil the new year.”

“Six months on land is equivalent to one month in Ai’long.” He leaned ever so slightly forward. “That is what you asked for, is it not?”

It was then that I remembered the stories, that time flowed differently in Ai’long than in the mortal realm. “You tricked me!”

“That is what you asked for, and it is what I granted. In any case, a month in the mortal realm would be mere days in Ai’long. You couldn’t possibly complete my task in time.”

He was already starting to grate on me. How would I endure a whole month with this monster?

Three chests of jewels, Tru,I reminded myself.Three chests of sparkling, chestnut-big jewels. My family will never have to worry about money again.

“Fine, but there’s one more thing,” I said. “I want to know what the painting is.”

At that, Elang’s lips parted against the edge of his mask, and he rose to his full height. “Walk with me.”

He didn’t stride ahead this time, deliberately keepinga pace that I could match. I followed him deeper into the garden, across the paved promenades and a grove of longan trees. The drooping clusters of brown berries were the only fruits I’d seen so far. Beyond, up a short ascent of stone steps, was a wooden pavilion. Its roofs were blue, like the pond andsky.

“What is this place?” I asked as we entered.

Rather than answer, Elang sat on one of the benches. The air inside the pavilion shone with crests of color, like the sides of a bubble, and a coat of silvery magic lined every beam and rafter. “Sit,” he said. “You wanted to know about the painting, did you not?”

“That depends. Are you still going to kill me if I change my mind?”

Elang’s yellow eye burned. “You won’t change your mind.”

“That’s presumptuous.”

“We’ll see.”

I ground my teeth. Now that I knew he was cursed, so much made sense. His hard-hearted arrogance toward everything and everyone around him. Even his mask.

I plopped myself down on the other end of Elang’s bench. “I think I know what you want me to paint for you.”

He lifted his chin expectantly.

“Your pearl,” I revealed. “Without it, you’re trapped between two worlds, never fully dragon nor human.” I bit down on my lip. “I know a little of what that’s like. But at least no one questions that I’m human.”

He still said nothing.

“The pearl is your heart,” I went on. “Getting it back is the only way you’ll become a full dragon and find your placein Ai’long. There could be nothing you want more than to find it.”

“So you heard about the curse,” said Elang flatly.

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