Chapter 108: The Other Woman

Pluck.

Chew.

Pluck.

Chew.

Li Hua sat on the cushioned window seat of her private chambers, methodically working her way through a bowl of frost-berries. Outside, the Bear King’s territory sprawled beneath her, rolling hills, dense forests, the distant glint of the river where she had first seen him.

Where was he?

Ten days. He hd been gone for ten days without a word. No explanation. No note. Nothing.

Pluck.

Chew.

The berries were good. Sweet. Slightly tart. Not as good as the ones from the Eastern peaks, but close enough.

Pluck.

The door slammed open.

Li Hua didn’t jump. She had learned long ago never to show surprise. Instead, she slowly lifted her gaze from her berries to the massive figure filling her doorway.

Tiě Xióng.

The Bear King looked like he had been dragged through a swamp and then through a war. His fur was matted. His clothes were torn. There were shadows under his eyes that hadn’t been there three days ago.

“Well, well,” Li Hua said sweetly. “Look who finally remembers he has a home.”

Tiě Xióng grunted.

“That’s it? Just a grunt? I’ve been sitting here for TEN DAYS, wondering if you’d been eaten by a hydra or sacrificed to a dragon or—”

“I’m fine.”

“You look FINE like a rock looks FINE. What happened to you?”

Nothing.

Tiě Xióng’s jaw tightened. He looked away.

Li Hua’s eyes narrowed.

Interesting.

She set down her berry bowl. Wiped her fingers on a silk cloth. Stood slowly, giving him time to see that she was paying attention now.

“Tiě Xióng.”

“I said I’m fine.”

“And I said you’re LYING.” She walked toward him, her footsteps silent on the stone floor. “Where did you go?”

“The lowlands.”

“The lowlands? Why would you—” She stopped. Her blood went cold. “Which part of the lowlands?”

“Thousand Fang territory.”

Oh.

Thousand Fang.

The cursed female’s village.

The woman who had stalked her mate for months. Who had sent gifts. Who had written letters. Who had followed them through the forest like a shadow, always watching, always wanting, always there.

Bai Yue.

Li Hua’s voice stayed sweet, but a sharp tone crept into its edges. “And why, exactly, would the great Bear King visit that particular territory?”

Tiě Xióng didn’t answer.

“Tiě Xióng.”

Still nothing.

“Did you see her?”

A pause. Then, barely a whisper: “Yes.”

Li Hua’s heart stopped.

Then started again, faster, hotter.

“You went to see BAI YUE.” She wasn’t asking anymore. “You went to see the woman who tried to steal you from me. The woman who abandoned her own cubs to chase you. The woman who—”

“She has changed.”

The words fell between them like stones.

Li Hua blinked. “What?”

“She’s different now. Not the same female.”

“You’re defending her.”

“I’m stating facts.”

“You’re DEFENDING her.” Li Hua’s voice rose, the sweet facade cracking. “Ten days you’re gone. Ten days I’m here, worrying, waiting, and you come back TELLING ME THE CURSED FEMALE HAS CHANGED?”

“She fought a hydra.”

“A WHAT?”

“With a stick. And won. She made friends with dragons. She—”

“DRAGONS?” Li Hua’s voice went shrill. “What do you mean, DRAGONS?”

The door burst open again.

A young bear messenger stumbled in, pale-faced and panting. “My lord! My lady! News from the scouts!”

“What?” Tiě Xióng growled.

“The cursed female—Bai Yue—she’s gone. To the Dragon Peaks. With her entire family. The First Generation dragons have taken them in.”

Silence.

Li Hua couldn’t believe her ears.

“The… Dragon Peaks,” she repeated slowly. “The FIRST GENERATION dragons. The oldest beings in existence. Have taken in…..BAI YUE.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“And her… family?”

“Her three husbands. Her cubs. Her newborn daughter.”

Li Hua turned to Tiě Xióng.

Her expression was perfectly calm. Perfectly sweet. Perfectly terrifying.

“You didn’t mention the baby.”

“You didn’t ask.”

“The BABY, Tiě Xióng. She has a BABY. With someone else. Multiple someone elses. And you went to see her anyway.”

“I went to—”

“I don’t care what you went to do.” Li Hua held up a hand. “I care about what you FELT when you saw her.”

Tiě Xióng said nothing.

Which was, unfortunately, an answer.

Li Hua walked to the window. Stared out at the hills. The river. The place where everything had started.

“I can’t believe you,” she said quietly. “She tried to steal you. We were the same, her and me. Two females fighting over one male.”

“She’s not the same.”

“No. Apparently she’s a dragon-riding hydra-fighting woman now.” Li Hua laughed, and it wasn’t a nice laugh. “While I’m still here. In this territory. Eating berries and waiting for you to come home.”

“I didn’t ask you to wait.”

“No. You never ask for anything. You just take.” She turned back to face him. “You took her attention. You took her obsession. And when she finally moved on, you couldn’t stand it.”

“That’s not—”

“She has DRAGONS, Tiě Xióng. She has a FAMILY. She has THREE HUSBANDS who would die for her. And you? You have ME. The consolation prize. The one who was always second choice.”

“You’re not second choice.”

“Then what am I?”

He didn’t answer.

Li Hua nodded slowly. “That’s what I thought.”

She walked past him toward the door.

“Where are you going?”

“To my chambers. To think.” She paused at the threshold. “The cursed female thinks she’s won. Thinks she’s moved on. Thinks she’s SAFE up there with her dragons and her cubs and her perfect little life.”

“Li Hua—”

“She tried to steal you from me. For months. YEARS. And now she gets to just…..be happy?” Li Hua’s smile was sweet as honey, sharp as a blade. “I don’t think so.”

“Leave her alone. She’s not worth your time.”

“Oh, I’m not going to DO anything.” Li Hua waved a dismissive hand. “Not yet. Let her have her dragon vacation. Let her play happy family. Let her think it’s all worked out.”

She stepped through the doorway, then paused, looking back over her shoulder.

“In ten days or more, they’ll have to come down. The Dragon Peaks can’t hold lowlanders forever. The council will force them back to the lowlands.” Her eyes glittered. “And when they do…..I’ll be waiting.”

Tiě Xióng moved toward her. “Li Hua, listen to me—”

“No, YOU listen.” Her voice dropped, soft and dangerous. “You went to see her. You came back DIFFERENT. You looked at me just now and saw SECOND BEST. I saw it. Don’t bother denying.”

“I don’t—”

“Ten days.” She held up her fingers. “That’s how long she has. Ten days of peace. Ten days of happiness. And then I’ll show her what happens when you try to take what’s mine.”

She left.

The door closed behind her with a soft click.

Tiě Xióng stood alone in the empty room, staring at the bowl of half-eaten berries on the window seat.

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