Part 3, Chapter 6

Spells

Ch 6 

Xun found them right where the God of War had said they would be. Jianyu sat behind Renping. Xun could see the magic flows twisting between them, but she didn’t understand any of it. As silently as she could she left the room and went to sit on a rock in the small courtyard the servants shared. 

After what seemed like most of the afternoon the two emerged looking drained. Xun moved over so they could share her rock and served them tea and cakes.

“After the first hour I thought you might be hungry when you were done,” she said.

Jianyu ate as if he hadn’t been fed in a week, but Renping turned green at the sight of food.

“What were you doing in there?” Xun asked after the last of the food was a fading memory.

“Trying to unravel the spell on Renping,” Jianyu said, laying his head on Xun’s lap and draping the rest of himself half on and half off of the rock. Xun and Renping both stared at him. Even in his private study the Emperor had never been unrefined in his behavior. 

He sighed and wiggled himself a into a slightly more comfortable position. Cracking an eye open and seeing their expressions he smiled, “I learned a lot from being Leng Zai,” he told them. “Including to enjoy every moment to the fullest.” He tugged Xun’s hand until she laid it on his chest and he hummed in contentment.

 Renping rolled her eyes. “You do remember this is my courtyard not yours. What if the servants see you?”

Xun attempted to move her hand, but Jianyu gently guided it back. “All the servants are still dealing with the influx of wounded soldiers and my brother.”

“That’s right!” Xun said, sitting up straighter. “I almost forgot why I came here!” Jianyu grumbled as he tried to readjust his position, but Xun pushed at him until he sat up and looked at her. “The night the spell was cast on you, I was there!”

Jianyu stopped trying to lay back down and gave her his full attention. “Why?” He asked sharply.

“I had dropped the hair stick you gave me,” she said, touching the item in question. “I couldn’t bear for you to find it, so I snuck in that night. It was weird. The guards were asleep, but I was so distracted I didn’t really think about it. When I heard other people coming in I hid in the wardrobe.”

“How many people?”

“Four,” Xun said with confidence, “One was your brother, but the other three. I can’t remember their faces. I’d know them if I saw them again. I didn’t remember your brother until I saw him in the entryway earlier.”

“Were you bleeding at all?” Jianyu asked, “This is important.”

Xun frowned as she tried to remember, “Yes… I scratched my finger when I went to hide.”

Jianyu made a satisfied sound. “That must be how my soul got into you.”

“What?” Renping asked, beating Xun to the question. 

“From what I can figure out based on what I discussed with my uncle, this spell removes parts of a person’s personality. The parts will try to find a host, someone who has an emotional connection to the  person being ensorcelled and a way in. From what you said Xun, that probably means blood. My uncle nicked himself sharpening his sword the same night I was spelled.” Jianyu spoke with authority that only came with long practice. Xun and Renping watched him like birds hypnotized by a snake. “If it can’t find a host the pieces will just float around until they dissipate, like what happened with my magic. My spirit was rejoined relatively quickly, so it didn’t have time to fade.”

“What about my memory?” Renping asked, when Jianyu had been silent for a time.

Jianyu frowned. “I don’t know. If we can find and break the jade that holds the spell we might be able to find it if it’s in a host.  Maybe it will automatically return to you. Since I was intact when the jade broke I’m not sure what will happen for you. If it already dissipated… it might be gone for good.” He stood, shook his robes off, and attempted to rectify his dignified manner. “I need to go see my brother.”

Xun looked at him critically, “You should sleep.”

He bent and brushed his lips against hers, “I’ll be quick,” he promised. 

Renping threw a pebble at them. “Go be adorable somewhere else. It was bad enough putting up with Shun and Xiaomin!”