You motherfucking bastard. Cao clenched his hands, the fake flute firm in his grasp, ready to punch the pretentiousness straight out from the dickhead’s immortal soul. I’m going to kill you for this.

Instead of voicing his anger, he scrambled for how to salvage this. Han stashed the real flute inside his robe. If he could switch them, he’d have a measure of power over the Dragon King. One chance to make a deal with the devil of all dragons.

The only question was, what would he trade?

Ling stored the Three Treasures stone inside her spirit and, besides, she would kill him if he promised Ao Guang that. He studied the sand beneath his feet, scouring his memory for anything a dragon would crave more than one of those stones, and came up with only one thing.

Another way to save Ling. Before he went down that route, he had to have his plans double and triple backed up first.

“I hope you understand why I did what I did. Why I had to.” Han leered at Tasi. “She’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

Fucking prick. Sighing, Cao relaxed his hands, releasing some of his anger. He could spend this moment beating Han’s ass. Gods knew, Han deserved an ass-kicking. Perhaps, he’d even get his penance, someday. The Matchmaker was right for taking Ling away from him. Who would’ve guessed Han was the person she’d needed to hide from the most?

Which brought his musings back to the story Ling had told.

“That day on the island, when you took Ling for a picnic.” He prowled forward, stalking the male, getting nice and close. “What really happened?”

Han scoffed. “It was going to be a trade. Like today. I forgot my flute, and by the time I’d found it again, Ling had gotten herself lost. I searched everywhere for the kid, I swear, she was hiding from me.”

Hiding? Cao frowned, mulling over the revelation. What if Sheep hadn’t been protecting Ling against being lost, but against being used by her father?

“Next thing I know,” Han droned on, “the Matchmaker is riding my ass about it.” The man blew a puff of air. “Took her right from me. Like it was my fault the kid was an impudent brat.”

Father of the Year, right there.

The man rolled his neck. “I figured she’d come back one day, inquiring about her mother.” He jerked his chin at Tasi, who moaned in her semi-conscious state.

“She okay?” He took advantage of Han’s fixation on the dragon to inch near the man and switch the flutes in his pocket. If Tasi weren’t crazy, he’d have sworn the woman played up the part of swooning maiden.

Han clucked at Tasi, shifting her into his arms. “You had the right idea, mate, in not having children. It’s better to leave this alone. Let Ling go. Trust me. You don’t want to mess with that asshole King.” He nodded once and made for the pathway toward his house.

Cao shook his head at the couple as they disappeared from view. How had Ling ever come from such stock? Then again, how had his brother come from his?

Maybe bad was just bad.

He gripped the real flute. It was going to take more than him to save her.

It was going to take a whole fucking team of badass warriors.

Good thing he knew some.

* * *

Ling dug her nails into her clenched fists and explored her new cell.

What was with dragons and dungeons anyway? And imprisoning one’s own daughter? Ridiculous. Equal with doing the same to one’s granddaughter.

Pacing, she traversed the entirety of the main chamber, poking and prodding the walls to determine any weaknesses. Lok and Kadence had managed to break in—and out—but Ling was bound here by something other than four walls. A tickle buzzed in her blood, like an invisible hold. Hell, she was probably going to go crazy like her mother alone in this place.

Alone. Forever.

“Hello, Ling.” A low, masculine voice vibrated up and down her spine.

She spun around but didn’t see anyone. Disturbing.

Swallowing hard, Ling pressed forward down the passageway where the voice had originated. The air grew warm and moist, beading perspiration on her skin. She wiped her face on her sleeve and pressed onward to where the corridor ended and rounded the corner into a large chamber. A bedroom?

No one was inside here, either. Did that mean she was hearing things? Already going crazy?

Well, that didn’t take long.

A rainbow of silks draped around the four-poster bed and bright tapestries lined the walls, the cloths depicting epic dragon battles.

“I’m so glad to have company.”

Ling whirled, spinning in a circle and assessing every corner of the room, but didn’t spot anyone. “Who’s there?”

“Seral,” the silky voice crooned. “And you’re Ling. My, my, but you do resemble your lovely mother, don’t you.”

She narrowed her eyes, peering through the chamber. “Have you met my mother?”

“Of course.” The voice scoffed. “We’re fond companions. Just like I’m certain you and I will be.”

Umm. Okay. She inched through the room. “Where are you?”

“Over here,” Seral called from the far side of the bed.

Heart racing, Ling peeked over the edge and gasped at a skeleton lying on the bed. She whirled around, shaking her head. No. Nope. Not going there. Kadence had mentioned a skeleton, but not the creepy voice. Unsettling for sure.

“It’s all right, my dear. My appearance tends to shock at first.”

Ugh. She pressed her palms to her eyes and tossed her head. This wasn’t happening. She wasn’t hearing voices in her head. Because that would mean she’d lost it.

Gone cray-cray like dear old mom.

After only twenty minutes in this place.

Imagine forever.

* * *

I’m open to ideas.” Cao displayed the flute before the group of Chosen. Sheng, Price, Lucy, and Delun regarded him with knitted brows and tension in their jaws. No one was happy about Ling’s kidnapping.

Several of them had already offered to off Han. Or, at least, pieces of him.

“We can’t relinquish the stone. Ling wouldn’t want that.” Delun nodded solemnly.

Unfortunately, he had to agree.

“Does anyone know where the Dragon King is keeping Ling, or why?” Delun inquired of the group.

“Uh, because he’s a sonovabitch and he can.” Price snorted.

Cao drummed his fingers on his thigh. “That’s pretty much right. The Dragon King is an ass, but at least we don’t have anything to fear regarding the Qinglong loyalties. They’re in this for themselves, not for anyone else. Qinglong wish to stay in our world. They have too much invested, too much treasure they couldn’t leave.”

Gold and jewels. The only thing dragons were ever really loyal to. Lucky for humankind, the Earth had a lot of sparkly things.

“What about Princess Tasi?” Lucy inquired. “Han made this deal for them, but she didn’t have a say. We should speak with her.”

Talk with Tasi? “Kadence said she’s not quite all there.” He shook his head. “Seeing her for myself, I tend to agree.”

“Mate, she’s been imprisoned for centuries,” Price pointed out. “Fresh air might have cleared her mind.”

“It’s worth checking out.” Sheng squeezed Lucy’s hand.

True. Tasi hadn’t been able to free herself, but that didn’t mean she was unaware of how to escape the prison.

Or that she wouldn’t help them rescue her daughter.

“Fine. How do we contact her?”

Price raised his hand like a schoolchild. “Ah, you might not recall, but I have a hot wife with a kickass portal opening ability.”

Cao shot him a grin. “Okay, so we open a portal. Then what? We go to her? Han won’t welcome us.”

Delun crossed his arms. “Then we don’t go to her. We bring her to us.”

“Hell yeah.” Price slapped his hands on his thighs. “Let’s steal ourselves a dragon princess.”

They were serious. Cao blew out a slow breath. “First, we’re going to need a cage.” Because who the hell knew whether Tasi would react well to seeing any of them. Or be hungry for a little mortal snack. They divided the tasks and broke apart to handle them.

He changed into a worker’s outfit Lucy produced for him. While Sheng and Lucy took care of the cage, Price dialed his wife on the mirror-phone and Queen Daji stepped through a shimmering portal into the garden.

Sheng dragged the enchanted cage to the center of their circle. Daji looked at Price, who nodded, and she opened a portal to Han’s island.

Cao swallowed hard and passed through. The portal dropped him off in a dark alcove. He’d never been inside Han’s house, but he could blend in anywhere. Emerging into the brightly lit corridor, he strode forward at an even pace, nonchalant and trying to appear like he belonged.

“You the new custodian?” A matronly woman with enough down-turned wrinkles to match her sour expression looked him up and down.

“Yep.” He saluted, glad the disguise had worked. “Where do you want me?”

“You’re late.” The woman scrunched her nose and thrust out her arm toward the right wing of the estate. “Our Mistress has returned and her room should have been cleaned an hour ago. Get to it.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He inclined his head and dashed off in the direction she’d pointed. Clean the princess’s room? Hell, yes. He’d take out the trash, and the princess.

Cao ducked into the chamber. Half a dozen servants buzzed about, readying the large, lavishly decorated room. Gold-tipped furniture. Thick rugs. Priceless knickknacks. Gods, a Queen could sleep in here.

Or, a princess.

What did Tasi think of this? He scanned the room, searching past the open glass doors leading into a small garden. A figure reposed on a bench, facing away from the chamber. Her long dark locks cascaded about her shoulders and draped over the back of the bench, the tips grazing the ground.

Hell, if I don’t go there and ask her myself.

* * *

Humming to herself to drown out the voice, Ling dropped to the floor and wrapped her arms about her knees.

“Ah, Tasi loved to sing, too.” Seral sighed contentedly.

Crap. It wasn’t working.

“You’re not real.” She rubbed her eyes, holding her head in her hands. “You’re not there. You’re just a skeleton.”

“Hey, words hurt.” He sniffled. “I can assure you, I’m very much real.”

She scoffed. “Sure, that’s what all the voices in people’s heads say.”

“I was real to your mother,” Seral intoned. “We kept each other company in this lonely place for many centuries.”

“You’ll have to forgive me if I’m not looking forward to the same.” Gods, she was apologizing to it now.

“Whyever not? When your mother locked herself down here—”

Wait, what? “No, my grandfather imprisoned her.”

“Is that what they told you?”

Tightness crushed her chest. “It’s the truth.”

Seral huffed. “No, my dear. It’s their truth.”

“Explain.” She leapt to her feet and glared at the immobile skeleton. What had he looked like when he’d been…more alive? How was it possible for him to be communicating with her? Right. It wasn’t.

This was her mind fighting to get through this. Dismay sank back into her bones, but if nothing else, conversing with the dead guy passed the time.

“One day, Han caught a glimpse of the Dragon King’s daughter and, oh, my, but he’d coveted her. Yet, he had one chance to employ his flute’s powers over her. When the flute calls a dragon, that dragon must make a deal with the flute’s player. Instead of calling the princess to him, Han called to her grandfather, first, and the pair of them arranged the matter. In exchange for his daughter, the King demanded something else. An offspring. An heir. You.”

Spikes of dread crawled across her skin, making her shiver. “You mean to say I was planned?”

“Oh, indeed, my dear.” Seral’s voice bounced up and down. “Defiant Tasi wasn’t worth much to the old King, but new, fresh blood, well…” He cleared his throat and continued, “After Princess Tasi had fallen victim to the flute’s influence, she’d had no choice in becoming the object of Han Xiangzi’s obsession. At first, she’d fallen for the immortal’s good looks and sly tongue. Tasi had promised to be Han’s forever—should she ever leave the ocean.”

Huh? Suddenly, this was making far more sense than it should have. Adding in such a stipulation was pretty damned clever.

“The King was enraged. Han was sullen. Though you’d been birthed as an egg, she’d refused to let you hatch. Instead, she arranged for the Matchmaker to take care of you. And then, she’d done the hardest thing any mother could do. She left you. Praying you’d be safer without her. Without any of them aware of where you were. Her fate wouldn’t become yours, too. Err, I suppose it didn’t quite work out that way, if you’ve ended up here.”

Ling pinched the bridge of her nose. “My mother hid so she wouldn’t have to be with Han, but that’s where she is now.” Oh, gods. Because of me. Because my actions forced her onto the land. Consequently, her grandfather hadn’t imprisoned her.

Her mother had.

* * *

Princess Tasi?” Cao called, looking over his shoulder to ensure no one spied him speaking to the Mistress.

She didn’t answer, and she didn’t turn around, either. Her shoulders set regally, she perched on the bench, staring straight ahead.

Cao tiptoed around the side of the bench, muscles tense at what he’d encounter. “You don’t know me, but I’m Ling’s…” Boyfriend? Lover? Soul mate?

“I know who you are,” her silky sweet voice chimed. As he edged around the bench, she slanted her silver scrutiny to him. “You got my daughter into this mess, and you’d better pray you can get her out, too.”

Hell, yes. He bowed his shoulders in relief. The Princess was sane. Whatever had made her crazy didn’t seem to affect her now.

“Oh, I’m going to do better than that.” He jerked his chin toward the doorway. “I’m going to free you both.”

Instead of jumping to her feet, eager or excited, Tasi remained fastened to the bench. “I doubt that.”

So much for a grand rescue. “I’m serious.” He stepped to her side and leaned in. “I have a portal waiting.”

She flicked her gaze to his, a flash of white in her silver eyes. “Intriguing. Where does it lead?”

“To the Chosen. Your daughter’s friends.”

Her porcelain features softened. “That’s sweet, but even they cannot save me from this.” She faced forward again, tilting her chin up. “This deal was made long ago, and I cannot back down from it.”

“But…”

She waved him off. “I tried, for so many centuries, to keep her safe. I have failed.” She flicked her scrutiny to him, hard and narrowed. “Let us pray you do not.”

“I can’t go back without you. I don’t know how to free her from Ao Guang’s grasp. Hell, I don’t even know where he’s keeping her. I was hoping you might have some ideas.”

“Keeping her?” Tasi snorted. “Ao Guang doesn’t hold my daughter prisoner. I do.”

Cao jerked back. “What do you mean?”

“My son Taelen found me and told me everything. About how you and Ling stole from the Dragon King. About how you escaped together to the Den of Dragons.”

Taelen? Thanks mate.

When Ao Guang announced his plans to capture Ling, I had to surrender to him. Taelen feared Ling would seek me out, through Han, and I knew Han would trade Ling for me in a heartbeat. My only chance to save her was to let them think they won. The Dragon King believes he cast her to his palace, but in truth, I planned for this moment, and created a spell to send her safely to my home instead.” She emitted a wry chuckle. “He’s going to be furious when he learns the truth.” Her slender hands formed fists on either side of her. “He shall never claim my daughter.”

“Your home?” Cao frowned. He hadn’t been expecting that. Ling had told him about Lok and Kadence’s adventures, though. “Do you mean the underwater prison?”

“I created that place.” Tasi’s lips curved, fondness glimmering in her eyes. “It was my refuge away from my father. After he forced my hand with Han, I escaped and locked myself inside my sanctuary. They couldn’t make me leave, so they fabricated a story.” She sighed. “I didn’t care what they said about me. In fact, I played the part, just to live in peace.”

So, that was the reasoning for the crazy act. His mind scrambled to catch up. “Wait. Forced your hand with Han? Weren’t you in love with the dude?”

“Ha. That disgusting immortal never won my heart,” Tasi spat. “Although he certainly liked to believe he had.” Her shoulders sank as she tossed her head. “Because of his flute, I had to make a deal with him. He’d been clever and bargained with my father first. You don’t understand how dire this situation is. You cannot allow the Dragon King to get his claws on Ling. Because she’s what he’s been waiting for. And the plans he has for her…” She shuddered, clenching her fists in her lap. “I can remove the spell binding Ling to my home, but you must stop him first. At all costs. Promise me this, Cao Guojiu.”

Those penetrating eyes hardened on him, so much like Ling’s. “I’d do anything to save your daughter. You don’t need to ask me. I swear it on my immortality.”

“Good,” she nodded, straightened, and returned her stare to the gardens, “because that’s the only bargaining chip you have.”