Cao rolled his shoulders and eyed the portal. The smart thing to do would be step back through it, gather the Chosen, and lead them straight to the Dragon King’s lair. Could he risk them for a fight that wasn’t theirs? They had enough shit to deal with, especially since they’d acquired new information about those Demon King assholes in Dìyù.

He’d also learned his lesson. No going it alone. Not anymore.

Luckily, the Chosen weren’t the only immortal beings he knew.

He pulled out his phone and texted the other six Eight Immortals. Obviously, Ling’s father wasn’t welcome to tag along.

Hey mates. Let’s cross the Eastern Sea again. Getting pissed drunk optional.

After clicking ‘send,’ he texted the location and slipped his phone back into his jeans pocket. Whether they’d join him or not, he wouldn’t wait another second while Ling was being held in that prison.

Even if it was for her own safety.

Dammit.

Cao clutched the flute in his hand while he strode toward the beach and then stuffed it inside his jacket pocket. He didn’t have his jade tablets on him, but because they were enchanted, he could summon them. Closing his eyes, he pictured them in his mind. After a minute, he lifted his lids. The two book-sized slabs materialized in his hands.

He surveyed the shimmering horizon, formulating his plan.

“Hey Cao,” a resonant feminine voice called from behind him.

He spun and grinned at Hé Qióng, the Immortal Woman. Her inky locks descended to her ankles, and kind of floated around them, weightless. Perfectly matching the flowing pink silk gown she wore. Piercing indigo eyes assessed him from within her fine-boned features. People assumed that because of her sex, her vow of chastity, her girly dress, and her symbol being the lotus, Hé was delicate, soft. The exact opposite was true.

Hé was as blood-thirsty in battle as any of them. Her filmy exterior was her perfect disguise.

Descending from their cloud transports, two other figures emerged. Li Tieguai. Awesome.

And Lan Caihe. Shit.

Not that he wasn’t grateful for the help, but Lan had a reputation for being a drunk. Like, eternally intoxicated, and the flask in his or her hand wasn’t comforting. No one knew for sure whether Lan was male or female, and Lan wasn’t sharing. For ease’s sake, they usually called Lan a “he.” The dude possessed wide, round, and soulful eyes. Finely-honed angles chiseled around his full lips. The shapeless black robe Lan was wearing didn’t hint at either sex, neither did the long hair pulled into a ponytail or the androgynous countenance that pointed at an attractive person of indeterminable gender.

Li Tieguai was an altogether different package. Clearly male, tall and brooding with his broad frame bulging muscles beneath a tight black shirt, sleeves rolled at the elbows. His long inky locks were pulled back, leaving the intensity of his dark, penetrating stare full on Cao right now.

This was it. Four out of eight, well, seven.

Cao shoved down his disappointment and focused on his friends. “Let me catch you up since our last encounter. You remember Ling, right? Well, she’s Chosen of the Sheep, but even more, she’s half dragon, daughter of Han Xiangzi and Princess Tasi of the Qinglong. Her grandfather is an asshat, the Dragon King Ao Guang. Han traded Ling for Tasi, but the dragon princess sent Ling to her safe haven instead. The problem is, she’ll have to stay there unless we can figure out how to get her grandfather off her back. I can summon that giant bastard with this and force him into a trade.” He withdrew the flute and held it up for their inspection.

Li whistled low. “Well, shit.” The immortal had a reputation for being quite the collector.

“You can have it once I’m done with it.”

“Thanks.” He admired the flute, a glint in his eyes.

“How do you plan to confront the Dragon King?” Hé brushed her pastel pink nails on the sleeve of her robe. “He hates our guts. We won’t even get close enough to use the flute.”

“I’ve had a run-in or two with him already.” Cao pinched the bridge of his nose. “He’ll listen.”

“What do you plan to trade with him once you do have his attention?” Li studied him, unblinking.

“Let me worry about that.” Cao nodded at the group. “I just called you guys for backup. In case it all goes to hell.”

“Well, count me in,” Hé chirped. “I’ve been waiting for a rematch.”

“I’ve got your back.” Li inclined his head but didn’t release his cautious expression.

They steered toward Lan, who’d flopped onto the sand and reclined like this was a resort beach. Cocktail in hand.

Crap.

“I’m along for the r-r-r…ide,” Lan slurred, sloshing his drink.

Joy.

“Thanks,” Cao grated from between clenched teeth. He dismissed the drunk and concentrated on the tablets in his hands, flinging them out to the sea. They glowed and expanded, until the tablets rested on the surface in the form of a raft.

Li tossed his crutch and it became a huge piece of wood. Hé’s lotus became a giant inflatable. Once again, they shifted to regard Lan.

“Oh, me?” Lan set down his drink, tipping it over, and staggered to his feet, then flung his jade boards into the water to become a canoe.

Cao evaluated their makeshift vessels. Hell, these had seemed much cooler centuries ago. He hopped onto his raft, the others joining him on their crafts.

For hours, they traversed the ocean, making him desperately regret not renting a boat, or a plane. Even with magical transports and the aid of an enchanted breeze, this was taking far too long. Who knew what state Ling would be in when he rescued her?

At last, they rested on the surface of the Eastern Sea, Qinglong territory.

Cao perused the flute in his hand, its shimmery exterior reflecting the glinting ocean beneath him.

He swallowed hard, brought the flute to his lips, and blew.

The note wasn’t loud, but any dragon in the vicinity would have heard it.

It was time to make a deal with a Dragon King.

* * *

Who exactly are you?” Ling’s mind might still be reeling from Seral’s revelations, but that nagging concern clouded the others. Obviously, Seral was a skeleton. A talking one. What had he been in life?

She observed the stationary bones, glad they didn’t dance around like in movies. Not that this was any less creepy.

A sad sigh filled the air. Or rather, the space in her mind.

“I was a worker in your father’s household. When he brought our new mistress, I saw how desolate she was, and I had to help her. Even if it cost me my life. Which, unfortunately, it did.”

“How? How did you die?” She leaned in, not that doing so would make her hear him better. Fight the crazy, Ling. Shaking herself, she focused on Seral.

“It was on our way to the ocean. Han stabbed me clean through. If you look at my ribs, you can see the cut marks.”

Curious, she examined him closer, and yep, a gash slashed through the bone between his ribs. Poor guy.

“With my last breaths, I aided your mother here, to this place, and here I have stayed. Remained faithful at her side. While the flesh melted from my bones, for some reason, my consciousness survived. Now, these old bones are all that’s left of me.”

Ling frowned at the skeleton, wishing she could help him. How? She didn’t know the first thing about an enchantment like this. “What happens to you if you leave?”

“I know not,” Seral murmured. “In truth, I’m terrified to try.”

“I get that.” She bobbed her head, her ruminations twisting and churning. “What will happen to my mother?”

“Han.” Seral sneered. “Han will never let her go.” The anger in his voice melted to anguish. “I shall never see her again. I’ve lost her.”

Lost her? Was the affection in his voice deeper than friendship? Of course. Why else would he have remained at her side for centuries, trapped in bones he couldn’t even move? The poor guy.

Determination spread through her. “Not if I have anything to say about it. Seral, get ready, because we’re going to get out of this place. We’re going to lash back against my father and the Dragon King. And we’re not going to stop until my mother is free.”

* * *

Storm clouds rolled in, darkening the sky. The water below Cao surged, making his raft undulate and his pulse pound through his veins. A slithery tail bobbed on his left. The curve of a spine flashed for an instant on his right before diving back under. Soon, they were surrounded by Qinglong. Waiting. Hunting. In the sea below them.

Cao stood, careful not to rock his raft, and bellowed, “I demand an audience with Ao Guang. I wish to make a trade.”

Bubbles foamed and floated on the water. Doubtless, they wouldn’t be pleased by his announcement.

Long moments later, a large wave dispersed the water in the center, sending his raft gliding backward. A massive head emerged. Plumed and adorned by two silver whiskers on either side of its flared nostrils. Large jeweled eyes burned like sapphire embers as they assessed him.

“What do you presume you could offer to trade, Immortal?” The Dragon King hissed, flicking out his forked tongue.

“You might have fooled them, Ao Guang, but I pieced it together.” He smirked. This next part was going to be fun. “The qì stone. I stole it. By the way, you snore something awful. Might want to get that checked out.”

“Argh! Out with it, Immortal!” Sparks of soot puffed from the dragon’s nostrils.

“You need the qì stone.” He narrowed his eyes and stepped closer, right to the dragon’s bared fangs. “Dragons are supposed to be immortal, but you, you’re not. At least, not anymore. Are you, big guy?”

The grind of teeth sawing against each other was deafening in Cao’s ears.

Finally, the dragon unclenched his jaw and muttered, “You have the stone?”

“No,” he hedged. Ling would kill him for sure if he did that. “I have something even better.”

“Fucking hell, Cao,” from across the circle, Li bellowed in protest.

It was already too late. The Dragon King had seized the bait and nothing would let Cao off the hook now.

He slammed a hand against his chest, grimaced and grunted, snatching on to the very essence of his soul which made him immortal.

Painfully, he plucked the Peach pit from his chest, heaving, while the Dragon King licked his lips at the glowing pit on Cao’s palm.

“It’s yours, but only with your sworn oath never to harm Ling. Whatever plans you have for her, trash them. You, and any underlings of yours, are never to come near Ling again,” he rasped, the lifeblood seeming to drain from his body, and hell, but it was so cold. Gathering the last tendrils of his strength, he lifted his chin to stare into the Dragon King’s greed-consumed depths. “Do we have a deal?”

* * *

The fact Ling’s mother had imprisoned her to save her from the Dragon King warmed Ling’s chest. Maybe Tasi wasn’t so crazy, after all.

Ling tossed her head. Of course, this would only be true if she trusted the word of a skeleton. Have I gone mad, too?

Whether or not Seral was real, she had to get out of this place. Before she couldn’t.

A distant thud rattled the walls, shaking loose stones to the ground. Huh? Ling stiffened, peeked at Seral, and whispered, “I think someone’s here.”

Or, she was hearing things. Already, this humid, sweetly floral air was getting to her head. Making her dizzy. Ling pressed her hands against the wall and struggled to her feet. Hobbling, she wound back through to the garden and spun around, searching for the exit Kadence had told her about. It had to be around here somewhere. If she located the exit, she could leave.

She frowned, but every wall was the same. Dozens of tunnels stretched before her. Which was the right one?

This sucked.

A crash thundered through the air, originating from the tunnel at her far left.

She jolted, freezing in place. Someone was here.

Who?

She glanced at her hands. Should probably defend myself. Turn into a dragon? She squinted, focusing on forming claws.

A figure emerged in the entryway of the tunnel, staggering forward.

“Ling?” a deep, familiar voice rasped.

“Cao?” She rushed forward, but drew to a halt as she approached him. Whoa. Cao looked…off. Drenching wet, he propped one arm against the cave rock, resting against it as though for support.

“What happened to you?” Dread dropped into her stomach. His wet hair slicked back, moisture beaded across his forehead, and his skin lacked its healthy glow. “You look like someone has just beaten the crap out of you.”

“Thanks.” He wheezed, coughing and hacking up a lung.

“Oh, Cao.” She dashed to him and wrapped her arms about his middle, perusing his face. “Tell me.”

The shine was gone from his eyes, the glow extinguished. Panic raced along her skin. This wasn’t good.

“I made a trade,” he ground, “with your grandfather.”

“What!” If he didn’t seem so ill, she would’ve punched him. “How could you. Why?”

He hefted his arm as though it weighed a thousand pounds and pressed his fingers to her cheek. “I had to save you.”

She ignored the urge to nuzzle his hand and squeezed back her tears. “What did you trade?”

“Ughn.” He hunched over, clutching his middle, and collapsed to his hands and knees.

“Oh, gods.” He didn’t have to say it.

His immortality.

“Look at the bright side.” He puffed out a laugh. “At least you have no reason to hate me anymore.”

Because he was no longer immortal.

Ling covered her mouth with her hand to stifle a sob and sank to her knees beside him.

Groaning, he stretched out on his back on the ground. His respirations were shallow, his skin growing paler.

“What’s happening to you?” She sniffled, shuffled to his side and cradled his head in her lap. Gently, she brushed aside his damp locks from his forehead.

“All those times I should have died. They’re catching up to me.”

She exhaled a shaky breath, her shoulders bowing. This couldn’t be it. How Cao finally died…

“No. There must be something we can do.”

“Please, don’t.” He raised his hand, tangling his fingers in her locks. “At last, I’ve done something worthwhile. Made amends. If this is how it ends for me, then bloody hell, Ling, saving you was the best thing I’ve ever done.” He lowered his hand as though it was too much effort to keep it in the air. “Ao Guang will never touch you. I have his word, shé xià. Sworn under the tongue. You’re going to be safe. You can leave this place. Go be with the others.”

“You’re a fool if you think I’m going to leave you. Or accept this.” She set her jaw, staring intently into those honey depths. “You’re meant to be immortal, Cao. It’s your destiny.”

“Wait.” He entwined his fingers around Ling’s neck, pulling her mouth down onto his.

She melted into his kiss for an instant before dragging herself away. “What are you doing?”

Grunting, Cao rolled over and shifted to kneel beside her. “If this is what being mortal is, I don’t want to die without having you in my arms one last time.”

He grabbed the hem of his wet T-shirt and twisted, struggling to pull it off.

“Here, let me help you.” She skimmed her fingers across his firm abs, licking her lip at how gorgeous he was. His skin, so perfect, tanned and smooth, as she dragged his shirt over his head and flung it aside. Not a single blemish, or scar, or…

Huh?

“Cao,” she murmured, the air stuck in her lungs. “Your tats are gone.”