Chapter 41: The Dragon Court

"I'm not letting you in," said Ling. "You understand that. Officially. If anybody asks, you climbed the wall." "I haven't climbed the wall." "Then you'd better look as if you had." Ling glanced at the four guards, who were still looking straight ahead at nothing. "They're mine. West Lake's. My father sent them with me for the wedding, as an honor guard. They see what I tell them to see." She turned to the gate. "You're my attendant. Brides have attendants. Walk behind me and carry that lamp as if it were the most important thing in the world." "It is." "Good," said Ling. "Then you won't have to act." The guards pulled on the cartwheel rings, and the red gate swung open without a sound, and Mei walked through it behind the Princess of West Lake in her wedding red, carrying her mother's lamp, into the palace of the…