Book 8: Chapter 36: Arrival
Sen breathed a sigh of relief as the gates to the Golden Phoenix sect slammed shut behind him. Lai Dongmei, true to her word, had summoned people to clear away the remains of her bed at the same time that she was escorting him out. Sen had rarely been on the receiving end of so many murderous glares. Although, it was far less nerve-wracking than it had been in the past. Then, those looks had felt like a threat. Now, they were just a frustration. There were probably a few people in the sect who could still pose a threat, but he doubted most of them were going to go that far out of their way to infuriate the sect matriarch. Beyond them, unless the entire sect rose up to come after him, he was pretty sure he could fend off any love-sick idiots that came looking to issue pointless challenges or launch ambushes. Not that he let his guard down, but that would have been true regardless. There was no telling who the other large noble houses might hire to try to get rid of him. Plus, he’d gotten the feeling that Master Feng’s brother was still holding a grudge. That was a challenge that Sen would just as soon not take up if at all possible.
His first instinct was to go back to the manor, but Glimmer of Night was still at the inn. That brought on a little stab of guilt. Sen hadn’t meant to leave him there for so long, but events had raced ahead of him too quickly. Then, tasks had piled up so fast that it had honestly just slipped his mind. At this point, though, it was just taking money out of Jing’s pocket. Not that anyone had said anything, but the spider could hide in a room at the manor just as easily as he hid in a room at the inn. As he landed outside the inn, he was surprised to see that the royal guards were still stationed there. They snapped to attention when they saw him. Sen cocked his head and just stared at them for a moment. He shook off his confusion and approached the men at the door.
“Haven’t you heard the news?” he asked.
“Yes, Lord Lu,” said the man on the left as he offered a deep bow.
“That’s not exactly what I meant. I’m just surprised that you’re still here. Didn’t anyone relieve you?”
“We were told to stay until your last companion departed.”
Sen nodded. He didn’t think Glimmer of Night truly needed anyone’s protection, but it was still a kind gesture from Jing.
“I’ve come to collect him. So, I expect you can all return to the palace now.”
“Of course, Lord Lu. Thank you.”