Tidal Engagement - Chapter 5

The wind was strong on the rooftop.

The helipad was empty; a black speedboat was docked at the far pier.

Pei Tinglan pressed a keycard into my hand.

“Take the east fire exit down. On the third floor, there’s an emergency bridge. At the end of the bridge is the hangar. There’s a car inside that can take you to the north pier.”

I looked at him.

“You’re not coming?”

“I can’t.”

His voice was flat.

“The Return-to-Sea Protocol was initiated for me.”

I tightened my grip on the keycard.

“The Pei Family is forcing you back into the sea?”

“They need an obedient family head.”

He gave a faint smile.

“I haven’t been very obedient these past few years.”

The wind blew open the collar of his shirt.

I saw a dark brand below his collarbone, its pattern exactly matching the inner engravings of the Silver Ring.

It wasn’t decoration.

It was the other end of the chain.

Suddenly, I remembered the Old Steward’s words.

Miss Lin hasn’t worn the Ring yet.

It wasn’t to keep me from running.

It was to prevent Pei Tinglan from not being bound to me.

I asked, “Did you bring me to the island tonight so I could escape, or so I could help you destroy the Old Code?”

Pei Tinglan looked at me.

The silver in his eyes churned.

“At first, the latter.”

“And now?”

He was silent for a long time.

“Now I hope you escape.”

“Why?”

“Because I’ve realized I overestimated my instincts.”

His fingers slowly tightened, silver-white scales surfacing on his knuckles.

“Lin Wu, when I saw you picking the lock, my first reaction wasn’t anger.”

I said nothing.

“It was wanting to hide you away.”

That was worse than a threat.

A threat could be fought back against.

But he stated his dark intent so plainly, without even making excuses for himself.

I looked at him.

“How would you want to hide me?”

Pei Tinglan averted his eyes.

“You wouldn’t want to hear it.”

“I want to.”

His voice grew a little husky.

“Take you down into the sea. Wrap my tail around your legs so you could only hear my voice.”

“Let the tides wash away your memories of land.”

The wind seemed to stop.

A chill ran down my spine.

Pei Tinglan closed his eyes.

“So go.”

I held the keycard, unmoving.

I really should go.

From a risk-benefit standpoint, from any sane person’s perspective, I should turn around right now.

But I also knew that the escape route Pei Tinglan gave me was too thorough.

Thorough enough to have been rehearsed countless times.

“Where’s the evidence of your plan to destroy the Old Code?”

He opened his eyes and looked at me.

“Lin Wu.”

“Don’t call me that.”

I said, “If you’re just trying to play hero and save the beauty, I’m leaving now. If you want to cooperate, then show some sincerity.”

Pei Tinglan stared at me for a few seconds.

That look was profoundly unsettling.

Like a creature from the deep sea watching a lamp through glass, yearning to get closer but knowing a mere touch would shatter it.

Finally, he placed a black chip into my hand.

“The third-floor archive room. The Old Anchor Archives and the Return-to-Sea Protocol are all in there.”

“Password?”

“Your birthday.”

I looked up at him.

Pei Tinglan seemed to realize how difficult that was to explain.

He added, “It was in your emergency records from six years ago.”

“You memorized it?”

“Yes.”

“Pei Tinglan.”

“Yes.”

“You’re really terrifying.”

He said quietly, “I know.”