Forbidden Flower

By Toki

Lioqi and Vaedo have been friends – and sometime lovers – since meeting six years ago at an induction ceremony for imperial army recruits. Now guards at the royal palace, Vaedo is the first to notice the beauty of the emperor’s new concubine, but it is Lioqi who puts their lives in peril in an act of thoughtless bravery. Though Sanui has been trained since birth to please other men, it seems a great injustice to the concubine that a man should die for a good deed. But are honor, loyalty, or even love enough to stand against the emperor’s unbreakable law?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
• Release date: Sep 14, 2011
• ISBN: 9781613721902

Book preview

Forbidden Flower

WHOA, Vaedo said under his breath. The emperor’s new concubine is beautiful.

You’re joking. Lioqi’s voice was heavy with sarcasm. "And I’d always assumed that women who became royal concubines were chosen for their great beauty."

True. Vaedo took another peek over the garden wall. But this one isn’t a woman.

Really? Lioqi showed more interest. The emperor hasn’t taken a boy into the harem since…. His voice trailed off as he tried to remember.

Not since we were promoted to palace guards anyway, and this one’s no more a boy than you are, Vaedo said. Ugh, I’m so grateful to be out of the regular army.

Yes, you don’t get nearly as much dust on your uniform in the palace, Lioqi teased his friend. And the bath house isn’t nearly so crowded.

Exactly. Vaedo didn’t detect the other man’s gentle mockery. The food is a lot better too.

And you get to grovel before a much better class of people.

This time Vaedo caught the mild sarcasm. Laugh all you want, I’d rather be doing sentry duty without the mud, thank you. He paused and spoke again. Besides, it’s a compliment to our skills as warriors to be chosen.

Lioqi snorted. It’s a compliment to how good we look in the ceremonial armor.

I’m surprised at you. Vaedo teased back. I didn’t know you were so conceited.

Enough people have told me they find me handsome for me to believe it.

Vaedo glanced aside at his tall comrade, admiring Lioqi’s sharply cut, wolfish features: the smoky amber eyes, bronzed skin, and glossy chestnut hair. No point in denying it; Lioqi was handsome and looked very good in his black uniform, but Vaedo was self-aware enough to know he was just as handsome and felt no envy of his friend on this score.

They had met six years ago at an induction ceremony for imperial army recruits. Both were fourteen at the time, though Lioqi was nearly a year older, he having been born at the beginning of the year and Vaedo near the end. Having placed first and second in the army competition designed to reveal a novice’s abilities and aptitudes, they were posted with ten others to a special squad. Despite having similar leadership traits, they got along well, and for the past five years, they advanced together through the ranks until they were noticed by a palace chamberlain. Vaedo reflected that Lioqi was probably right about their qualifications for guarding the royal quarters, but did Lioqi really have to state it so bluntly?

Your tongue will get you into trouble one day, Li, Vaedo said.

I’m only speaking the truth.

Exactly. Thank you for making my point.

It’s your eyes that will get you into trouble, Lioqi said. Stop looking into the garden.

Vaedo started guiltily. I wasn’t, he lied. But you should have at least one look at this flower.

I’m not interested.

Why not? He’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.

What good does his beauty do me?

Can’t you simply appreciate it… like a painting or a statue?