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The first time Tien had shifted had been a nightmare. Getting ready for his evening bath, he’d removed his bracelet—a simple leather band with an irregularly flattened coin imbedded in and a quick-release clasp holding it closed—and felt the first jolt. An electric buzz that passed through his body as the warmed metal of the coin parted from his skin. A spasm threw him to the ground. Twisting and clawing its way down his limbs. Cracks and pops, impossibly loud, firecrackers going off in his ears. Joints clipping out of their sockets and rearranging. Bones creaking and stretching. Bristling fur erupting from his skin. Black as midnight. He’d been sixteen and completely lost in the hunger. A success after all, though the sorcerer who had cursed him didn’t know that.
Now he tried to keep the bracelet on. Whenever and wherever possible. Sometimes he found himself fiddling with the clasp, pressing it so firmly shut the skin beneath bruised. Anything to ensure his safety. And the safety of his brother.
He glanced over. Chiaotzu was floating beside him, staring blankly ahead. White skin and blank expression. Small, sharp fangs indenting his lower lip. A piece of paper was affixed to his forehead, black ink slashing out a command. OBEY . It was simple magic, but old and beyond Tien’s strength to break. Thankfully the spell was not absolute, and so long as there was not an active order to follow Chiaotzu was alert and present.
Mostly, anyway.
Tien shook his head sharply, averting his eyes and biting hard on the insides of his cheeks, furious at the lingering doubts that threatened at the edge of his mind. Blood flooded his tongue, warm and coppery, and hunger bit at his stomach again.
“Are you okay, Tien?” Chiaotzu asked, not turning around.
“Fine.” Keeping his tone curt. Not wanting to voice his uncertainty. Wondering how much was leaking out and into Chiaotzu’s mind. The jiangshi were perceptive, able to pick up emotions. Chiaotzu had tried to explain it once, that he was highly tuned to the breath of those around him. Any variation, any pause or waver, and he could tell what someone was feeling.
Then, as if on cue, “There’s something bothering you.”
Tien bit harder at the inside of his cheeks. Found his fingers pressing again at the clasp of his bracelet. It would be so easy to tear it off. A flick of his fingernail beneath the catch and he would be shifting. His body contorting into a powerful wolf with three gleaming black eyes.
Then, suddenly, he became aware of warm water splashing against his ankles. He’d waded into a stream without even noticing, so lost had he been in the fantasy of transformation. A glance over his shoulder confirmed that Chiaotzu had stopped right on the edge of the bank. Looking down at the water with a spark of something swimming deep in his eyes. Fear? Concern? Tien didn’t know and didn’t care. The sight of the emotion was enough to put the doubt away for a moment.
“Do you need a hand?” he asked.
Chiaotzu looked up, a warm little smile on his face, just visible behind the seal. “Yes please,” he said gratefully.
In one fluid movement, Tien reached out and pulled Chiaotzu towards him, ignoring the brief resistance as he crossed over the line of running water, then pushed him hard towards the other side of the stream. Pain contorted his features as he sailed through the air, curled up into a ball, before he was clear and relaxed with a sigh of relief.
“Where are we going anyway?” Tien asked, maybe a bit brusquely. He didn’t like seeing Chiaotzu in pain, and this path traversed a lot of those same little rivulets of water.
“Master didn’t say,” Chiaotzu said. He shook himself, his limbs stiff and joints creaking, before turning. Again, that same shy little smile. A crack in the usually impenetrable blank wall. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Tien said, now a little self conscious. “Let’s keep going.”
They did, in silence. Chiaotzu floated a little ahead, arms held stiffly at his sides, the bobbing motion of his movement in the air resembling the hopping of the jiangshi legends. Still not sure how to voice the troubles that were lurking in the depths of his mind, Tien followed. Pushing Chiaotzu over any running water they came across. Walking blindly deeper into the woods.
When they finally entered a clearing and found Shen standing in the centre, his hands folded and a smirk on his face, they both faltered. Uncertain. Not understanding. When Shen’s beady little eyes fixed on Chiaotzu the smirk dropped away.
“What is he doing here?” he spat. “You were supposed to arrive alone.”
“You told me to come,” Chiaotzu said, his voice low and hurt. Utterly baffled. “I couldn’t...disobey…”
Shen’s face twisted, and Tien had a sudden flash of understanding. Command the jiangshi to follow a path traversing many streams. Have him stuck in the paradox of needing to obey and being unable to, while Tien went on without him. Clearly he hadn’t anticipated Tien helping him cross. The thought made rage bubble beneath Tien’s skin. Fuelling the hunger that clamored in the back of his mind. He clenched his hands into fists so that he wouldn’t press on the clasp of his bracelet. From the corner of his eye he could see Chiaotzu fiddling with his sleeves, a nervous picking at loose threads.
When Shen turned to look at him, it took all of his energy not to bare his teeth in a snarl. The old man’s voice was a low whisper, oil skating over the top of turbulent water. “Tienshinhan, you have been lying to me.”
“Never, Master,” Tien said immediately. Making sure his tone was flat and expressionless. Biting down the anger and hunger.
“Chiaotzu, come.” The fiddling movement stopped and Chiaotzu floated dutifully forward, face totally blank beneath the seal. “Stay.” Like he was commanding a dog. Chiaotzu didn’t respond, just froze in place.
He isn’t your pet , Tien fumed internally. Outside though, he bent his head and said, “I’m sorry, Master, I don’t understand.”
“Take off your charm, Tienshinhan.” A pointed look down at Tien’s wrist. Instinctively, Tien pushed it behind him, cupping his other hand around it. The coin was warm against his palm, the leather smooth and soft beneath his fingertips, the clasp digging sharp edges into the rapid throb of his pulse.
“No, I can’t.” Then, faltering, his fear showing in the tremble of his voice and the uncertainty of his tone, “Th-the clasp is broken, Master.”
Shen’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t lie to me, Tienshinhan. I made you, I put this spell on you and I deserve to know that it was successful.”
“I…” Hesitating, for only a moment. Tien couldn’t let this happen, he couldn’t let the bracelet come off. In a rush, he said, “I do change when it comes off, but I can’t control myself, Master.” Tien squeezed his wrist tighter, feeling the bones shift with a sharp painful twinge. Lowering his eyes and saying softly, “It’s not safe…”
“I don’t care if it’s safe.” Tien swung his head up, disbelief widening his eyes. Shen was smirking. “If you don’t take it off willingly, I’ll make you.”
“You can’t.” Tien straightened. Squared his shoulders. Narrowed his eyes. “I won’t let you.”
Shen folded his hands and smirked. Without turning his head, without taking his eyes off Tien, he said calmly, “Chiaotzu, take his bracelet.”
Tien’s heart plunged into his gut. Wide eyed, he watched as Chiaotzu started to float towards him, face still totally blank behind the seal. The boy who had raised him, who had protected him when Shen’s attempt to curse him with his wolf form had apparently failed. Who had kept him safe and fed and happy. Who had found him after that first terrible shift, had clasped the bracelet back on his wrist and promised he wouldn’t let it happen again.
Now floating towards him. Blank and emotionless. There was no sign of his brother there now, but Tien was sure he was still in there. Trapped beneath the seal, and the spell of obedience.
“Don’t do this, Chiaotzu,” he said, pleaded, barely aware that he was speaking at all. “I don’t want to hurt you. You can’t do this.”
But Chiaotzu continued to float blindly forward. Behind him, Shen started to laugh, a hoarse cawing sound. A raven choking on its meal. “You’re mine, Tienshinhan. He’s mine. I own you, and I will see the fruits of my labour.”
Tien backed up, step by step, helplessly watching his brother drift closer. Steel thread wound up his spine, through his bones. “You want to see? You want to see what you did to me?” he asked, his voice a low growl. Behind his back, one fingernail slid beneath the clasp. A brief battle of his consciousness, the instinctual fear to keep it closed and secure almost winning out.
When his mind finally won, the bracelet slithered off his wrist and into the dirt. Immediately his body jolted, throwing him to the ground, pain spiralling through as his body rearranged itself. The cracking was just as he remembered, deafening snaps echoing in his ears, as his limbs lengthened and thinned out. The itch of fur bristling from his skin, the sharp electric pain of a tail and ears shifting into existence. His eyes fell on Chiaotzu, who had halted in midair in front of him, the task he had been sent to complete already done, and the only thing he could think as hunger swelled and took over his brain was that he had to protect.
His thoughts were hazy, as though they were coming from a great distance. Shrouded in hunger. If he could just get it under control he could come back to himself. Could find his way back to his own mind. He became aware of his own snapping jaws, of the long strands of saliva that glistened from his fangs. The hackles raised down his powerfully muscled back, and the vicious growl that was grating from his throat. Chiaotzu had drawn back a little, his eyes wide. The seal on his forehead fluttering. The black letters burning into Tien’s mind.
OBEY.
OBEY.
He lunged forward. Paws met narrow shoulders, forcing Chiaotzu out of the air and onto the ground. Laughter echoing around him, cruel and pleased, as he bared his fangs. Drinking in the emotions that danced on the boy’s features. Fear and horror and a confused sort of hurt mingling and clashing in the depths of his dark eyes. And a thread of hope. Or something very like it.
“Kill him, Tienshinhan,” Shen said from what felt like miles away. “Crush his skull in your teeth.”
Hunger surged in him at the thought, imagining the spurt of blood that would fill his mouth, the feast he could enjoy. He lowered his jaws. His fangs grazing Chiaotzu’s cheek, the skin there cold and soft. Then snapping his teeth together. Wrenching his neck back. Putting all the strength of his wolf form into the movement. Chiaotzu screamed. Short and sharp. And then, with a huge ripping sound, the magic holding the seal to Chiaotzu’s forehead tore apart and dissipated into smoke.
There was a long moment of silence. Stretching into the clearing. And Tien lifted his head, steadily tearing the defunct seal into ribbons. Three eyes blazing with rage. His paws shifting so he was standing protectively over Chiaotzu. The jiangshi blinking and shaking his head. Freed of the spell that had bound him for so many long years.
“Get out,” Tien snarled, thickly through his hunger.
Shen did. He fled the clearing, leaving nothing but the acrid stink of fear. Letting out a low chuffing noise, Tien lowered his head and pushed his nose to Chiaotzu’s cheek. The jiangshi responded with a cold hand on Tien’s muzzle, then saying in a soft, foggy voice, “Tien?”
“Are you okay, Chiaotzu?” Tien asked.
“Feel sick.” Chiaotzu groaned, then blinked and, for the first time in forever, his eyes focused on Tien. No paper between them. “You’re a wolf.”
Tien chuffed again, a low laugh. “Have been for a while, yes.”
“But you can control it.” Chiaotzu sat up, then put his hands on his head and squeezed his eyes shut. “Ouch.”
“Go slowly,” Tien said. “You were under that spell a long time.”
Chiaotzu blinked his eyes open, then grinned, revealing his small sharp fangs. “I’m so proud of you, Tien. You’re incredible.”
Lifting his head, feeling the strength in his long, lithe form, the swish of his tail and the clarity of his vision. The hunger was still there, but faded to a quiet voice in the back. No longer controlling his every move. He felt strong, he felt powerful. He was incredible, he decided. And because of him, now they were free.