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ZHANG DYNASTY 2:
TEMPTATION OF THE
BUTTERFLY
By
Michelle M Pillow
Prologue
“Make her burn for
me. Make her burn …”
Thin trails of smoke
curled in the air,
surrounding the
offering of wine and
bread before
disappearing along
the latticework
above the low altar.
Darkness shadowed
the room, hiding the
lone figure that
kneeled in
meditative prayer,
rocking back and
forth in desperation
as passion burned
inside him, deep,
haunting,
all-consuming.
The dark silk of his
robes billowed into
a glossy pool around
his feet and fell
past his hands to
cover them
completely. The
material swam around
him, and he looked
like a child in his
father’s clothing.
Like most of the men
on his planet, he
wore his hair long,
but he wasn’t like
the other men, not
really. He was
different, a part of
them, but yet was
unaccepted. The man
rocked faster, his
whispered chants
growing with each
anxious twitch of
his body.
Soon. He’d see her
again soon.
“Make her burn for
me, as I burn for
her. Make her burn
for me. I beg of
you, honored
ancestors. Bring me
her heart. Make it
burn.”
Chapter One
Imperial Palace of
the Zhang Dynasty,
Honorable City,
Muntong Territory,
Planet of Lintian
“Qing bang-zhu wo!”
Princess Zhang Fen
yelled in fervent
terror, as she tried
not to inhale the
thick black smoke
that filled the air
of her bedchamber.
Fire danced in
spiraling patterns
all around her. She
tried to escape
through her front
door, which led to
the hall and front
foyer of the
building that housed
the royal living
quarters. Flames cut
her off, engulfing
the walls as they
nearly seared her
skin with the
intensity of their
heat.
“Please, help me.
Anyone!” She
screamed again, but
it did no good. No
one came to rescue
her. The royal
quarters was only
one building out of
a great many that
made up the imperial
palace of Honorable
City. How could no
one hear her calls
for help? Where were
her brothers who
shared the building
with her? Had the
fire already
consumed them?
A chill racked over
her spine, causing a
brief shiver amidst
the fiery
temperature. The
ghostly presence of
her ancestors
surrounded her, for
whom else could it
be? Ancestors showed
themselves to those
they wished to
guide, and she was
in desperate need.
Fen looked for their
transparent forms,
hoping they were
there to lead her
out of harm’s way.
She couldn’t see
them through the
smoke.
“Grandmother? Are
you here?” she
whispered, knowing
her
great-grandmother,
Zhang An, would show
herself if she was.
Since her death, An
had been residing in
the sacred room
hidden within the
walls of the Hall of
Infinite Wisdom.
Fen was in good
standing with the
ancestors. She
always left
offerings,
especially for An
who loved wine. Ever
since Fen’s mother,
the Empress, had
stopped leaving the
drink for the old
spirit, Fen had
snuck wine into the
Sacred Chamber.
The Empress was
upset with An
because the spirit
hadn’t been
forthcoming when
she’d predicted
Princess Mei’s
future. Everyone
thought Fen’s sister
would marry Prince
Song Lok, whose
family ruled the
only other dynasty
on the planet of
Lintian. Instead,
Mei wed a space
captain and was
flying around the
high skies, far away
from her palace
home. She’d just
given birth to a
son, the first royal
grandchild. The
Empress missed her
youngest daughter
dearly and resented
not having an active
hand in raising the
boy.
“Grandmother An, if
you get me out of
this, I promise to
leave you twice as
much wine tonight.”
Fen watched the
smoke for any sign
that she was heard.
Still there was no
answer. Out of all
her ancestors, An
meddled in their
lives the most.
Then, where was she?
What better time to
‘meddle’?
Right now, Fen would
take the help of any
of the spirits who
resided within the
palace. They could
be anywhere at
anytime but usually
avoided private
areas like bedrooms.
Another chill washed
over her, and she
knew a spirit was
close, but she
couldn’t see who it
was. Why weren’t
they helping her
escape? Or was there
no escaping these
flames? Were they
waiting for her to
join them in death?
“I’m not ready. I’m
not ready,” Fen
said, tears welling
in her eyes. Part of
her had clung to the
hope of liberation,
had believed so
fully that she’d be
saved that she
didn’t consider the
possibility of
getting hurt. But,
as no one came and
the flames grew, she
wasn’t as confident.
“Qing, please, I’m
not ready. I’m not
ready to die!”
The dark silk on her
bed melted and
curled with the
heat, matching the
melting silk
tapestries that
burned along her
walls. Her gaze flew
to the thin doorways
separating the
chambers of her
room. Both doors had
burned, revealing
the rooms beyond.
Her living space and
her decontaminator
room were also on
fire.
“Grandfather
Manchu?” she asked,
hoping to appeal to
Zhang An’s son. The
two were often at
odds, but if one
wasn’t going to help
her then maybe the
other spirit would.
The building was the
private quarters to
the royal siblings,
and she prayed her
brothers had gotten
out safely and would
find a way to rescue
her. “I beg you,
Manchu, help me.
Protect me. Protect
my family.”
Wood crackled as she
once more tried to
reach the thick
bedroom door that
would lead to the
outside hall and to
safety. A piece of
the door fell away,
and she saw the hall
on the other side.
It looked fresh and
clean, unlike her
bedroom. Smoke
charred the gold
inlay on the carved
wood, and she was
forced to her knees
as it became harder
to breathe. Her
tears dried before
they could trail
down her hot cheeks,
as all moisture was
sapped from the air.
A large beam fell
from the ceiling,
and she screamed,
scrambling back to
curl into a ball.
There was nowhere to
go.
“Qing, help!” Fen
closed her eyes
tight, trying to
gain the courage to
push through the
flames toward
safety. “Qing, I
don’t want to die
like this!”
“Princess?”
A shout followed by
the crash of her
door sounded over
her, propelling her
into action.
Finally, she was
saved! Before
opening her eyes,
she stood. “I’m
here….”
Fen froze, her voice
dying in her throat
as the heat
instantly left her
skin. The flames
were gone and the
room stood exactly
as it had before the
fire started--from
the wrinkled covers
on her bed where
she’d been sleeping
to the delicate
butterfly and peony
patterns on her
rugs. Coughing, a
small puff of smoke
left her lips, the
only evidence as to
what had happened
moments before. She
panted for breath,
still choked from
the heat, as she
looked around in
shock. Embroidered
blue silk again hung
over her walls and
lay across her bed.
The thin doors were
shut, completely
unharmed as they hid
the living area and
decontaminator from
view.
Shaking, she looked
at the main door in
confusion. Its gold
inlay shone like it
had before she went
to bed, the thick
wood unmarred. Dark
blue eyes, the shade
of her favorite
color, met hers over
the short distance.
They belonged to the
man waiting in the
entryway, his body
tense as if for
battle.
“Princess?” the man
repeated, his deep
tone softer this
time. The rich, low
sound of his voice
rolled over her like
cooling water to the
heated skin.
Fen was too stunned
to answer. A new
fire sprung to life
inside her stomach,
curling with a
gentle warmth. What
had happened to the
flames in her
bedchamber? What
magic did this man
have that could stop
fire and make it as
if it had never
happened? Her limbs
went numb as she
looked at his
handsome face. A
rush of gratitude
came over her, even
though there was no
longer any fire to
be rescued from.
Part of her wanted
to run to him, throw
her arms around him
in thanks for
stopping the flames,
to sprinkle grateful
kisses on his cheeks
and bless him for
what he’d done. But
there was more than
gratitude that hit
her when she looked
at him. It was an
improper feeling, a
feeling of
attraction and
interest, a curling
of awareness that
here stood a man
alone with her in
her bedchambers
where no others were
allowed. The rule
was not one of the
palace, but her own.
Men only brought
complication, and
she did not wish to
be gossiped about by
the palace servants.
“If you have no need
of my services,
princess, please
excuse me.” The man
bowed politely and
moved to pull the
door shut. She
gaped, wide-eyed at
him, not wanting him
to go but not
knowing what to say
to make him stay.
“Duibuqi. Excuse me,
princess, I did not
mean to intrude.”
“Wait,” Fen demanded
just before the door
shut completely,
finally compelled to
speak.
The man stopped, and
he opened the door
once more, standing
at rigid attention.
His eyes did not
meet hers again and
she finally felt as
if she could breathe
in his presence. She
studied him, feeling
a pull toward him.
Had she seen him
somewhere before?
Did she know him? He
wasn’t dressed as a
palace guard, nor
was he dressed as a
noble. The plain
black of his
clothing was oddly
devoid of any
decoration, though
it was spun from
silk and had the
traditional Mandarin
collar and frog
buttons.
Fen continued to
study him, her mind
wrapping completely
around the mystery.
His brown hair was
long, pulled into a
traditional topknot.
Though there was a
hint of Lintianese
in his strong
features, but his
eyes were not the
eyes of her people,
his cheekbones were
too prominent and
his lips curved in
such a way as to
make them
unfamiliar. Whoever
this man was, she’d
guess he was only
half Lintianese by
birth. His
pronunciation of the
language was
flawless, indicating
that he’d been
raised in their ways
or had access to a
stellar language
upload program.
He was taller than
most men Fen had
been around, though
not so tall as Mei’s
space captain
husband who
practically towered
over her. Captain
Jarek of the Var
also happened to be
a foreign, cat
shifting prince.
“Who are you?” she
asked the handsome
stranger, not
moving.
“Aaron,” he
answered. His gaze
focused on her feet.
Fen resisted the
urge to hide her
toes from view. They
tingled with just a
stare from him.
“Aaron?” she
repeated, rolling
the foreign name
around in her mouth.
“What is your family
name? Or is that
your family name?”
“Piers.” The answer
was clipped.
“How did you get in
here, Piers Aaron?”
Fen asked.
“Forgive my
intrusion, princess,
I heard you scream
for help as I walked
by and thought you
needed rescuing.”
His hands gripped in
light fists at his
side. They were
strong, callused
hands, the hands of
a worker. He glanced
around the room,
refusing to look
directly at her. “I
see now you were
merely playacting.
Forgive my mistake.
Duibuqi, excuse me.”
Fen tensed. There
was something in his
tone that bothered
her. It took her a
moment to realize it
was disdain, mixed
with a touch of
pity. He thought she
was crazy, screaming
for help when there
was nothing to be
rescued from. So
much for the theory
that this man had
magic. Could she
really blame his
reproach? All
evidence of her dire
situation had
disappeared, making
it appear as if
she’d been screaming
like a madwoman for
no reason. Fen
hardly needed
rescuing from her
bedclothes.
The man was so
serious, so rigid,
as he waited for her
to dismiss him that
she couldn’t help
but tease him in the
hopes of putting him
at ease. “Do you
know there is a
penalty for
wandering about
outside the royal
chambers, even if
you were waiting to
save me from
myself?”
Aaron glanced up at
her words, and she
tried to smile to
show she was joking,
but the look in his
dark eyes stopped
her cold. What she
could only describe
as resentment burned
within his gaze. Out
of all the Zhang
children, Fen was
most gifted with
charm. It was more
than the natural
ability to put
people at ease, it
was a power bestowed
upon her at birth by
their sacred Jade
Phoenix. When she
spoke, she could
induce a person to
tell the truth or
show their true
emotions. And, to an
extent, she could
control them by
playing their
emotions against
them with the power
of persuasion. It
was a great
responsibility, one
Fen never used for
ill intent.
Her powers being as
they were, she knew
she shouldn’t have
been surprised to
see the raw emotion
in the man’s eyes.
To anyone else, he
would appear stoic
and calm, but she
saw his resentment,
his borderline anger
and hate that
bubbled just beneath
the surface. Did he
hate her? Resent
her? Her family? The
palace? It was hard
to say without
knowing who he was
or why he was within
the walls of the
Honorable City. The
sudden impact of his
hidden emotions made
her uneasy.
“I have the
Emperor’s permission
to stay in Peng You
Hall.” Aaron lifted
his jaw, the gesture
one of pride. Then,
as if catching
himself, he
deliberately lowered
his eyes once more.
Pride was not
something she saw
too often in
commoners, at least
not when they knew
she was there.
“You’re a guest?”
she asked in
surprise.
Aaron nodded once.
Fen wasn’t sure if
she should believe
him. Maybe he
trespassed on palace
grounds. A thief?
Instantly she
dismissed the
thought. A thief
wouldn’t have saved
her. But, then who?
Being one of the
four unmarried royal
children still
residing at the
palace, she was
expected to welcome
any of their guests.
Although, at
fifty-one years of
age, she hardly
considered herself a
child, even if she
did look exactly as
she had thirty years
ago.
“Here?” she
persisted. “You’re a
guest here in the
palace?”
He said again, “I
have the Emperor’s
permission to stay
in Peng You Hall.”
Fen weakly nodded,
completely aware
that she sounded
like an imbecile as
she forced her poor
rescuer to repeat
himself as if she
were a child. It was
hard to gather her
thoughts so soon
after the strange
fire. The pull of
his nearness wasn’t
helping her
concentrate--though
to look at him the
pull was entirely
one-sided.
“If you have no need
of me, princess,
I’ll take my leave
of you.” Aaron
glanced up, again
showing her the dark
blue of his gaze.
Fen nodded weakly at
him in dismissal. He
pulled the door shut
behind him and left
without further
comment.
For a long, silent
moment, she stared
after him, looking
at the gold inlay on
the door without
really seeing it.
Suddenly, as she
remembered the fire
that had awoke her
from her dreams, she
looked down, feeling
her warm, smooth
arms. Finding her
flesh unharmed, she
sprung into action.
Fen grabbed her robe
off a nearby chair.
As she ran, she
slipped it over her
shoulders, hurrying
to make sure none of
her siblings were
harmed by the
strange disappearing
inferno.
The flames hadn’t
been a dream. They
couldn’t have been.
They had felt so
real.
A vision? she
wondered, confused.
An omen or warning?
Foresight was Shen’s
gift from the Jade
Phoenix, not hers.
In total there were
six royal siblings.
Prince Haun was the
oldest and heir to
the throne. He had
strength and a
warrior’s heart.
When the time came,
he would make a
great emperor.
Second oldest was
Jin with the gift of
knowing and
understanding the
past. Then Lian, who
was blessed with
grace, both in
movement and
temperament, and
with knowledge of
the present. He
could defuse any
situation with logic
and made one fine
dancer. Fen was next
in line, born a few
years before her
younger brother,
Shen. And the baby
of the family was
Mei, whose soul was
like the wind,
blowing free. Mei
was pure instinct,
led by the elements
who whispered their
secrets in her ear.
Beyond that, there
were two
siblings-by-marriage--Mei’s
husband, Jarek, and
Jin’s wife. Jin had
married a foreign
woman, Francesca La
Rosa. They were
living quite happily
in the countryside
away from the
palace, where they
were completing the
building for a
school to teach
martial arts.
Since both siblings
had found happiness
in foreign arms, why
shouldn’t Fen too be
attracted to a man
who wasn’t wholly of
Lintianese birth? It
wasn’t like she was
going to marry Piers
Aaron, she was just
a little bit
interested in him on
a romantic level.
Okay, a lot
interested in
him--naturally
assuming he was a
guest at the palace
like he said. She
wondered if the
Emperor and Empress
would see it that
way. In the
immediate family it
was no secret that
her mother was
disappointed in the
matches Jin and Mei
had made.
An ache filled her
as she thought of
her sister. She
missed Mei. It was
hard being around
men all the time.
She had hoped
Francesca would’ve
been more open to
friendship, but the
woman was still too
guarded. If only Fen
had someone to talk
to that wasn’t a
brother.
She thought of her
strange rescuer. Who
was he really? What
was he doing in the
palace?
Stopping at Haun’s
door, she pounded
her hand against it.
“Haun? It’s me, Fen.
Haun? Are you safe?”
A sleepy-eyed Haun
opened the door,
mid-yawn. Irritated,
he grumbled, “Hao
le, hao le, that’s
enough. Stop
pounding, Fen, I
hear you. What are
you yelling about?”
He held the door to
hide his waist,
letting her see his
naked chest. Fen
averted her eyes
briefly, as it was
apparent her brother
wasn’t dressed for
the day.
“You’re not on
fire?” Fen asked,
again looking up at
her brother.
“What?” He blinked
in confusion,
shaking his head in
denial of the
obvious question.
“No?” Turning before
he could speak, she
hurried toward
Lian’s door, telling
Haun, “Okay, good,
I’m glad.”
Fen stopped to pound
on Lian’s door. He
too answered with a
yawn.
“What’s happening?”
Lian asked, more
alert than Haun had
been.
“I had a vision or
something,” Fen
said. “You’re
unharmed?”
Lian nodded in the
affirmative. “Shi.”
“No fire?”
“No.” Lian frowned.
“Ah, good,” Fen
answered, turning to
check on Shen.
“Wait, Fen,” Haun
emerged from his
room to follow her.
He had put clothes
on. “What’s going
on?”
“She said she had a
vision,” Lian
answered for her.
“A vision?” Haun
gasped. “But, Fen,
you don’t have
visions.”
“I know that!” Fen
didn’t have a chance
to knock as Shen
slid open to door.
“Any fire in there?”
“Fire? No.” Shen’s
eyes were clear,
signifying that he’d
been awake for
awhile.
“Good, you’re all
safe. It’s just me,”
Fen sighed with
relief. To Shen, she
asked, “Can I come
in?”
Shen stepped back,
waving his hand to
gesture her in. Fen
walked past him. The
aqua color of the
silk decor,
embroidered with the
ancient symbol of a
fish amongst waves,
reminded her of
being underwater.
“This is going to be
interesting,” Lian
said behind her. She
heard her brothers
entering the room
but was unsure where
to begin the
explanation of what
happened. A fire,
but no proof of
fire. How was she
going to explain
that?
“Now, jie jie,” Haun
said. “Talk to us.
What’s this about a
vision and fire?”
Fen nodded, going on
to tell them about
her bizarre morning.
© copyright Michelle
M. Pillow, 2006
This is a work of
fiction. All
characters, events,
and places are of
the author’s
imagination and not
to be confused with
fact. Any
resemblance to
living persons or
events is merely
coincidence.
Reviews
"5 Angels!
RECOMMENDED READ!
Michelle M. Pillow
once again brings us
into the richly
detailed world of
the Zhang Dynasty. A
well-crafted world
brings realistic
characters into your
front room while you
read about the
trials and
tribulations they
endure as the
premiere family. ...
I cannot wait to see
what else is in
store for this
family." - Serena,
Fallen Angel
Reviews, Feb 2007
"5 Clovers! I really
think this series is
the best work
Pillow’s done, and
that’s saying a lot
where this author’s
concerned...Highly
Recommended!" -
Kwips and Kritiques,
March 2007
"5 HEARTS! Ms.
Pillow gives her
readers lively
characters that
reach into the
reader’s heart and
get them rooting and
tooting for them.
She also writes a
villain that the
reader will be hard
pressed to figure
out until the very
end. A great plot,
lively dialogue and
hot, sensual love
scenes give this
story a well rounded
read. Don’t forget
to check out Zhang
Dynasty 1 –
SEDUCTION OF THE
PHOENIX. This
reviewer is already
a big fan of
Michelle M. Pillow
and is always
excited whenever a
new book comes out.
She is on this
reviewer’s auto-buy
list." Love
Romances, 2007
Additional
Book
Information
Amazon ASIN:
B008L2UXEW
Electronic
ISBN:
9781452487175
ISBN-10:
1625010044
ISBN-13:
978-1625010049
Release
Date: July
2012
Word Count:
60,000
Heat Level:
4/5
Series
Seduction of the
Phoenix
Temptation of the
Butterfly
Series is related to
Dragon Lords Series
The Raven Book electronic ebook titles available at the
following vendors
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