《The Song of Bones》


 01

    She remembered perfectly the first time she had found herself in this room. The stress had taken hold of every part of her body, especially her left leg, which wouldn¡¯t stop trembling. It was early December; the cold was glacial, yet Sophie felt hot. Her secondhand blazer suddenly seemed incredibly tight, and she was certain her underarms were getting damper by the second. If this kept up, she was going to have a full-blown panic attack during her first-ever job interview¡ªwhat a fantastic memory that would make. Fortunately, just as she pressed a hand against her uncooperative leg, her future employer appeared.


    She was a petite old woman with a distinctly unapproachable air. It took only one glance into her condescending eyes for Sophie to understand that this interview would be anything but easy. She wasn¡¯t surprised; before coming, she had, of course, done her research on the host. Madame An Wu was known for many things, but not for her warmth. She was, incidentally, one of the most brilliant minds in the world, responsible for major scientific breakthroughs such as identifying the gene behind werewolf metamorphosis and discovering the LC68 mutation, which affected sperm production in male elves, rendering most of them sterile. She was a pillar of modern medicine¡ªand therefore could afford to be unpleasant.


    Meeting her in person was already a privilege; being considered for a position on her team, an honor. By the end of the interview, Sophie was convinced she had completely blown it. Aside from stammering and nervously fidgeting with her hands, she hadn¡¯t done much. She had wanted to present herself as a confident, ambitious young woman, a freshly minted Harvard graduate. Instead, she had behaved like a schoolgirl called into the principal¡¯s office. That evening, she had crawled into the bed of her hotel room with a basket full of fortune cookies she had stolen from the reception desk. She could already see herself returning to Madrid, disappointed and defeated, seeking comfort in Mother Superior¡¯s arms.


    But fate had other plans. Just as she was about to fall asleep, she received a call¡ªthe call that changed her life.


    One year later to the day, she found herself in that same office once again. Just as anxious, but now armed with ways to hide it. She crossed her legs to appear more poised and convinced herself there was no reason to sweat. No more ill-fitting suits; now she wore a white lab coat over a crisp cotton blouse and navy-blue slacks. She even allowed herself to wear heels¡ªwhereas before, she swore by floral ballet flats. Sophie felt ready, holding the results of her latest experiment, certain that this was the purpose of their meeting.


    As expected, Madame An Wu took her time before appearing. By now, Sophie knew it wasn¡¯t an intimidation tactic but simply a result of her packed schedule. And these few extra minutes gave her time to mentally rehearse her presentation. At every meeting, she wanted to reaffirm to her boss that she was a valuable asset, an essential link in the chain. The moment she heard the door open, she immediately rose and bowed slightly in greeting.


    ¡°Good morning, Sophie,¡± the old woman greeted in return before settling behind her desk.


    Sophie waited for the signal to sit, then immediately began speaking, handing over the report detailing the latest results from their research on orc DNA sequencing.


    ¡°We¡¯re making rapid progress, ma¡¯am. By the end of the month, we¡¯ll be able to confirm that we¡¯ve fully sequenced the genome.¡±


    Madame An Wu nodded in acknowledgment but didn¡¯t even bother to open the folder. Sophie was surprised but didn¡¯t let it throw her off. Maintaining a confident yet gentle tone, she continued, diving into the technical details of the project.


    ¡°How long have you been working for me, Sophie?¡± her boss interrupted, cutting her off mid-sentence.


    ¡°Uh¡­ well, it¡¯s been exactly one year, ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡°Already?¡± she mused, resting her chin on her hand. ¡°Time flies. Your job interview doesn¡¯t feel that long ago.¡±


    She laughed. Madame An Wu laughed. It was like stepping into a parallel universe. Sophie stared at her in disbelief, trying to stretch her lips into something resembling a smile. Even when joking, the old woman looked like a monster¡ªher face contorted into a grimace, deepened by her wrinkles. Aware that she was making her recruit uncomfortable, Madame An Wu soon calmed herself and spoke again.


    ¡°You were my second choice, you know,¡± she revealed. ¡°That day, I was supposed to interview two candidates for your position. On one side, we had Yi Yuan, a brilliant young man from one of Beijing¡¯s oldest vampire families. And on the other¡­ you.¡±


    She punctuated that last word by pulling a small box of pills from a desk drawer. Sophie barely had time to glimpse the label before her boss stowed it away again after extracting two capsules. Then, with a motion toward the water pitcher, she silently asked Sophie to pour her a glass, which she hurried to do.


    ¡°Hiring you caused me quite a bit of trouble.¡±


    ¡°Trouble?¡± Sophie echoed hesitantly. ¡°With whom?¡±


    ¡°My superiors, my colleagues, every man who thinks he has a say,¡± she replied, exasperated.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry to hear that, ma¡¯am.¡±


    For reasons she couldn¡¯t quite explain, Sophie felt guilty.


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be. On the contrary, this is your chance to prove your worth.¡±


    Seeing Sophie¡¯s confusion, the old woman pulled open another drawer and handed her a file. As she took it, Sophie swallowed hard before lifting the cover, which bore the university¡¯s insignia.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t understand,¡± she murmured as her eyes skimmed the long list of names inside.


    ¡°After a rather heated discussion with my doctor, I¡¯ve decided to lighten my workload. The fact is, I¡¯m not twenty-five anymore; I can¡¯t manage both the department and the second-year undergraduate courses. So, I¡¯m entrusting that task to you.¡±


    Words¡ªat this moment, all Sophie could hear were words. And among them, one stood out: teaching. She was going to have to teach. Speak in public. To an audience of over four hundred students.


    ¡°My secretary will email you everything you need to know¡ªthe syllabus, the schedule, the midterm dates. I¡¯m already looking forward to reading the exam questions you come up with,¡± she joked, entirely unconcerned with Sophie¡¯s growing panic.


    All the while, she slowly stood up, extending her hand for Sophie to assist her.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re anxious, but you¡¯ll see¡ªthese new responsibilities will challenge you and allow you to prove yourself,¡± she reassured her, patting her hand as they walked toward the door.


    Sophie felt like time was speeding up, as if some divine entity had pressed fast-forward on reality. When had the pace of this conversation accelerated so drastically? Her mind was so clouded that she didn¡¯t even realize she was already outside the office, her boss having released her arm to lean against the doorframe.


    ¡°I personally chose your new office¡ªI hope you¡¯ll like it,¡± she said, attempting a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t look so grim. You just got a promotion. Be happy and get to work. Don¡¯t forget¡ªI expect a lot from you, Miss Durant.¡±


    Then Sophie felt a faint breath of air against her face. She blinked. And in the next second, she was staring at a closed door.


    She stood frozen for a long moment, until Madame An Wu¡¯s secretary took pity on her and gently ushered her out of the hall.


    ***


    As she left the campus, Sophie wondered who she should call.


    She had just received some good news¡ªperplexing, yes, but still worth sharing with someone. Someone who could both celebrate with her and understand the turning point her career was taking. The only name that came to mind was Laura Jin, but Sophie refused to call her. It was late, and her best friend had probably started her shift long ago. Even if she tried reaching out, she would likely get no answer. So, she resigned herself to celebrating her promotion alone in front of a C-drama.


    To make this pathetic evening slightly less miserable, she at least needed a good meal. And her favorite food truck was closing in less than an hour. Sophie didn¡¯t know how to cook; it was just one of the many skills she lacked. The number of pots she had burned in her youth was in the dozens, as were the number of times she had nearly ended up in the hospital trying to be helpful. When she moved into her new apartment, she had promised herself she would only use the kitchen to make coffee or heat up microwave meals. She picked up her pace, not wanting to miss the subway that would¡ªhopefully, in time¡ªtake her to her dinner.


    She was surprised to see the crowd gathered around the terminals. Xizhimen Station was an intersection between several districts, and being crammed against strangers during a long commute was nothing new. Tonight, however, the level of proximity was unusual; Sophie literally felt like she was merging with the other passengers. And things didn¡¯t improve once she was inside the carriage. She didn¡¯t even have time to check whether she had taken the right line before she was once again surrounded on all sides.


    And, as if fate were having a laugh, her position didn¡¯t allow her to grab onto a bar for support.


    As a result, she could only rely on gravity and her heels to keep her balance¡ªtwo things that were no match for the driver¡¯s sudden start. Helpless, she felt herself fall backward, taking the woman behind her down with her. Fortunately, a hand landed on her back, preventing her from crashing to the floor. Ignoring the strange sensation of a powerful palm pressing against her coat, she quickly lowered her head.


    ¡ª¡°Thank you,¡± she stammered.


    There was no response. Instead, the man stepped back slightly, allowing her to see a grab bar fixed in the middle of the carriage. His massive frame had blocked it from her view before. She thanked him again and quickly positioned herself before the driver took another turn. Sophie was now standing still, but no less flustered. Her rescuer was so close that she could feel his breath brushing against the top of her head.


    With each exhale, she could hear her heart pounding harder in her chest, and she scolded herself for being so obvious. She wished she could disappear, become invisible, so that no one would notice the red spreading across her cheeks. And just when she thought the situation couldn¡¯t get any worse, more passengers squeezed into the carriage, filling the tiny space that had separated her from the man.


    ¡ª¡°Sorry,¡± she murmured as her head brushed against his broad chest.


    Again, Sophie received no reply and convinced herself that he was either mute or just as embarrassed as she was. Not wanting to insist, she focused on keeping her balance, struggling not to sway under the driver¡¯s questionable maneuvering. She began to suspect he was trying to get the ride over with when he failed to stop for an oncoming tram. The two vehicles scraped past each other with a loud metallic screech, making her jump several times.


    ¡ª¡°You should hold on with both hands,¡± he advised, his tone both kind and commanding.


    Instinctively, Sophie craned her neck up, nearly straining it, and met deep black pupils set in sharp, narrow eyes. She swallowed hard, not understanding how a stranger could stir so many emotions in her so quickly.


    ¡ª¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s necessary, I¡¯ll be getting off soon anyway,¡± she replied, offering him a polite smile.


    His gaze darkened, contradicting his otherwise expressionless face. She immediately realized she had said or done something wrong and, in an urgent need to fix it, she placed her second hand on the bar. Her movements were so quick and uncoordinated that she wondered whether they were really hers or if someone else had taken control of her body. The strangest part was the man¡¯s reaction when she obeyed him¡ªhe let out a low growl, so deep that only she could hear it. That was too much for her.


    The moment she heard her stop announced over the speakers, she turned toward the automatic doors, which opened just as the tram came to a halt. Without hesitation, she slipped through the crowd and onto the platform, like a kitten fleeing from a larger, more menacing beast. Once outside, she was finally able to calm the wild rhythm in her chest¡ªand perhaps, to her greatest surprise, the heat pooling in the depths of her underwear.


    It wasn¡¯t until she heard the rails screeching again that she fully regained her senses, torn between relief and disappointment at the thought that this kind of encounter would never happen again.

 02

    She had gone to bed on an empty stomach.


    Sophie had managed to catch her favorite food truck the night before, only to realize that she didn¡¯t have her wallet. She had searched everywhere¡ªin her pockets, in her bag¡ªand even considered going back to campus to see if she had left it there. But she abandoned the idea as soon as she checked the time on her phone. It was way too late.


    Defeated, she hadn¡¯t even tried begging the cook for a free meal and simply resigned herself to going home, her stomach growling in protest.


    The next morning, she was woken up by the sound of her apartment doorbell. Judging by the way it kept ringing nonstop, she had no doubt about who her visitor was.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re hungry,¡± Laura Jin called out, holding up two bags full of takeout containers.


    Sophie could have married her.


    Seeing the beautiful elf standing in her doorway, hands full of food, Sophie was certain that if she ever switched sides, her best friend would be the reason. Eyes teary with gratitude, both from hunger and emotion, she pulled Laura into a hug before relieving her of one of the bags.


    They moved to the dining area near the window, which Laura Jin opened before sitting down.


    ¡°You look¡­ fantastic, by the way,¡± the elf teased, pulling out a pack of cigarettes from her pocket.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t eaten since noon yesterday.¡±


    ¡°And why is that? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve suddenly decided to go on a diet or something.¡±


    ¡°Not at all,¡± Sophie reassured her, unwrapping the last container. ¡°I just had a really exhausting day yesterday, you have no idea.¡±


    As soon as she opened the first box, her nostrils were overwhelmed by the deep-fried aroma of youtiao. Unable to hold back any longer, she took a huge bite of the still-warm dough sticks, savoring their perfectly balanced sweet-and-savory taste. Then she moved on to the second dish¡ªegg pancakes, the perfect hearty meal.


    ¡°So?¡± The elf¡¯s patience was running thin as she lit her cigarette. ¡°Are you gonna elaborate, or are we spending the whole day dancing around it?¡±


    ¡°Oh, well¡­ I got a promotion. At least, I think I did. Actually, I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s more of a test than¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait. Are you telling me that An Wu, the ogress herself, gave you a raise?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying. But I don¡¯t know if it really counts as one. The way she said it was weird. It felt like I was being handed a rotten potato.¡±


    Grabbing a fork¡ªbecause after a year in China, she still hadn¡¯t mastered chopsticks¡ªSophie recounted everything in detail. From the start of the meeting to the very end, making sure not to leave out the part about the medication she had never seen before.


    ¡°She seemed so weak at that moment. Her hand was shaking when she brought the pills to her mouth.¡±


    ¡°What kind of medication was it?¡±


    ¡°No idea. I didn¡¯t get a chance to read the label, but it really unsettled me. Especially since she¡¯s a wolf¡ªshe shouldn¡¯t be dealing with health issues.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. She should be living her best life now¡ªno full moons, no need to reproduce.¡±


    Sophie nodded as she took another bite of her pancakes. Among shapeshifters, especially lycans, the effects of the full moon weakened with age. Several studies had shown that this was due to the body¡¯s adaptation to lunar rays. For female wolves, menopause was followed by this insensitivity, as if the moon goddess herself freed her eldest subjects, allowing them to spend their final quarter-century in peace.


    ¡°And right after that, she offered you more responsibilities?¡±


    ¡°¡®Imposed¡¯ would be a better word. Trust me, she made it very clear that I didn¡¯t have a choice.¡±


    ¡°Well, in itself, that¡¯s not a bad thing,¡± Laura Jin reasoned. ¡°You¡¯re climbing the ranks¡ªit¡¯s not so bad.¡±


    ¡°Sure, but¡ªI don¡¯t mean to sound ungrateful¡ªbut I never asked for this. My old position suited me just fine. I was happy working quietly at my bench, playing around with DNA strands, and now I have to hold conferences, manage tutorial groups¡­¡±


    ¡°And there it is¡ªthe real issue: your crippling shyness.¡±


    Sophie gasped in offense, which only confirmed that her friend had hit the nail on the head.


    ¡°You¡¯re scared of public speaking.¡± The elf crushed her cigarette in the ashtray.


    ¡°It¡¯s not fear¡ªI just don¡¯t like it, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Sophie, the number of times you¡¯ve made me order for you at the bar¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because the bartenders like you. You always get free drinks.¡±


    ¡°You almost peed yourself in the club because you refused to ask some girl to move from the bathroom entrance.¡±


    ¡°That ¡®girl¡¯ was an elf, and your kind isn¡¯t exactly known for being friendly.¡±


    ¡°One night¡ª¡±


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡°Okay, okay!¡± Sophie interrupted with a long sigh. ¡°Maybe sometimes I get a little anxious about speaking in front of an audience.¡±


    ¡°You do realize you just reworded my sentence?¡± Laura Jin teased.


    ¡°That¡¯s not the point,¡± Sophie snapped, stabbing her fork into a youtiao. ¡°The fact is, this isn¡¯t about a single person at a bar or a nightclub¡ªit¡¯s about an entire lecture hall full of loud, unruly students. There¡¯s no way I can do this.¡±


    She lowered her head, hoping her friend would understand the gravity of what she was facing.


    ¡°And I¡¯m absolutely convinced you can.¡± Laura Jin¡¯s voice was firm. ¡°This promotion¡ªbecause yes, that¡¯s what it is¡ªis a chance for you to take on new challenges, to grow. It can only be a good thing.¡±


    ¡°All I see right now is the humiliation I¡¯m going to suffer in two weeks in front of an entire class.¡±


    ¡°Two weeks? That¡¯s more than enough time!¡± The elf clapped her hands. ¡°We have plenty of time to turn you into a proper lawyer.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to coach you,¡± she declared, slapping the table. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, you¡¯re looking at an experienced waitress¡ªinteracting with people and speaking clearly are my specialties.¡±


    ¡°So, I¡¯m your apprentice now?¡± Sophie feigned excitement.


    ¡°Exactly. You¡¯ll receive strict but thorough training to prepare you for the challenge ahead.¡±


    Faced with her friend¡¯s enthusiasm, Sophie couldn¡¯t help but give in. The way Laura¡¯s ears twitched when she was excited was too adorable to resist.


    And knowing her, these next two weeks before the university term started were going to be filled with fun and lighthearted moments¡ªexactly what Sophie needed.


    They spent a long time chatting by the window until Laura Jin started showing signs of exhaustion. In all the excitement, Sophie had completely forgotten that the elf had worked an entire night shift and needed rest.


    She offered her friend her bed while she went to take care of the missing wallet situation¡ªstill nowhere to be found and absolutely essential, given that it held her entire life.


    Once she was ready, she left her apartment, taking care not to slam the door. Laura Jin was a light sleeper with very sharp hearing; the slightest noise could wake her. As she descended the stairs of her building, Sophie ran through a million scenarios that could explain the disappearance of her precious item. She only considered three to be plausible. Either she had left it in her new office, which would force her to return to campus on a Saturday afternoon. Or she had dropped it in the street, in which case searching for it would be pointless.


    Or she had lost it in the subway or on the platform while fleeing a highly unsettling situation. If that were the case, her only option was to go to the lost and found office and pray for a lucky break.


    Her cheeks grew warm again as she recalled the reason for her escape. That incredibly handsome man who had offered to help her. He was a vampire. After spending the night analyzing every detail of his appearance, she had come to this conclusion. His skin was far too pale, and his body, though enveloped in a virile and intoxicating scent, gave off no warmth. He spoke perfect Mandarin, and his facial features were distinctly Asian, meaning he was a native, not a foreigner like her. He wore a magnetic keycard around his neck, indicating he had a job¡ªprobably in a corporate setting, judging by his black suit and long coat of the same color.


    He was perfect, and she would probably never see him again. Beijing had over twenty-one million inhabitants; this was far from a small countryside village. The chances of running into him a second time were about as likely as a collision between Earth and Neptune. Stepping off the bus, Sophie convinced herself that it was best to forget him. Fantasizing about a stranger was childish and beneath her¡ªor at least, that¡¯s what Laura Jin would have assured her if she had known about it.


    Every station had a lost and found office, the place where everything found within the station was deposited. To get there, she had to pass through an electric door just before the gates, which led into a fairly wide but dimly lit corridor. She walked forward with a determined stride but felt a growing discomfort¡ªthe kind a woman experiences when she realizes she¡¯s alone in an enclosed space that doesn¡¯t seem well-monitored.


    She felt partially reassured when she heard voices in the distance.


    A group of teenagers stood on either side of the hallway. They didn¡¯t seem particularly threatening, but they were laughing at something¡ªor someone. Sophie realized who their target was when she saw a man in his forties kneeling a few meters ahead, picking up the objects they were throwing to the ground.


    Her initial relief turned to shock. The scene was disgraceful and disgusting. But in that moment, she told herself it wasn¡¯t her problem. Taking a deep breath, she quickened her pace. Soon, the group of high schoolers was behind her, and the janitor was just to her right.


    She was about to walk past him too when she saw an iced coffee cup land directly on his head. The sound of the impact between the cup and his skull was far too loud and sent a jolt through her system. As the man instinctively rubbed the spot where he had been hit, she crouched down and handed him a tissue. He thanked her with a nod before wiping away the small droplets of blood that had appeared on his forehead. Then, as if nothing had happened, he went back to work, methodically scrubbing the spilled liquid in controlled, circular motions. It was as if the humiliation he was enduring didn¡¯t affect him.


    ¡°You should be ashamed of yourselves,¡± she snapped at the group.


    ¡°Relax, we were just messing around, lady,¡± retorted the boy with the iced coffee, letting out a nervous chuckle.


    ¡°Oh, you think this is funny? No, I have a better question¡ªdo you think your parents would find this funny?¡±


    At the mention of his parents, the teenager¡¯s lips tightened, and his fists clenched.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I thought,¡± she continued, placing her hands on her thighs. ¡°Here¡¯s what I propose: this gentleman and I will pretend this scene never happened. We¡¯ll forget your faces and the names neatly embroidered on your uniforms. And in return, you¡¯ll go home, apologize to your parents, and reflect on your behavior.¡±


    The teenagers exchanged glances, as if waiting for someone among them to decide what to do. Then, the weakest-willed among them¡ªthe same boy who had thrown the coffee¡ªpicked up his backpack and slung it over his shoulder. The others immediately followed.


    As their silhouettes disappeared down the hallway, she could still hear them grumbling and cursing at her. She didn¡¯t care. All she hoped was that this encounter would have a positive impact on them. That by the time they reached university¡ªif they ever did¡ªthey would have gained some maturity.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said softly to the janitor.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be.¡± The man still hadn¡¯t lifted his head. ¡°I appreciate you stepping in.¡±


    ¡°I did so far too late, unfortunately. Do you want me to take you to the hospital? Your wound looks deep.¡±


    ¡°No need. I can already feel it starting to heal. I won¡¯t trouble you any further, ma¡¯am.¡±


    She had the distinct impression that the opposite was true. His tone was grateful but brisk¡ªhe clearly wanted to cut the conversation short.


    ¡°Very well, I¡¯ll let you get back to work. Take care of yourself.¡±


    Then she straightened up and bowed slightly in farewell. He did the same, and she continued on her way.


    As she walked away, she considered turning back one last time to check on him, but she decided against it. Sometimes, not insisting was the best thing to do.


    When she finally reached the lost and found office, she let out a deep sigh upon seeing the queue. Judging by its length, she wouldn¡¯t be home before nightfall. She was about to take her place in line when she felt her phone vibrate.


    A message. From an unknown number.


    ¡°Madame Sophie Durant, an item belonging to you has been deposited at our precinct. Please present yourself as soon as possible at the Xi Chang police station, Third District.


    Best regards.¡±