Dr. Li Lan’s last memory of the 21st century was the cold glass of the museum display. Her first memory of the 14th century was the smell of burning silk and the weight of a heavy iron collar. She was Consort Su, the “Traitorous Concubine” of the dying Han Dynasty.
“Drink,” the High Eunuch hissed, holding a cup of poisoned wine.
Li Lan didn’t panic. She remembered the history books. This execution was supposed to happen in the Moonlight Pavilion, but they were in the Hall of Cranes. History has shifted, she realized. She used her knowledge of palace architecture to kick a hidden pressure plate in the floor—a secret she’d discovered in a blueprint five hundred years in the future. A hidden door swung open, and she tumbled into the darkness just as the guards lunged.
