It dropped six feet into the drainage culvert that ran parallel to the road, landing nose-first with a crunch of collapsing metal and shattering glass.
Then silence.
"Stop the car," Shuyin commanded.
"Miss Shuyin....." Ting Fei started.
"Stop. The. Car."
Ting Fei glanced at Lu Yuze, who nodded grimly. The sedan pulled to the shoulder two hundred yards past the crash site, engine idling.
"Stay in the car," Lu Yuze ordered Shuyin. "Ting Fei and I will....."
"No," Yu Shou interrupted, already opening her door. "I'll investigate. It's my purpose to face threats to the Queen, not yours."
She was out of the car before anyone could argue, moving with that liquid grace back toward the crash site. Ting Fei and Lu Yuze exchanged a glance, then followed, hands moving to concealed weapons.
Shuyin stayed in the back seat, her jade eyes still active, watching through the sedan's body as the three figures approached the wrecked vehicle.
