Maya Stone lived parallel lives. To her neighbors in London, she was a quiet, sedentary researcher with a messy apartment. But Maya was a Việt Kiều with a secret. Her grandfather had been a famous explorer in Vietnam, and her home was filled with his old trunks and dusty maps.
One rainy Tuesday, Maya was in her attic, looking for a warm coat. Instead, she tripped over a heavy wooden box. Inside, hidden under an old silk áo dài, she found a leather journal.
"Grandfather’s diary," Maya whispered.
She opened it and a small, golden key fell onto the floor. On the first page, her grandfather had written a note in English: For Maya. The Jade Dragon is not just a legend. It is a map. Follow the scent of the pine trees in Đà Lạt.
Suddenly, the floorboards creaked outside her door. Maya froze. She lived alone, and she wasn't expecting any visitors.
"I know you're in there, Maya," a smooth, dangerous voice called out.
It was Marcus Thorne. He was a wealthy "treasure hunter" who had been trying to buy her grandfather's collection for years. Maya quickly bolted the door, but she heard Thorne’s heavy boots hitting the wood. Bang! Bang!
Maya looked around her small attic. There was no other door. She grabbed her backpack, threw the journal... inside, and ran to the narrow window. Below her, the London streets were wet and grey.
"The Jade Dragon belongs in a museum, Thorne! Not in your private collection!" Maya shouted through the door.
The door began to splinter. Thorne was breaking in. Maya climbed out onto the wet roof. The wind was cold, and the ground was very far away. Just as Thorne smashed the door open, Maya's foot slipped.
She screamed as she slid toward the edge of the roof. Below her, a black car was waiting with its lights flashing. Was it a trap, or was someone there to help her?