“I know. I sent the bird to find you.”
“You sent . . . a bird?”
She was so thrilled to see him again, to know that he had survived. To know that he was still himself. “A bird.”
Marenqo sighed. “That’s not the strangest thing that’s happened to me so far. But pretty close. So . . . you’re here to kill Echion, then? He can be killed? Please tell me you’re not joking.”
“There is too much to explain,” Bingmei said, kneeling down by him and Mieshi. “I’m going to try to restore their spirits.”
“Do you think you can?” Marenqo said eagerly. His smell of honey intensified, but he noticed his own reaction and tried to subdue it. “I mean, that’s a good thing. These two used to be such friends.” Another smell—a little bit of jealousy. Marenqo’s emotions were a mess.
“Get me some ash from the brazier,” she told him.
He followed her instructions immediately, as if eager for something to do. There were some coals still glowing inside, but also plenty of ash, so he scooped some up with the tongs and brought it over to her.
“I’m not sure now is a good time to remind you that you tried to bring Jiaohua back to life . . . and it didn’t work. Not that I don’t want you to try, Bingmei, but let’s be realistic.”
He had no idea what she’d been through. “Let me give it a try,” she said. She dabbed her finger on the ash in his palm and then looked into Mieshi’s face. She was still paralyzed by the dianxue blow, but showed no resistance, no desperation.
Bingmei drew on her forehead the glyph Po and whispered the word. It was the glyph of spirit, of soul. First water, then blood, then spirit. It was the combination for rebirth.
A tingling sensation went up Bingmei’s arm and into her shoulder. And then it was like uncorking a bottle of ice wine. The air immediately filled with fresh emotion. Mieshi was fully alive again, fully awake, and she smelled of grief, of joy at her new freedom, of respect and gratitude for Bingmei for delivering her, and even a little flowery scent when her eyes met Marenqo’s.
The dianxue glyph was still in effect, so she couldn’t move, but her eyes looked human again. Her feelings flickered through them.
“Did it . . . did it work?” Marenqo asked, stunned.
Bingmei released the dianxue hold, and Mieshi quickly sat up. Marenqo backed away, afraid she might attack, but she flung her arms around Bingmei’s neck and hugged her.
“Thank you, Sister,” she whispered thickly. The smell of gratitude was overwhelming.
Bingmei hugged her back. “I can smell you again,” she said, laughing.
Mieshi squeezed her and then looked over at Marenqo. “I’m so sorry,” she said, which was accompanied by the smell of guilt.
Marenqo frowned. “I survived. I’m not angry.”
Bingmei wondered how they had punished him. She thought she knew, and it sickened her. Her eyes fell on Zhuyi, who still lay on the ground, and she traced the glyph on her forehead too, uttering the Immortal Word as she did so. Zhuyi had been partially revived for longer, but her emotions returned just as quickly as Mieshi’s had. Longing filled Zhuyi, along with a smell of wonder and fulfillment. Bingmei released the dianxue hold, and Zhuyi also rose, hugging Bingmei first.
“You brought me back,” she said. “It was like living inside the killing fog. I felt nothing, even though I wanted to. I’m sorry I attacked you, Bingmei.”
“It wasn’t truly you,” she said.
Mieshi ran to Zhuyi then, and they fell into each other’s arms, weeping with joy. The depth of their sisterhood ran deep, and the reunion was powerful, causing Bingmei’s eyes to water as she watched them clasp each other.
Her heart felt like bursting. She closed a fist, pressing it against her mouth to keep from sobbing herself. Their joy was so living, so vibrant, so palpable it filled every corner of the room.
And then she heard the phoenix whisper in her mind. Imagine how it will feel when the doors of the Grave Kingdom are opened and families can finally be reunited again.
The strong surge of emotion in her chest felt like a swelling tide. Grandfather Jiao and Grandmother Fupenzi could be reunited. So could her parents. And eventually she would join her lost loved ones in the wondrous kingdom of Fusang. Would Shixian be kept from her even there?
Marenqo watched the bond sisters’ reunion with his hands on his hips.
Zhuyi and Mieshi wiped their tears and turned to face her. “What do you want us to do?” Mieshi asked.
“We are part of your ensign,” said Zhuyi.
Bingmei looked at them then at Marenqo. “Rowen is trapped as well. We must free him.”
Marenqo nodded. “Talk doesn’t cook rice. Let’s go.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
The Breaking Balance
They walked through the palace grounds as if they were ghosts, each step bringing them closer to the main courtyard of the palace. Bingmei had made sure, before leaving the cage, that all three of her companions had received the Shu glyph, which would protect them from the killing fog. She taught them the word and told them that General Tzu was bringing a combined army to attack. Since both Mieshi and Zhuyi had been part of Xisi’s guard, Bingmei had decided on the bold tactic of walking through the palace as if they belonged there. With so many servants at the palace, they wouldn’t stand out. The only danger was that Bingmei would be recognized, even with her wig, but they would take pains to avoid anyone who might notice her.
As they walked in silence, they passed servants and soldiers who didn’t give them more than a passing look. Bingmei reached out to the birds fluttering around the palace to be her eyes, to see what lay ahead.
Through one of them, she saw Xisi and her handmaids heading their way, walking at a leisurely pace toward the queen’s section of the grounds, which Bingmei and the
