“And also very brave and very honorable,” added Nai Nai.
“R … really?”
Nai Nai extended a hand toward me and reached up to brush a lock of hair behind my ear. “Yes. You have better hair, too.”
I beamed.
“I know you’re worried about your father,” Nai Nai continued, “but he’s a strong man. Stronger than he knows he is.” She reached inside the sleeve of her ghostly white robe and pulled out a small, narrow vial full of a misty purple liquid.
I gasped. In all the chaos, I’d almost forgotten one of the main reasons I’d come on this quest. “That’s … that’s the …”
Nai Nai nodded. “The elixir that will restore your father’s memories. It is made from the essence of every member of the Liu family line.”
“Our … essence …?” I echoed, repressing a shudder. I hoped Nai Nai wasn’t referring to our, like, dandruff or something.
“Yes. Unfortunately, the elixir is missing two ingredients. One of them is your essence, Falun.” My grandmother held out the vial. I edged away from it. “I’m not asking for your soul, granddaughter. Just drop a piece of your hair inside.”
I yanked out a strand of hair and dropped it inside the vial. The liquid glowed bright purple when my hair hit its surface. With a flash of light, my hair disappeared, and the elixir swirled until it turned a slightly brighter shade than its original purple hue.
“Awesome,” Jordan said in a hushed voice. “Try putting in a fingernail now, Faryn.”
“Ew! Gross!”
“Fine, then try my fingernail next.”
“You’re disgusting!”
Nai Nai placed the vial in my palm. The glass was cool to the touch. I clasped my fingers over the vial, my hand meeting with cold air as her transparent fingers passed through mine, and my grandmother’s smile dimmed. “Now the elixir is with you for safekeeping. It is up to you, Falun, to find the last remaining ingredient if you wish to restore your father’s memories.”
My fingers trembled as they gripped the vial. “And what is the last ingredient?”
Nai Nai didn’t respond for a moment. My other relatives shifted uneasily around her, and a sense of foreboding swept through me. At long last, my grandmother lifted her head with a grim expression. “The essence of your brother.”
“Alex?” Ren and I blurted out at the same time.
I’d gone far too long believing I’d never be reunited with Ba and then believing he’d never remember me. I was this close to having the power to restore his memories. It was almost like some cosmic joke that Alex, who’d betrayed and wanted nothing to do with me, held the key to completing the elixir. If Alex wouldn’t help me, Ba would never regain his memories.
“Your ancestors and I have done our best to keep you and your brother in touch,” Nai Nai explained. “It’s easiest to link you both when your minds are at rest, so we’ve been connecting you to him in your dreams.”
“Wasn’t easy, either.” Hongyi sniffed. “Can’t believe how much of my precious spiritual power I’ve wasted on you dinguses.”
Nai Nai cut him a look. He coughed and turned away without another word.
“We were hoping that … that you and Ah Li could reconcile and … restore your father’s memories together,” Nai Nai said softly.
“I don’t know if a reconciliation is even possible,” I admitted, “but I’m going to do my best.”
“Can you find your brother, Falun? Find him and … bring him back to us?”
Of course I wanted that. But what if I found Alex and he didn’t want anything to do with me, or Ba, or any of our family? What if he no longer cared about finding our mother or restoring Ba’s memory?
“What about—my mother?” I asked. I looked around at the spirits. There was no sign of the kind-eyed, brown-haired woman. My heart sank in disappointment. In the Chamber of Mirrors, my mother—or rather, the version of her in the mirror—had said I could find her in the Underworld. But where?
“Ah.” Nai Nai’s forehead creased. “Let’s discuss that later. More urgent matters are at hand.”
I thought finding the mom I’d never known was pretty urgent. Before I could point that out, Ashley shouted, “Wait! Jinyu.”
Really? She was going to guilt-trip me at a time like this? “Look, we know how much you worship the guy—”
“Ashley.” Meng Po’s assistant, who’d been lying on the ground, sat up. Then they did something strange. They reached up and pulled the hood off their head, revealing tangled, wild black hair, deep-set black eyes, and a prominent jaw.
I’d seen his face up close in real life only one time, but I’d seen pictures of him at the New Order many times since. There was no mistaking the identity of Meng Po’s assistant.
“Jinyu,” Jordan breathed.
“Hey, guys,” Jinyu said, raising a hand casually, like he was just passing some old friends on the street. “It’s been a while. I’m sort of dead now.” Although he said it in a flippant way, his voice cracked on the word “now,” and he cast his gaze toward the ground. But a moment later, Jinyu raised his head and revealed a sunny smile, as though nothing was wrong. “Oh, and I think that old hag Meng Po was controlling my mind, which was mildly annoying. But I’m good now. Probably. What’s new with you guys?”
Ashley cried out and rushed at Jinyu, arms open wide. I expected her to tackle him in the biggest, tightest hug. Instead, she pummeled the poor guy with her fists.
“Hey!” Jordan rushed forward, but Jinyu held up a hand. Jordan stopped in his tracks.
“Oh, this is entertaining. Why didn’t I bring my popcorn?” Nai Nai lamented. “Or sunflower seeds?”
“You idiot.” Ashley sobbed as she punched Jinyu with each syllable. I’d never seen the girl cry. Something about it was relieving and deeply disturbing at the same time. “You complete, utter, total doofus. You—”
“Are you done?” Jinyu groaned. “Nice to see you, too, Ashley.” He flashed a
