Tai said nothing.
“How is it that your mother would hold the maps to them?” Shàn’jun continued. “And even if the maps are accurate, what did your mother intend for you to do once the gods are found?”
Lan realized that she had no answers to Shàn’jun’s questions. “All that matters is that we reach them before the Elantians do,” she said. “When I played this ocarina, the Elantian Royal Magician saw the star maps and preserved them. He survived Zen’s demon, and now he plans to use the Demon Gods to conquer the rest of the kingdom.”
“How did you know how to play that?” Tai pointed at the ocarina.
“I grew up with music,” Lan replied. “I think…I think my mother had the ability to fight with song.”
Tai’s eyes never left her. The gold rings within them seemed to glimmer. “And you,” he said. “Do you?”
She hesitated. “I’m not sure. I was able to hold off the magician with my mother’s song. But I don’t know if that was the power of this ocarina…or if it was me. And sometimes…sometimes I feel like I can hear music in qì. Like the different strands of energies are notes for me to play.” She hadn’t had the chance to speak to Zen about her using the ocarinato attack Erascius in the interrogation chamber, so focused had they been on the subject of the Demon Gods and Zen’s demon. “Is that not an art of practitioning?” she asked.
“It is,” Tai said quietly. “Itwas.It died. With the clans.”
They looked at each other for a heartbeat. Gingerly, Lan held out the ocarina. “There must be imprints of my mother’s soul left within this. There may be answers, if you would readit.”
Before Tai could respond, the wooden doors to the Chamber of a Hundred Healings slammed open.
“Answers that’ll be used as evidence in your inquiry,” a new voice said.
Yeshin Noro Dilaya’s mouth was set in a grim line, her steel-gray eye ablaze with triumph as she raised Wolf’s Fang and pointed its curved edge at them.
“Out of my way, Herb Eater and Ghost Boy,” she said with relish, and tipped her chin. “Try anything and I’ll have you reported as well, for this is hardly the first time I’ve caught you conspiring. You were to bring her to the Chamber of Clarity as soon as she woke.”
“False accusations are against Code of Conduct rule fifty-three,” Lan said, “so I’d get my facts straight before I run to Mommy again. The handprint on your left cheek has barely faded since the last time she slapped you.”
“Oh, I think I have my facts perfectly straight this time,” Dilaya said nastily. “Seeking out the Demon Gods? I wouldn’t have expected less of a power-hungry little fox spirit, but for two esteemed disciples of the school to tag along…well.”
“Please, Dilaya shi’jie, there has been a misunderstanding,” Shàn’jun said, raising his hands, but Dilaya only raised her dao higher.
“I think not,” she said, and her gaze landed on the ocarina.“So. You’ve found the instrument your mother left you. The one her imprint said…what was it she said? ‘To save our kingdom.’ ”
“It’s an ocarina, you turtle-egged pig-arse,” Lan snapped.
That did nothing to erase Dilaya’s smirk. “Ocarina or not, I’ll be taking it.”
Lan switched tack. Regardless of their feelings for each other, she had to believe she and Dilaya were on the same side when it came to the Elantians. “Dilaya,” she said, smoothing her voice to be placating, “please, listen to me. The Elantians are searching for the Demon Gods to use their power to invade the Central Plains and destroy the school. We must stop them.”
“Oh? Curious that Zen missed this part of the tale in his inquiry,” Dilaya snapped.
“You—you went? To the inquiry,” Tai blurted, but Lan’s mind had frozen. Zen hadn’t told the masters of Erascius’s plan to find the Demon Gods—the most important new discovery of their trip?
“My mother requested me as an assistant,” Dilaya replied haughtily. “They are ready to adjourn for the day, but I left early to check on this little fox spirit in case she was up to something. And lo and behold.”
Her words kicked Lan’s brain into motion again. If Zen hadn’t told the masters, there must be a reason.
She needed to see Zen. She needed to speak to him.
The ocarina seemed to pulse in her hand. She thought of the song it had seemed to play out ofher,that had woven the illusion of the star maps and the Demon Gods shimmering in their four colors over their heads. Then she thought of the song she had played against Erascius.
Her mother’s song.
Lan glanced at Tai.Didshe have the ability to fight with song, as she suspected her mother had? There was only one way to find out.
Lan held up the ocarina. “You want this?” she called to Dilaya. “Then come get it.”
With that, she raised the ocarina to her lips and blew.
