‘Irish,’ Tony whispers in my ear, answering my unspoken question.
Lord Aengus gives her a pained smile. ‘Let me introduce my healer, my sister Lady Brigid Iníon Dagda of the Tuatha Dé.’
Lady Brigid smiles in greeting. She takes Lord Aengus from Ah Lang, sets him down and immediately launches into what sounds like a very angry, very fed up, scolding.
We leave them to their privacy and move to the other end of the entrance hall where portraits of senior ministers of Tian adorn the lacquered walls. The lantern light flickers across the gleaming surface, giving the paintings the illusion of movement.
Tony rubs his temples, brows pinched together.
I don’t like how pale he is. ‘Does your head still hurt?’ I ask softly.
He nods. ‘Overtired,’ he says. ‘It’ll be gone tomorrow, I’m sure.’
‘Isn’t that Big Wang?’ Ah Lang gestures at the cluster of portraits.
‘An excellent likeness,’ Gigi says. ‘But the clothes are all wrong.’
Big Wang wears ceremonial robes and a futou hat – tall and black with two stiffened ribbons extending outwards from either side. I snigger.
‘I’ve never seen him wear a futou hat,’ Gigi says.
‘He loathes those things,’ I say. ‘Your father sent him one once. Big Wang burned it so he wouldn’t have to wear it. He also hates those formal robes. You know how he is about making sure his bits can breathe.’
‘Do you have to be so vulgar, Jing?’
‘It’s not my bits that need to breathe,’ I say, the constant sniping grating on my already frayed nerves.
‘That has to be Lord Black.’ Tony’s arm presses comfortably warm against mine. He nods at the portrait beside Big Wang’s.
In the angle of his head and the hint of a cheeky smile, it’s Lord Black through and through. Though the four dragon uncles are depicted side by side – and wearing identical finery – it’s easy to tell them apart by expression and body language alone. Lord Bai’s posture is all pomposity, while Lord Vermilion watches his brothers with amusement. The fourth dragon uncle I have not met – Lord Chun. He’s standing slightly apart from the others, gazing dreamily at the stars. He has a kind face, patient, and serene.
Next to them is the portrait of a deity who seems familiar, but I can’t place her. She has a pleasing elegance in the way she holds herself. A comfortable stillness. I’m a little jealous; Horsey says I’m as fidgety as a flea-ridden monkey. Though I don’t resent this deity. She too seems kind, and the way she looks at her viewer, the mirth in her gaze, reminds me strongly of Lord Black.
‘Gigi, who—’
‘You’ve met her. That’s Lady Longnu,’ she says.
I’d only met her dragon form, but her human form captures her essence well.
Gigi gazes critically at the portrait. ‘The artist is very talented – but they are definitely taking artistic licence with clothing. I’ve known Lord Black a long time – he’d never be caught in anything that fancy. And Lady Longnu only wears men’s robes. She has a preference for the loose, baggy ones from the Yulong mountains where she grew up.’
‘No one criticises her for that?’ I ask.
Gigi scoffs. ‘Wouldyoudare criticise a dragon king for their choice of robes?’
Lady Longnu might look demure and elegant, but I remember the rage and violence in her gaze when Niang Niang tried to contradict her. ‘Definitely not,’ I say.
Ahn returns. ‘Help me,’ she says, handing us each thick wads of yellow paper. ‘Paste them in the centre of each window, and at each corner of the room. About this high.’ She gestures at Tony Lee’s chest.
The paper is painted with red ink in what looks like anti-demon talismanic script.Fulu. Anti-demon talisman used by mortals to ward against yaojing. I stumble back, bracing myself for pain.
When the expected welts and blistering don’t happen, I press my fingers to the paper. The red ink smears on the rough surface and my fingertips come away like they’ve been dipped in blood. There’s no burning. My eyes aren’t itching or watering either.
‘Ahn, what—’ I say.
‘Hurry, please. We will answer all your questions later, but now we must complete our wards.’ The slight panic in her voice gets me moving.
It doesn’t take long for us to complete the job. I press my fulu to the windows nearest me, then the corner, and we’re all done. Ahn inspects our work, and nods in satisfaction.
