Ignoring his brother, Lord Black says, ‘What seems to be the problem?’
‘I can’t portal anywhere. Blinking doesn’t do anything, no matter how hard I visualise the destination. It’s been a few months now.’ At Lord Black’s frown, I hurry to explain. ‘I tried calling on you as soon as it happened, but you weren’t home. I left a couple of letters for you, but...’
‘Oh!’ Lord Black says. ‘Contain my apologies, Lady Jing. I was away, visiting family. Your letters were forwarded to me and I tucked them away for safekeeping and forgot about them.’ He rummages in his sleeves and pulls out my two letters. They burst into black flames.
I try not to stare at the curls of smoke which used to be my letters, unsure if that’s normal behaviour for a dragon uncle or if I’m being sent a warning. ‘Um, that’s an efficient way to get rid of rubbish.’
‘It’s how I always read my letters,’ Lord Black says, answering my unspoken question and sounding rather mirthful about it. He peers into my right eye. ‘Odd, there’s nothing wrong with the placement. Remove the pearl, please.’
I bend forward. With a wetpop, the Longnu dragon pearl, covered in pale pink iridescent scales, drops into my palm. Lord Black plucks the cherry-sized pearl from my hand and gently blows on it, making the pearl swell to the size of a persimmon. He holds it up to the light, scrutinising it carefully as he rolls it slowly to and fro.
‘How is your sight?’ Lord Vermilion asks. ‘Ming tells me you can see far, isn’t that right, Brother?’
Lord Black glances up, eyes dancing with amusement. ‘I suppose it depends on what she’s trying to see.’
‘Do you mean my dragon sight?’ I ask.
‘What do you meanyourdragon sight?’ Lord Bai growls.
‘I mean the dragon sight granted by my dragon pearl,’ I say, surprised by Lord Bai’s hostility.
Lord Bai narrows his eyes. ‘Dragonshave dragon sight.Dragonshave dragon pearls.Youare not a dragon, presumptuous, insolentfox.’
‘I-I know I’m not a dragon,’ I stammer, wondering how I might have offended the dragon king.
Lord Black’s entire focus is on the dragon pearl so he doesn’t notice his brother’s flare of temper. I dare not look at Lord Vermilion, in case I’ve offended him as well. Desperate times call for desperate measures. I trot out the flowery piss-fart I hate so much but which is as popular with deities as Queen Mother of the West’s immortal peach elixir.
‘Lift high your honourable hand,’ I say in my most demure and submissive tone. ‘Contain my careless words. This unworthy one did not mean to offend venerable Lord Bai, Dragon King of the East—’
‘Pish, Jun, don’t bully the child,’ Lord Vermilion says. ‘Meimei gifted the dragon pearl and dragon sight to Lady Jing. She’s right to say they’re hers.’
‘Qin,’ Lord Bai hisses. ‘How can you defend the fox?’
Lord Vermilion leans over the table and fake whispers, ‘Ignore my eldest brother. He’s always an insufferable pedant. Tell me, how far can you see, Little Jing?’
‘Um...’ Still wary of Lord Bai, I answer vaguely. ‘As far as my line of sight allows?’
Lord Vermilion plants both elbows on the table and interlaces his fingers. His shabby ochre sleeves pool down his forearms as he peers at me. ‘Very good. Is there anything you’d like to ask?’
Feeling emboldened by his encouragement, I say, ‘Actually, I once experienced déjà vu – seeing something that was about to happen. Is that normal for dragon sight?’
‘Normal is a construct of comfort,’ Lord Vermilion says. ‘We each are unique in our own ways. What is normal for one person may well be extraordinary for another.’
‘Ah, well, what I mean is...’ I say.
‘Are we going to play or spout nonsense all day?’ Lord Bai snaps.
‘Also, you misunderstand déjà vu,’ Lord Vermilion continues calmly, ignoring his brother. ‘It means seeing something thathas already happened, not seeing something that is about to happen. The Cosmos contains multitudes.’
‘Multitudes,’ Lord Black echoes, joining the conversation again.
‘But I saw something that was about to happen. Isn’t that seeing the future?’
Lord Vermilion tuts gently. ‘Do not look forward thinking you can look back. Do not look back thinking you can look forward. However, be mindful that looking back and looking forward are but two sides of the same coin.’
Just as Lord Black and Lord Vermilion are two sides of the same nonsensical coin.I press my lips together to keep those words from spilling out, and incline my head demurely.
Finally done with his inspection of the pearl, now the size of a walnut, Lord Black says, ‘The pearl needs an infusion of Meimei’s qi to set it right. I’m visiting her after the Council, so if you don’t mind, Lady Jing, I’ll keep it for now.’
