by Henry Lien
“It says,” he shouts at us, “that the Empress Dowager demands that Pearl send back the degenerate traitor and enemy of the Imperium, Chen Peasprout, whose ancestors must have all been low prisoners and criminals.” Supreme Sensei looks at me and says, “That’s not very nice, I don’t agree with that at all, sweet embryo. Oh, and now it’s saying that if Pearl refuses to send back the degenerate trait—well, send back Peasprout, Shin will prepare to invade. The Empress Dowager orders every one of her subjects to abduct Peasprout if given the chance and return her to Shin to receive punishment. If abduction is not possible, then the Empress Dowager orders every one of her subjects to seize any opportunity to kill Peasprout and anyone who harbors her.”
All gazes turn from Supreme Sensei to me, then Cricket, and then this Wu Yinmei.
“Do I have to comply with that, too?” asks Cricket. “Am I still one of her subjects?”
“No, Cricket,” says Doi.
“Because I won’t do it!” yells Cricket, stamping his skate. “I tell you, I won’t do it!”
“You don’t have to, Cricket. You don’t have to,” Doi tells him, rubbing his back.
“She’s behind this,” I announce, and spin around to point at this Wu Yinmei. Instead of the mask of serenity that she usually wears, there is confusion and alarm on her face. She looks to Hisashi beside her. Instead of the confidence that usually radiates from him, he also looks thrown by this news.
“This girl,” I continue, “is sending secret messages back to her great-great-grandmother. She probably told the Empress Dowager to do this because she wants to get rid of me!”
The Chairman says, “While we applaud imagination in our students, the idea of someone sending back secret messages to the Empress Dowager is rather ludicrous.”
“No, it’s not,” I shoot back at him. “I did it for you last year!”
A wave of murmurs passes through the audience. Doi stiffens, but it doesn’t matter anymore who knows about my deal with the Chairman. Not when he’s prepared to sacrifice my life.
I continue, “I’m the only one who suspects this Wu Yinmei’s real reason for coming here, so she’s trying to get rid of me. She’s dangerous!”
“You’re the one who’s dangerous.” I pivot to find Suki flanking me on the right. “Shin is going to invade unless we give you up, Chen Peasprout. Senseis, send her back where she came from!”
“That’s not going to achieve anything!” I exhort the senseis. “The Empress Dowager is looking for an excuse to invade. She’ll just find another reason!”
“No one is sending Peasprout back to Shin,” says Sensei Madame Liao. Thank you, Sensei.
“You don’t get to decide that!” says Suki.
“How dare you say that to a sensei!” I say.
“Because she can’t,” snarls Suki. “She can’t decide by herself to put the whole city in danger because of her favorite little darling.”
“That is correct, Disciple Gang Suki,” says Sensei Madame Liao calmly. “I cannot. Relations with Shin are matters for the Pearlian government. However, Pearl Famous is a sanctuary school. If we choose to grant sanctuary to someone, Pearlian authorities cannot touch her as long as she stays within the campus.”
“My father’s going to hear about this! Do you know who my father is?”
“Your father is not a sensei,” says Sensei Madame Liao, as cool as jade. “And only the senseis get to decide this matter.”
“Yes, the senseis decide this,” says the Chairman behind me. I spin away from Suki and face him. “But sanctuary is granted to a person only if all the senseis agree to it.” He looks at me and says, “And I’m afraid to tell you, little bird, that not all the senseis agree to it.”
Doi skates forward to my side, looking like she’s about to challenge her father publicly again, but Hisashi grabs her arm. He whispers, “Don’t. It’ll make it worse for Peasprout.”
I helped this snake of a man deceive the Empress Dowager in order to help him get back his hostages, keep from losing his position as Chairman of New Deitsu, and fend off the calls for his imprisonment. He doesn’t need me anymore. He has this Wu Yinmei as his Shinian puppet now. I knew last year that I was making a deal with a scorpion. I knew that he would refrain from stinging me only as long as I was carrying him on my back across the water.
I guess I didn’t realize that we’d reached the riverbank.
But he doesn’t realize that I can sting, too.
I can sting like salt.
“Chairman, we all want to avoid what is dangerous to Pearl,” I say with a polite smile. “We all know that the Empress Dowager wants the secret of the pearl. We all understand that the only information as valuable as how to make a thing is how to destroy it. And that the most dangerous thing we could do is to send back to the Empress Dowager a little bird that knows how to sing a song she wants to learn. That would be as stupid as pouring salt in your own eye.”
The Chairman’s expression burns with fury. Then he smiles and fingers the bump at his breast under the front of his robe. I know that bump. It’s a pendant with one of those shrinking trinkets in which he imprisons criminals. Is he threatening me?
He says smoothly, “A bird learns to keep quiet if singing would lure a tiger to its little chick.”
The Chairman looks at Cricket.
He’s threatening Cricket! If I tell the Empress Dowager that salt eats through the pearl, he’ll find some reason to imprison Cricket and crush him into a trinket.
“I call a vote,” says the Chairman. “Who is in favor of Pearl Famous granting Chen Peasprout sanctuary from the Empress Dowager’s demand?”
I spin to the left and see at once the row of twelve senseis raise their hands. Even, to my great surprise, Sensei Madame Yao, but I can tell from the glint in her eye that she probably just relishes the idea of Shinian invasion because it would mean she would get to use violence.
The only sensei who doesn’t raise his hand is the Chairman.
“Wait,” I say.
What can I say? What does he want?
He wants to stop Shin from invading. He’s petty; he’s nasty. But what he wants is what I want. What we all want. That’s why they’ve changed the curriculum. That’s why we’re a military academy now rather than an arts school.
So I’ll give him what he wants.
“Sensei Chairman Niu. Grant me sanctuary status and I’ll come up with weapons for Pearl to use against Shin.”
“Why should I trust that you, a girl who took sixteenth place last year, have the talent to create anything useful for Pearl?”
“You don’t have to trust me,” I say. “If my efforts don’t earn me first place at every Annexation, you can revoke my sanctuary status at any time.”
“No,” he says calmly.
“Father,” Hisashi says, skating forward. “Give Chen Peasprout a chance to show she’s valuable to Pearl.”
“No.”
“Why not?” Doi cries. Hisashi again tries to restrain her but she shakes his hand off her arm. “We have nothing to lose. What are you afraid of?”
“And I have everything to lose,” I say, raising my chin. “I’m going to be developing weapons for Pearl to use against my own homeland. Every one of my efforts is going to just infuriate the Empress Dowager further. And if I don’t deliver like I promised at every Annexation, then I get sent back, right into her rage. But I’m not afraid of taking a chance for Pearl. Are you?”
“I repeat Chairman Niu’s call,” says Sensei Madame Liao. “Who is in favor of Pearl Famous granting Chen Peasprout sanctuary from the Empress Dowager’s demand?”
All the senseis except for the Chairman raise their hands. I see him making calculations in his mind. He is vile but not emotional. He is weighing my offer.
He says at last, “Provisional sanctuary status. Dependent on her performance at each Annexation.” He raises his hand.
“Infuriate me to death!” says Suki.
As soon as the Chairman turns away, Cric
ket, Doi, and Hisashi throw their arms around me.
We’re safe.
But only for now.
Only as long as I keep winning first place.
Last year, other things ended up being more important than taking first place.
This year, nothing will be more important.
As we prepare to leave Divinity’s Lap, I see this Wu Yinmei. She’s pushing away on her swiftboard, but she’s turned to look at me over her shoulder.
Once again, her mask of placidness has slipped and she smiles at me—only at me.
I watch her as we board the train of gondolas that they’ve installed on all the rails connecting the islets of the various conservatories with the Principal Island. I don’t see the point of her going to class this first week, since it’s devoted entirely to pure wu liu. She can’t do wu liu; she can’t even take five steps without her heart and lungs threatening to burst. So she’s just coming to observe.
But observe for whom?
The senseis make us take the gondolas to classes on the conservatory islets because they don’t want any students skating on the rails, falling into the water, and angering the coiling water dragons again. They’ve adapted the gondolas so that they’re clamped on top of the rail instead of suspended below them like at the entrance to the campus. The gondolas are strung together end to end, like a giant necklace of opals. We all look over the sides, trying to see if there are coiling water dragons churning under the surface of the black water below us.
We each take an oar handle. We row the gondolas forward along the rail and through the air with the giant scallop-shaped pearlsilk oarfans. This Wu Yinmei does her part to row, as well.
The train of gondolas enters a dip. We come out of it speeding toward a sharp curve on the rail leading to the Conservatory of Wu Liu. As we whip around the curve, some students scream in fear of flying off and into the water, into the jaws of the coiling water dragon. There is fear or tension on all our faces.
All except this Wu Yinmei.
What has this girl seen in her life that makes her unafraid of even coiling water dragons?
When we arrive at the Conservatory of Wu Liu, the second-year students gather in the central training court.
Sensei Master General Moon Tzu is there in the middle of a magnificent coughing fit. When he at last finishes coughing, he sways on his swiftboard, balancing on two trembling poles.
Sensei Madame Yao stands beside him like a warden escorting a prisoner. She announces, “Due to the reputation of your class as being unteachable, shameless, and prone to explosions of senseless violence, I have been begged by Sensei Master General Moon Tzu to serve as Assistant Wu Liu Sensei and Enforcer of Order. The First Annexation shall test tactics pertaining to perimeter defense. The Empire of Shin”—she stops to shoot a sneering, lingering look at me, then Wu Yinmei, then Cricket—“is unlikely to capture the city of Pearl because wu liu practitioners are undefeatable on the pearl. However, the rest of the island is not covered in the pearl. Only a small wall along the perimeter of the entire island protects against invasion. The First Annexation shall test your battleband’s strategies for perimeter defense. You shall choose your battleband mates and the captain, who has final say on all matters.”
Doi and I turn to each other. We knew all along that we would form a team. We knew this on some level even last year. But to my surprise, the ritual of formally declaring our partnership squeezes my heart. I look at this girl, who is not only the most brilliant practitioner of wu liu I have ever met but also the truest, most selfless friend I have ever had. This girl with whom I have been through so much. This girl whom I would be honored to have in my battleband.
We say to each other at the same time, “Will you join my ba—”
Oh.
She wants me to join her battleband. Meaning that she must want to be the captain.
Well, she did rank fifteenth last year, and I ranked sixteenth. So perhaps she does have a greater claim to be the captain.
But I only ranked sixteenth because I stopped her rampage to destroy Pearl Famous. And I was the Peony-Level Brightstar. And I was Champion of Wu Liu for all of—
Stop it, Peasprout. She protected you again and again. She risked and nearly lost everything for you. She deserves to be the captain of the battleband more than you do.
I smile at her and, with an ache in my chest that only those who have known great sacrifice can understand, I decide to allow her to be the captain of our battleband.
We say to each other at the same time, “You should be the captain.”
Oh, thank the Enlightened One.
I say, “Oh, are you sure, all right then, thank you, that’s so generous of you, you’re the best friend anyone could ever have, I’m so glad that’s settled.”
She smiles at me and says, “It doesn’t really matter, as long as we get to work together. To keep you safe. We’re going to win every one of these Annexations. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”
And then the guilt seeps in. I still have so much to learn. I begin to protest again that she should be captain, this time in earnest, but she says, “No, really, Peasprout. It’s not important. We have … more important things to worry about.”
When I look in the direction of her gaze, my Chi freezes.
On the far side of the court, Wu Yinmei is smiling and bowing, surrounded by a circle of girls.
And at the head of this band of girls is their leader.
Suki.
CHAPTER
TEN
Suki’s inserting herself next to Wu Yinmei every chance she gets. Helping her stow her swiftboard when we ride the gondolas to wu liu class. Shoving a chair out of the way when Wu Yinmei uses her bladechair at meals. Not that I think Wu Yinmei is the type to want such help.
I don’t know if she’s formally joined Suki’s battleband, but so many are already forming.
The Battle-Kite Sparkle-Pilots: This battleband’s made up of all the best-looking boys in our class. Their skills are probably all terrible.
Beast Band: These girls are good. I’ve seen them training together, but they’re always fighting and throwing things at one another. They’re going to destroy everyone if they don’t destroy one another first.
Ten Thousand Secret Deadly: They wear black veils, black assassin’s skull caps, and smoked spectacles that are so dark, they can barely see. And they never take any of it off, because they’re just that secret. It’s fun to watch them try to eat.
Wu Wu Wu Liu Liu Liu: It’s made up of boys and girls who everyone knows are pathetic at wu liu and who seemed to form for the sole purpose of having a name that makes a good call and response cheer.
Forever Action Beauty Girls: These girls (and three boys!) are seemingly distinguished solely by their ludicrous practice of braiding their hair into one another’s and always traveling in a ring. How are they going to fight like that? We’re facing invasion by Shin, and they’re braiding their hair together.
Forever Action Beauty Girls aren’t the only ones who like braids. One night in the girls’ dormitory courtyard after evenmeal, Suki and her gang of girls are seated in a circle facing the same direction, each braiding the hair of the girl in front of her. In the middle of the ring is Wu Yinmei, showing them the steps to do the braid. Now that we have an actual princess from Shin among us, braids are considered pretty, I guess. They weren’t considered pretty last year, when the only girls with braided hair were the Shinian servant girls and myself.
This Wu Yinmei catches my gaze and smiles as if she’s got something on me.
“Why is she always grinning at me?” I hiss to Doi. “It infuriates me to death.”
“Peasprout, that’s Suki’s favorite thing to say.”
“So what are you saying? That I’m becoming like Suki now?” I immediately regret snapping at her. “I’m sorry. I’m just worried about fulfilling my promise to you—taking first place at the Annexations.”
“Don’t worry,” Doi says, and squee
zes my arm. “Let Suki have Yinmei. We’re going to build the best battleband in Pearl Famous history.”
“That’s right. And we’re going to wipe our skates on Suki’s robe as she’s sprawled flat on the pearl!”
“We need to talk about who else to invite into our battleband.”
“I know Cricket’s not the best wu liu practitioner, but he’s really good at—”
“Of course we’re going to invite Cricket.” Doi laughs. “I was talking about Hisashi.”
“What about him?”
“We could use him, Peasprout. He and I are more powerful together. We always have been.”
“What makes you think he’ll even want to be in my battleband? Maybe I’m not extraordinary enough for him. Maybe he’ll join this Wu Yinmei.”
“He’ll join us if we ask. Peasprout, please, your safety depends on this. It’s important to put aside jealousy.”
“Who says I’m jealous?”
She says softly, “Who says I’m talking about you?”
Ah, I’m so dense and self-involved. She still has misplaced feelings for me from last year. And I still have misplaced feelings for Hisashi from last year. But the difference is that she’s willing to control her feelings to keep me safe.
“Doi, what did I do to deserve a friend like you?” I lean over and embrace her tightly.
“Just keep an open mind about Hisashi.” Doi smiles as she embraces me back.
* * *
At the end of our week of wu liu class, we board the train of gondolas to travel to the Conservatory of Literature for our class with our new teacher, Sensei Master Ram. For some reason, Sensei Madame Yao is on the train with us.
We arrive at the grand lecture hall within the Skybrary on the Conservatory of Literature. Sensei Master Ram stands before the rows of desks, leaning on a stack of scrolls. He has the hard, handsome features of a hero from legend. Strong jaw, noble nose, thick beard, and intelligent, wise eyebrows. I can tell from how he stands in his sensei robe that he’s even more powerfully muscled than Sensei Madame Yao.