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“Stepmother,” I whispered.
One of her paper birds perched on my palm, head tilted inquisitively. It didn’t speak, yet I knew what it was asking.
There came a pang in my heart. “I’m ready,” I said.
With a nod, the bird snipped Raikama’s thread from my wrist—and the wind swept it away. I wanted to chase it, but I held my hand back. I watched as, with one last shimmer, the thread vanished above me, never to be seen again.
I hugged my arms to my chest. I was on my own now.
Raikama’s paper birds landed on my brothers’ shoulders—and Takkan’s. And together, they opened their wings to me.
You are without her, the gesture seemed to say. But you won’t be alone.
With that, the wind blew them away, and the seven paper birds drifted after the threads they had cut. I knew they weren’t coming back.
The pang in my heart faded as I slid between Hasho and Takkan. I took Takkan’s hand, but as I reached for Hasho’s, he flinched. He was fidgeting with the folds of his cloak and tucked his arm under it quickly.
“Did an arrow graze you?” I asked worriedly.
“No, no. I’m just not used to wearing clothes. Takes me a minute to forget my feathers.”
Always a bad liar, Hasho. “Is your arm—”
“I’m fine.” Hasho took my hand, squeezing it tight as if to prove himself.
I wasn’t convinced, but the distant clap of firecrackers distracted me. Around us, children sang and danced down the streets, waving colorful fans. Merchants and vendors returned to their stalls, and another round of firecrackers exploded. A few kites glided over the parks. If I hadn’t known better, I would have thought it was a festival day.
People were already cleaning up the mess Khramelan had made, and for every mistrustful glare that was sent my way, there came a dozen beaming smiles. I told myself to focus on the smiles and not worry too much about the frowns—at least until we got home to Father.
My shoulders relaxed, and I forgot what I had been going to say to Hasho. I swung him and Takkan toward the rest of my brothers, tangling my arms around theirs until we made a knot.
“It’s been a long journey,” I murmured, hugging my family close. Cheekily, I looked up at the seven young men. “Is there time to get lunch before we go home?”
* * *
Visiting Gindara was always a treat, and I grew giddy as we made our way through the city streets. It was even rowdier than usual, thanks to the scene Khramelan had made. But within an hour, the crescent-shaped fishing boats were drifting down the canals again, and most of the merchants had cleaned up their stalls and shops. Carts loaded with rugs and earthenware from the Spice Road trundled along, silk lanterns hung at every street corner, and children raced into alleys to feast on their favorite snacks.
I could already smell Cherhao Street. Devoted entirely to food, it was one of my favorite places in all of Kiata. Coincidentally, it was also on the way to the palace, so we couldn’t avoid it completely. I considered that a blessing from the gods.
Yotan bought a straw hat to cover my white hair. It was far too large and I felt silly, but it would be wise to try and stay incognito. Though we were blocks away from where we had started, almost every person was still talking about the dragon in the sky. Word about me would spread. And quickly.
“We have to hurry,” said Andahai cautiously. He and Benkai were observing the glances that came our way. “Don’t be picky about lunch, Shiori. Anything will do.”
“Everyone’s so happy. What is there to worry about?” said Yotan. “Maybe Kiata is ready for magic again.”
“They think they witnessed a miracle,” replied Reiji, ever pessimistic. “That doesn’t mean they’re ready for flying paper birds and princes who turn into cranes.”
“Or maybe they are,” Wandei said, agreeing with his twin for once.
Reiji was still skeptical. “We’ll see what the council thinks about what happened.”
I kept quiet. I didn’t want to worry anyone, but with every few steps a rush of dizziness went to my head. Food would help.
“Are you all right?” Takkan asked. While everyone else had been observing the reactions to the dragon, he had been observing me.
I fidgeted with my hat. “Just hungry. And tired.”
Takkan’s brows knit, and he let go of my hand. “I’ll be right back.”
