A monstrous wave folded forward, and Seryu grabbed me by the ankle and pulled me onto his back as he bore its brunt. Fierce currents wheeled our way, uprooting the seagrass, the coral forests—everything in their path.
Seryu and I were next.
As Seryu shielded me with his body, the Wraith’s pearl flew out from under my arm. It rose like a dark moon, its halves cracking apart and spreading wider than ever before.
Dazzling light burst from its center. Nazayun’s waves crashed against an invisible wall. They could not touch us.
The pearl’s light met Nazayun’s defensive shield head on and pushed forward, advancing for the Dragon King.
I reached for it, offering what strength I could. It was like embracing a broken star about to explode. I wasn’t sure whether it could control itself.
“Don’t break,” I told the pearl. “Use as much force as you need to, but don’t break. Please.”
The pearl shuddered. It was straining against Nazayun, and new fractures had appeared upon its dark, gleaming surface. Its halves cracked wider, fanning light in all directions.
Don’t break, I repeated before letting it go once more.
While the Dragon King was distracted by the pearl, I gathered the ends of the starstroke net and pulled with all my strength.
Nazayun’s heart emerged, brilliantly gold. I cupped my palms around its curved surface, cradling it. It was hot and cold at the same time, and blazed like glass that was newly forged. With a heave of my arms, I yanked it free.
I had his pearl. The Dragon King’s pearl!
The two pearls were as different as could be. One dark and broken, the other whole and bright and shining. Well, Nazayun’s pearl was not so bright anymore. Its light became subdued, and the mountainous currents that he had summoned rolled away and vanished.
Once the sea had stilled, Seryu closed his fist around his grandfather’s heart. “You will swear now,” he said icily.
Nazayun snarled, writhing with anger. His tail lashed this way and that, dislodging the mirror shards and crushing the rocks below into dust. But he had no choice.
“I will honor the promise,” he said with vehemence. “Neither I nor any dragon of my realm shall harm you, Shiori’anma—or your kin. You will be safe from us, in sky, in sea, and on earth. This I vow, as King of Ai’long and Ruler of the Four Supreme Seas.”
The power of his oath made the seas tremble, and a cold tingle rushed along my skin.
“Thank you,” I said, not knowing how else to respond.
Seryu said nothing. He merely held out his grandfather’s heart.
Nazayun snatched it. He tried to snatch the starstroke net too, but Seryu cast his own spell, and it fizzled into foam.
“A weapon against one dragon is a weapon against all of us,” said my friend. “It shall not be used again.”
Before the Dragon King could show his displeasure, Seryu lengthened his body, a subtle reminder that his new might rivaled Nazayun’s own.
“Tell the girl to close the damned pearl,” Nazayun growled. “Before it destroys us all.”
Light spilled from the pearl’s broken center, and no amount of my strength could push the halves shut. “Enough,” I told it again. “You’ve won.”
Close up! Kiki trilled, flicking her wings at the pearl. Come on, you fussy little bead. Close up, or you’ll never go home.
Kiki flicked again, and the pearl finally obeyed. With a snap and a hiss, the halves shut, and it went dark.
The chaos that had descended upon Ai’long finally calmed, leaving the waters serene and silent. Fish and crabs poked charily out of the shattered reefs, Solzaya’s octopus detangled itself from a clot of seaweed, and a crew of turtles paddled for the surface.
Exhausted, I grabbed the pearl and rolled it into my satchel. When I looked up again, the Dragon King was gone.
Only Seryu and Lady Solzaya remained.
No smirk twisted Solzaya’s lips, no malice gleamed in her eyes. Rather, she looked almost pleased.
“Mother—” Seryu began.
“You have reached your full form,” said Solzaya, cutting him off. “You have come of age, at last. Seize your victory and take the girl home. Quickly.”
We didn’t need to be told twice. As Solzaya retreated, her six remaining mirror shards rearranged themselves into a necklace at her throat, and I grabbed onto Seryu’s horns.
For the last time, we rode the waters of Ai’long and ascended to the surface. For home.
Glorious gods, it felt good to breathe! Had air always been so fresh and sweet? I inhaled greedily, embracing the brackish spray that stung my nose and the wind that lashed my face.
Best of all was the sun. I arched my neck back to bask in its warmth. It felt like I was already home, sitting too close to the fire until my cheeks were as toasty as griddle cakes. My stomach growled, dreaming of cakes. Sugared rice cakes, monkeycakes, red bean and strawberry cakes. I’d eat them until I collapsed.
But I was getting ahead of myself. It wasn’t time to leave the water just yet.
I followed Seryu toward a distant figure on a rock island shrouded in fog. It was Elang, watching the sunrise, long human fingers skimming the water. When we approached, he whirled to face us, his mismatched eyes narrowing at the sight of Seryu.
“I see you’ve finally reached your full form, cousin. Congratulations.” Elang’s tone was colorless. There was nothing congratulatory about it. “You have the shard?”
I’d tucked the precious mirror shard into my sash for safekeeping. As I took it out, Seryu snatched it from my fingers and waved it angrily at his cousin.
“You think we’re going to hand the mirror of truth over after you tried to drug and lock me in that pitiful cellar you call a dungeon? Shiori was nearly killed, thanks to you.”
“You’re being overly dramatic,” Elang replied dispassionately. “I equipped you with my turtles, did I not? And the starstroke net? I hardly broke my promise.”
“I think differently.” Before I could stop him, Seryu raised the mirror high over his head and snapped it in half. He hurled half the shard at his cousin. “This half is for you, the other for Shiori.”
Elang caught the mirror piece in one hand. A pause. “Half a shard is acceptable. The deal is honored.”
I held my half of the shard. The glass reflected the glistening waves. “I don’t know what to do with this.”
“Keep it,” said Seryu. “It’ll help you find the Wraith.”
Elang disagreed. “No, it won’t. The shard will tell you many things about the past and present, but it will not reveal the Wraith. Not while he dwells on Lapzur.”
“Lapzur?” I asked. “I’ve never heard of the place.”
“Most haven’t. It is a realm steeped in darkness and overrun by ghosts and demons. Not even the mirror can see what unfolds there.”