MulansatbehindXiu,absent-mindedlybrushinghersister’slongblackhair.Infrontofher,theyoungergirlwasquiet,lostinherthoughts.Mulandidn’tmindthesilence.Herownbrainwasloudandbusyenough.Allshecouldseewasherfather’slookofdisappointment.Ithauntedherlikeanightmareshecouldn’twakefrom,makingherfeelshakyanduncomfortable.Thelastthingshewouldeverwanttodowashurtherfather.Butshehadn’thadachoice.Oratleast,thatwaswhatshekepttellingherself.Therewasnowayherfathercouldhavegivenchase,notwithhisweakleg.Whileherfathermayhavebeenaherointhewar,hisinjurykepthimfromworkingashardashewouldliketointhevillage.Mulanhadsimplywantedtohelp.

Andsomehow,sheseemedtohavedonejusttheopposite.

“Mulan?”

Xiu’squietvoiceinterruptedMulan’sdarkthoughts.Herhandstopped,thebrushhoveringoverXiu’shairasshewaitedtohearwhathersisterwantedtosay.

“Whathappenedwhenyoufellofftheroof?”Xiuasked.

Mulandidn’tneedtoquestionwhatXiumeant.Shehadfeltsomething??.??.??.odd??.??.??.asshefellthroughtheair.Likesomehowhermindhadseenastepaheadandherbodyhadknownthemovesitneededtomakebeforeshewasevenawareherself.Butshewasn’tabouttoadmitherthoughtsoutloud—especiallytoheryoungersister.“Iwaschasingthatnaughtychicken,”shesaidinsteadassheresumedcombingXiu’shair.

Beneaththecomb,Xiushookherhead.“No,”shepressed.“Whenyouslipped.Foramomentitwaslikeyouwereabird??.??.??.”Theyoungergirl’svoicetrailedoff.

Mulanfrowned,surprisedbyhersister’sastuteobservation.Xiuwasright.Shehadfeltlikeabird.Asshehadswoopedandswungaroundthatbeam,shehadn’tfeltscared.Shehadfeltalive.Morealivethanshehadeverfeltbefore.Shehadbeenlikeabirdsoaringthroughthesky,playingonthewind.Notaclumsychickenbutagracefulbirdofprey.

Buthowwasthatevenpossible?Shehadn’tdaredthinkaboutituntilthisverymoment,butsheknewthatshehadnarrowlyescapedgettinghurt—orworse.Somehow,whateverthatfeelinginsideherwas,ithadmanagedtosaveher.Whichsoundedstrange.Whichmeanttherewasnowayshewasgoingtosayitaloudtohersister,becauseXiuwoulddefinitelythinkitwasstrange.Soinstead,Mulanchangedthesubject.

“Xiu,”shesaid,herhandgrowingstill.“Don’tpanic.Butthere’saspidercrawlinginyourhair.”

Xiu’sshoulderscreptuptowardherearsandsheturnedtolookatMulan,worrycreasingherinnocentface.“YouknowI’mafraidofspiders,”shesaid,herlowerlipbeginningtotremble.Thenhereyesnarrowed.“Thisisn’toneofyourtricks,isit,Mulan?”

Mulantriednottosmile.“Don’tmove,”shesaid.“Ifyouholdverystill,Iwillsquashit??.??.??.”Hervoicetrailedoffas,fromtheroombelow,sheheardhermother’svoicerise.

“Youindulgeher,”Lisaid,herloudvoicecarryingfromthelivingroom.MulanandXiupausedtolisten.Closinghereyes,Mulanheldherbreath.Shecouldpicturehermotherandfathergoingthroughtheirnightlyroutine:hermothertidyingupwhileherfatherslowlyunlacedthebindingonhisleg.Onlyonthisparticularnight,theywerenotgoingaboutitasquietlyastheyusuallydid.

“There’snoharminherdingchickens,”Zhouretorted.

Mulanheardthesoft,evenfootstepsofhermotherasthewomanmovedclosertoherhusband.“YouknowI’mnottalkingaboutchickens,”shewenton.“I’mtalkingabouther??.??.??.herboldspirit.Wecan’tencourageit.”

“Mulanisyoung,”Zhoucountered.“She’sstilllearningtocontrolherself.”

Upinherroom,Mulanbristled.Sheknewherfathermeantwell,buthewastalkingaboutherasifshewereanuntamedfilly,nothisdaughter.Sheshiftedonherseat,wishingshecouldstoptheconversationwhileatthesametimecurioustoseewhereitwouldgo.Shedidn’thavetowaitlong.

“Youmakeexcusesforher!”Lisaid,hervoicelacedwithfrustration.“YouforgetMulanisadaughter,notason.Adaughterbringshonorthroughmarriage.”

“AnymanwouldbefortunatetomarryourMulan,”Zhousaid.

Hearingthecertaintyinherfather’svoice,Mulanbitherlip.Shewantedtobethegirlhebelievedhertobe.Maybechasingthatchickenhadbeenalittlebitreckless.Andmaybesheshouldhavelistenedtoherfatherwhenhetoldhertostop.Butdidhersillyactionsnowreallystandtoruinhermarriageoptionsinthefuture?

Asifhearingherdaughter’sthoughts,Licontinued,“Xiugivesmenotrouble.TheMatchmakerwillfindagoodhusbandforher.”Mulandidn’thavetobeintheroomtoimaginethefrownonhermother’sfaceorthewayshenervouslyrubbedhertemple.Whenshespokeagain,hervoicesoundedsad,anguished.“ItisMulanIworryabout.AlwaysMulan.”Therewasanotherpause,andthenshecontinued,hervoicealmostimpossibletohear:“Ijustdon’tknowwhereshefitsinthisworld.”

Theroombelowgrewsilent.

Mulanfelthersister’seyesonherbutsherefusedtoliftherhead.Instead,shestareddownatthecombinherlap,rubbinganxiouslyatthebristles.Hermother’svoiceechoedinherhead.Washermotherright?Wastherenoplaceforherintheworld?Sheslowlyletoutashakybreath.Shehadneverfeltlikeshetrulybelongedamongtheothergirlsofthevillage,alwaysthefirstonetoendupinamudpuddleorripthehemofhershirt.Shehadalwaysfeltmorecomfortablebesideherfatherinthefieldthanwithhermotherbythestove.Yetshehadneverthoughtthatwaswrong??.??.??.untilnow.

“Shedoesn’tmeanit,”Xiusaid.

Mulanstayedsilent.Shewasn’treadytospeak.Buthersisterwasnothingifnotdetermined.“Tellmeaboutthespider,”shepressed.

“Thereisnospider,”Mulanmumbled.Shewasn’tinthemoodforagame.

“Howmanylegsdoesithave?”Xiuwenton,ignoringhersister’sgrumblesandfrown.