Shewouldbecomeawarrior.

Holdingthehiltoftheswordinonehandandawkwardlycarryingthearmorunderherotherarm,Mulanmadeherwaybackacrossthelivingroom.Passingbyherparents’slightlyopenbedroomdoor,shecouldseeherfather’sface,stubborneveninsleep.Besidehim,Lisleptfitfully,worrycreasingherforehead.Mulanwishedshecouldwakethemandtellthemgoodbye.Shewishedshecouldtellthemhowmuchshelovedthemandhowmuchshewantedtomakethemproudandkeepthemsafe.Butinstead,shemadeherwayupstairs.

Throwingafewthingsinasmallsatchel,shehesitatedinthedoorway.Inhersleep,Xiuletoutasmallwhimper.AfiercewaveofloverushedthroughMulan.Sheknewthatthemomentshesteppedoutoftheirhouse,shewouldrisknevercomingback.Evenifshewastosurvivethearmy,whichsheverywellmightnot,herreputationwasunlikelytosurvivewhatshewasabouttoattempt:pretendingtobeamantofightawarshehadnoplacein.Sheknewtheoddswereagainsther,butshealsoknewshecouldn’tletherfathergoinherstead.

Hehadbeenright.Shehadtolearnherplace.Butthatplacewasn’there.

ThesoundofthunderwokeZhou.Stirringunderthecovers,heturnedhisheadandlookedthroughthewindowattheominousgraysky.Somethingflutteredinhisbelly,andhisleg,whichachedonagoodday,poundedwiththeimpendingweather.Somethingwaswrong.Heknewit.

Pushingoffthesheets,heloweredhisfeettothefloorandtiptoedoutoftheroom.Aboomofthunderechoedthroughthehouse,andZhoufrozeasListirredinbed.Whenshesettled,hebegantotiptoeoncemore.

Asheenteredthelivingroom,thefeelinginhisstomachworsened.Acrosstheway,hesawthecabinetwithitsdoorsslightlyajar.Hisfeargrowing,hewalkedovertothecabinetandswungopenthedoors.

Itwasempty.

Zhougasped.“Myswordandarmor!”hesaid.“They’regone.”Thewordswereloud,theemotionbehindthemthick.Hearingfootstepsbehindhim,hedidn’teventurnasLienteredtheroomandracedover.

“Whowoulddosuchathing?”Liaskedasshe,too,tookintheemptycabinetandthenherhusband’spalefaceandshakinghands.

Awokenbythecommotion,Xiuappearedinthedoorway.Sherubbedhereyes,stillhalfasleep.Shebarelyregisteredtheemptycabinet.Instead,shenoticedsomething—orrathersomeone—elsethatwasmissing.“WhereisMulan?”sheasked.

Mulan

.Zhoutookanotherraggedbreath.WhatdidXiumean?Mulanwasinherbed,whereshewassupposedtobe.ButalookatXiutoldhimhewaswrong.Athought,onethathedesperatelydidn’twanttobethinking,begantotakeshape.Hisownwordsyelledinfrustrationandangerechoedbacktohim.Learnyourplace,hehadsaid.HehadseenthehurtonMulan’sface,butinthemoment,hehadbeentooabsorbedinhisownpaintocare.Butnow??.??.??.

Turningfromthecabinet,hesearchedthesmalllivingarea.Watchinghim,Liraisedaneyebrow.“Myconscriptionscroll,”hesaid,answeringherunaskedquestion.Hehadtofindit.Ifhecouldn’t,itcouldonlymeanonething.Hebrushedasidetheplatesandemptybowls,lookingforthepaperthathehadlefttherehoursearlier.

Butitwasgone.InitsplacewasMulan’slotuscomb.

Zhouraisedhiseyes,hisgazemeetingLi’s.Theterrorhefeltwasmirroredonhiswife’sface.Theyunderstoodwhatthemissingarmorandconscriptionscrollmeant.

“Youmuststopher,”Lisaid,holdingatremblinghandtoherheart.“Thenortherninvaderswillkillher!”

Zhoubowedhishead.Mulanhadneverwieldedaswordinanythingbutplay,andeventhenithadbeenastick,notarealweapon.Shewouldfallinthefirstfight.Butifhewentafterherandexposedherlie,herfatewouldbethesame.Herownpeople,theothersoldiersandtheleadersofthearmy,wouldneverletherliveiftheyfoundoutshehadbetrayedthem.Hecouldnotstopher.Leavinghiswifeanddaughterweeping,Zhouexitedthehouseandmadehiswaytothephoenixshrine.Hedidn’thearthethunderorseethelightning.Hisheadwastoofullofgrief.Hehaddonethis.HehadpushedMulanawayandsenthertoherdeath.

Enteringthesmallshrine,hekneeledinfrontoftwolargetablets.Thespirittabletsweresaidtoholdthewisdomandspiritsofalltheancestorswhohadcomebefore.Theyweresupposedtohearandanswerprayers.Hehadtohopethattheyheardhisnow.“Ancestors,”hewhispered.“I??.??.??.Iaskforyourhelp.Mydaughterhasmadeaterriblemistake.Pleaseprotecther.”

Hisprayerdone,heletthetearsfall.Behindhimthestormarrived.Andsomewhereoutthere—alone—washisdaughter.

Mulan,

hethought,

I’msosorry.Pleasecomeback.

Withhisheadlowered,Zhoudidnotseeasmall,ugly,andmisshapenbirdemergefrombehindthephoenixstatue.Onewinghunglowanditsheadwasbentatanoddangle.ThebirdeyedZhouforamomentandthenhoppeddownfromthestatueandmadeitswayoutoftheshrine.Itshiveredasthefirstraintoucheditsfeathers,andthen,witharesignedsigh,itscurried—onegoodwingflappingwhiletheotherdragged—outofthetulou.