EverytimeMulanclosedhereyes,shesawherselfspinningthroughtheairandfeltthegroundcrunchunderherfeetassheslammeddown.Shesawthevariedlooksoftheothersoldiers—somesurprised,someawed,somebothered.Butmorethananything,shesawHonghuistaringather,anditwasthatlookthatlingeredinhermemory.Hehadseemedsurprised.Asifhehadn’tthoughthercapableofdefeatinghim.Shedidn’tknowwhetherthatmadeherfeelproud,orabitoffended.Eitherway,hislook—andtheothers’—nowhauntedher.

Shestillwasn’tsurewhathadcomeoverher.Herbodyhadstartedmovingonitsown.Itwasasthoughaswitchhadbeenflippedandallthetrainingandpracticehadclickedintoplace.Buttherewassomethingmoretoit.Somethingthatfeltdeeperandbiggerthanher.Whenshehadbeentwirlingthroughtheair,whippingherspearasthoughitwereanextensionofherbody,itfeltthesameasthedaylongagowhenshehadchasedthechickenthroughherfamily’scompoundandfallenofftheroof.Then,likenow,shehadbeenunabletoexplainwhathadpossessedher.

Andthatscaredher.

Nowshelayonhersleepingplatform,willinghereyestoclose.Buteverytimesheshifted,herownbodyodorassailedhernostrils.Sheneededtowashherself—andtheday—off.Swingingherlegsovertheplatform,shegrabbedfreshclothesandtiptoedpasttheothersoldiersoutofthebarracks.

Theencampmentwasquietandempty,allofthesoldiersretiredtotheirtentsforthenight,soMulanwasabletomovequickly.Herfootstepsbarelymadeasoundasshefloatedoverthegroundtowardthelakeattheedgeofthecamp.Abrightmoonintheskyaboveilluminateditsstillsurface.Mulansmiledatthesightofthefreshwater.

Takingaquickpeekoverhershouldertomakesurenoonewaslooking,Mulanundressed.Droppingherclothesinapile,sheslippedintothechillywater.

Asighofpureblissescapedherlips.Thewaterwashedawaythedirtthatclungtoherskin,andthechillfeltgoodonherachingmuscles.Sinkingbeneaththesurface,sheletthesilenceenvelopeher.Shefloatedthere,suspendedbetweenthemurkylakebottomandthesurfaceaboveforalongmoment,herthoughtsslowing.There,inthesilence,shewasonceagainjustMulan.NotHuaJuntryingtoprove“himself.”Shehadn’trealizedhowhardtheacthadbeenonhermentallyuntilnow,whensheallowedherbodyandmindtorelax.

Whenherbreathranout,sheallowedherbodytoriseandreturnedtothelake’ssurface.Keepinghereyesclosed,shefelttheairdrythewateronhercheeks.Herhair,heavyfromtheliquid,madeherscalphurtandshereachedforhertopknot,eagertoletitloose.Butjustasherfingerstouchedthelongblackstrands,sheheardavoicecalloutoverthewater.

“HuaJun!”

Mulan’seyessnappedopen.Scanningtheshoreline,shespottedHonghui.“Weneedtotalk!”heshoutedashetookoffhisownclothes.

PanicfilledMulan.Immediately,shetriedtosubmergeherbodywhilesimultaneouslyavertinghereyesfromHonghui.Heshedhisclothesquicklyandwithnoshame.

“Icameheretobealone—”Mulancalledout,splashingwaterasshetriedtomoveaway.Desperately,shelookedaroundforsomething,anything,tocoverherbody.

Honghuiignoredherprotest.Jumpingintothewater,heswamtowardher.“Whatwasthattoday?”hesaidashisarmsslicedthroughthewater.“Youwereincredible.”

“Idon’twanttotalkaboutit,”Mulansaid,turningsoherbackwastohim.

Stoppingafewfeetaway,Honghuitreadedwater.Helookedatherwithcuriosity.WhenMulandidn’tmakeamovetoturntowardhim,Honghuiswamaroundtofaceher.Butshemirroredhismovements,keepingherbacktohim.Hepressedonanyway.“Teachmehowyoudidit.Showme.”

Mulanshookherhead.“Leavemealone,”sherepeated.Thewordscameoutharsherthanshehadintended.ButHonghuiwasnotbothered.

“Why?”heasked.“What’swrongwithyou?Ithoughtwewerefriends.”

“I’mnotyourfriend!”Mulanshouted.Hervoiceechoedoverthewater,bouncingbacktoher.Shecringed.SheknewaswellasHonghuithatthatwasn’ttrue.Theywerefriends.Oratleast,theywerebecomingfriends.ShepeekedoverhershoulderandsawconfusioninHonghui’seyes.Sheknewithurt,butshewastryingtoprotecthim.Hecouldn’tfindouthersecret.Itwouldmeandisgraceforthemboth.

AsMulanremainedsilentandtheairgrewtense,Honghui’sconfusionturnedtoanger.“Thenlookmeintheeyeandsaythat,”hedemanded.Mulandidnotspeak.“I’mnotleavinghereuntilyoulookmeintheeyeandtellmewe’renotfriends.”

Mulanswallowed.SheknewHonghuimeantit.Hewouldstaythereforaslongasittooktogethertoturntohim.

Butwhatcouldshedo?ThenMulansawaflashofwhitemovingalongthesurfaceofthewater.Liftinghereyes,shesawthePhoenix.Thebirdfoldeditswingsanddovetowardthewater’ssurface.ShepiercedthewaterbehindHonghuiwitha

SPLASH!

Hearingthesound,Honghuispunaround.Hepeeredintothewater,tryingtoseebeneaththesurface.ButthePhoenix’splungehadstirredthelakebottomandturnedthewatermurky.“Whatwasthat?”Honghuiasked,nervouslyscanningthewater’ssurface.“There’ssomethingdownthere!”ThenhiseyesgrewwideandheletoutashoutasthePhoenixnibbledathislegs.Notwaitingtoseewhatwasbitinghim,Honghuiturnedandbegantoswimfranticallytotheshore.Whenhereacheddryland,hegrabbedhisclothesandracedaway,notevendaringaglanceback.