Watchinghimgo,Mulanbreathedasighofrelief.Thathadbeenclose.SheshudderedtothinkwhatwouldhavehappenedifnotforthePhoenix.Asifoncue,thebirdsurfacedinfrontofher.

Preeningherself,thePhoenixshotMulanasatisfiedsmirk,asiftosay,

Thereareworsewaysabirdcouldspenditstime

.Mulanlaughed.“Thankyou,”shesaid,hertonegenuine.Thebirdliftedintotheairand,withonelastconspiratorialwink,flewoff,followingHonghuibacktowardthecamp.

Mulansighed.ThePhoenixhadhelpedheroutofthatjam.ButwhatwasshegoingtodowhenshesawHonghuiinthemorning?Hewouldbehurt,andhisresentmentwouldturntoanger.Shehadonlyjustbeguntofindherplaceinthecamp.Andthenshehadgoneanddonethatridiculousthingwiththespear??.??.??.andnowthis?Shejustcouldn’tgetoutofherownway.Shesighedagain.Shereallyhadmessedthingsup—andnowshewasgoingtohavetopaytheprice.

ItfeltasthoughMulanhadonlyjustclosedhereyeswhensheheardtheshouttowakeup.Bitingbackagroan,shepulledherselfup.Aroundher,theothersoldierswerethrowingontheirclothesandarmor,lacingupbootsandgrabbingtheirvariousequipment.SpottingHonghui,Mulanduckedherhead,tryingtoavoideyecontact.

Butthespacewassmall,anditwasimpossibleforthemtoavoideachothercompletely.Headingfortherowofboots,MulanleaneddownandalmostgaspedwhenhershoulderaccidentallybrushedHonghui’s.ShejumpedbackandwasabouttoretreattohersleepingplatformwhenSergeantQiang’svoiceboomedthroughthebarracks.

“HuaJun!”heshouted.Mulansnappedtoattentionandlookedover.“ReporttoCommanderTung.”

Mulanwalkedoutofthetent,butnotbeforecatchingHonghui’seye.Shewasn’tsure,butshealmostthoughtshesawaflickerofcompassioncrosshisface.Butasquicklyasitappeared,theflickerfaded,replacedwithcoldness.Hershoulderssagged.Whathadsheexpected?ForHonghuitosuddenlyforgiveherforactingcoldlastnight,justbecauseshewasnowpossiblywalkingtoherdoom?

Keepingherheaddown,shemadeherwayacrossthecampgroundtowardCommanderTung’stent.Whilehisrankaffordedhimlavishsleepingquarters,thecommanderhadkepthisspacesimpleandmodest.Assheentered,Mulannoticedthatthefurnishingswerebare,anditappearedasifthesleepingplatformhadneverbeenused.CommanderTungwasasoldier.Sleepwouldwaituntilafterthebattlehadbeenwon.

Sittingathisdesk,thecommanderlookedupasheheardMulanapproach.Hegesturedforhertocomecloser.Then,settinghiswritingutensildown,heputhishandsflatonthedesk.Mulanresistedtheurgetorun.

Finally,hespoke.“I’vewatchedyou,HuaJun,”hebegan.“Youtrainhard—yourspiritisevident.”Hepaused,asthoughweighinghisnextwordsandtheirimpact.“Butsomethingholdsyouback.Itseems??.??.??.you’vebeenhidingsomething.”

Mulanfelthermouthopeningandclosinglikeafishondryland.Whatdidhemean?Whatdidheknow?Shestoodthere,unsurewhattodo.Shefearedthatatanymoment,soldierswouldburstintothetenttodragherawayindisgrace.“Commander??.??.??.”shestartedtosay.

Unawareoftheimpacthiswordshadhadonher,thecommanderheldupahandforsilence.“IsenseditthemomentImetyou.ButnowIamsure,”CommanderTungcontinued.“Yousee,Ihaveasecretaswell??.??.??.”ThecommanderlookeddirectlyintoMulan’seyes.“Iknowyourfather.”AtMulan’ssurprisedexpression,CommanderTungnodded.“HuaZhouandIfoughttogether.Hewasagreatsoldier.Inyou,HuaJun,Iseetheshadowofhissword.Perhapsthisshadowfallsheavyonyourshoulders.”

Bowingherhead,Mulandarednotmeetthecommander’sgaze.Shedidn’twanthimtoseetheemotionthatfilledherface.Hehadnoideahowtruehiswordswere,thoughtheywerenottrueforthereasonhethought.Herfather’slove,nothisshadow,fellheavyonher.Asdidthetruthshecouldnotshare.

Takinghersilenceforagreement,CommanderTungwenton.“Youcan’tallowyourfather’slegacytoholdyouback.Youneedtocultivateyourgift.”

Gift?

Mulanlookedup,confusionreplacinghersadness.“Sir?”sheasked.

“Yourchi,HuaJun,”CommanderTunganswered.“It’spowerful.Whydoyouhideit?”

Onceagain,Mulanfeltherselfatalossforwords.Chi.Thevitallifeforcebelievedtoflowthrougheveryone.Shehadheardherfatherspeakofwarriorswhopossessedastrongerforcethanothers.Warriorswhosechiallowedthemtobefasterandbraverinbattleandtomovewithsuchgraceandpowerthattheycould,attimes,appeartohangintheairasthoughflying.Forthecommandertoimplythatshehadsuchchiseemed??.??.??.impossible.Butasshestoodthere,thesmallestofflamesbegantoflicker.Itwouldexplainsomuch.ThePhoenix.HerbattlewithHonghui.Maybe,justmaybe,CommanderTungwasn’twrong.Butshecouldn’triskrevealinganythingspecialabouther,orsheriskedrevealingeverything.

“I??.??.??.Idon’tknow,”shesaid.

Sensingherstruggle,CommanderTungnoddedinunderstanding.“Wewillexposeit.Allowittoblossom.Thetruthneverhurtsasmuchastheexposureofalie.”Withanod,hedismissedMulan.

Slowlysheleft,thecommander’swordsringinginherhead.Hehadnotguessedhersecret,butforsomereason,shefeltasifhehadrevealedsomethingfardeeper.