MulanslowedBlackWindtoatrot.Thesteamwastoodensetoseethroughandshedidn’twanttoriskthebighorsestumblingononeofthethermalventsthatdottedthelandscape.Forwhatseemedlikehours,butwasnomorethanafewminutes,horseandriderwandered,lost,insidethesteamclouds.

Whenthecloudscleared,Mulangasped.Thebarrenlandscapewasariotofvibrantcolor.Redlavapouredfromvents,transformingintolinesofblackfrozenrockastheaircooled.Itwasasthoughshehadriddenintoawholeotherworld.

AndB??riKhanwasnowheretobeseen.

Anear-piercingshriekfilledtheair.Lookingup,MulanonlyhadamomenttoregisterthehawkdivingtowardherbeforeshewasknockedfromBlackWind’sback.Shetoppledtotheground.Herhelmet,knockedloosebytheimpact,fellfromherheadandtumbledacrosstheground.Thetopknot,keptrestrainedforsolong,cameundoneandMulangroaned,herhairfallingoverhershoulders.

Scramblingtoherfeet,Mulanreachedforherhelmet.Butbeforeshecouldgettoit,thehawklandedinfrontofher.Then,asMulanwatchedindisbelief,thehawktransformedintoabeautifulwoman.Thewomanappearedstrong—anddeadly.

“You’reawitch??.??.??.”Mulansaid,thewordsstickinginherthroat.

Thewomannodded.Shewalkedcloser,lookingMulanupanddown,hereyeslingeringonthearmorandthenmovingtothehairthatnowfelloverMulan’sshoulders.Somethingflashedacrosshereyes,arevelation.“You’vekeptyoursecret.Welldone.Butnowyouareinmyway.Youmustretreat.Go.”

Mulan’seyeswidenedassherealizedthiswomancouldseepastherdisguise.Ragebuiltinsideofheratbeingcalledoutbythewitch.“IamHuaJun,”Mulansaid.“SoldierintheEmperor’sImperialArmy.”

Liftinghersword,sheranatthewitch.ButXianniangfendedheroff.Withawaveofherhand,shesentMulanflyingtotheground.Mulanletoutashoutandjumpedbacktoherfeet.Shewouldnotletthewitchstopher.Onceagain,shechargedatXianniang,andonceagain,thewitchbrushedheraway.

“Yourdeceitweakensyou,”XianniangsaidasshewrappedherlongfingersaroundMulan’sneck.Mulan’sheartthuddedinherchest.Shewasweak,thatmuchwastrue.Still,shewouldn’tlettheotherwomanseeherfear.Shemetthewitch’seyesasthewomanwenton.“Youwouldbeafooltofightme—evenatyourstrongest.”

Liftinghersword,Mulantriedtogoatthewitch.Butinresponse,Xianniangwrappedherhandaroundthebladeandloweredit.“Youwastemytime,”thewitchsaid,growingfrustrated.

Desperately,Mulantuggedathersword.Tohersurprise,thebladecameback,slicingthewitch’spalm.Asbloodbloomedonherhand,Xianniang’seyesfilledwithanger.“Whydoyounotlisten?”sheshouted.

Mulanscrambledbackward.Sheusedallherstrengthtokeeptheswordsteadyinfrontofher.Xianniangshruggedandthen,pullingadaggerfromherbelt,threwitather.Mulantriedtoblockit,buttheforceofthedaggerwasgreat,andwhenitcontactedhersword,thedaggersentthebladeflyingfromherhand.Theswordtwirledthroughtheair,endoverend,beforelandingontheground,whereitskitteredacrossathincrustofcooledlavathatcoveredanearbylakelikeice.

PanicwashedoverMulan.Herfather’ssword!Shecouldn’tloseit.Notcaringthatshehadturnedherbacktothewitch,Mulanracedontothelavacrust.Likeice,itwasslipperierthanitappeared,andMulaninstantlyfell,theimpactcausingthesurfacetocrackaroundher.Sheknewtherewasnowayitwouldhold.Notforlong.Butshehadtogetthesword.Onherhandsandknees,sheinchedfartheroutontothecrustasallaroundhermorecracksbegantoappear.

Behindher,Xianniangsteppedontothecrackinglava,herownstepssolightthattheyleftnoimpressiononthethinlayerofashthatcoveredtheground.BlooddrippedfromthewoundMulanhadinflicted,dottingtheblackwithred.

Mulanreachedhersword.Withatriumphantcry,herfingersclosedaroundthehandleandshegottoherfeet.Turning,shesawthewitchwatchingher.“IamHuaJun.SoldierintheEmperor’sImp—”

Xiannianghadheardenough.“Iwarnedyou,HuaJun,”Xianniangsneered.“Youwilldiepretendingtobesomethingyou’renot.”Inaflashofsilver,Xianniangthrewanotherdagger.Itflewthroughtheair,strikingMulansquareinthechest.

Mulanwasliftedoffherfeetandsentflyingbackward.Asshecamedownhard,thelayerofcrustbeneathherbrokeopen.Mulanfellthroughthehole—andintothelakebelow.

Mulan’schestburnedasshesankdeeperanddeeperbeneaththelake’ssurface.Herhand,stillclutchingherfather’ssword,wasfrozenandshefeltpowerless.Allshecoulddowassink,weighteddownbythearmorshewore.

Shesawaflashofcolor,andthensomethingdoveintothewateraboveher.Atfirst,Mulanfeareditwasthewitch,comingtofinishheroff.Butasshewatched,theshadowyshapetookform,revealingitselfasthePhoenix.Reachingher,thebirdturnedand,wrappingitslongtailfeathersaroundherwrist,pulledherupward.

Amomentlater,Mulanburstthroughthesurface,openinghermouthandsuckinginair.Shelayonthehardgroundbesidethelakeforalongmoment,hereyesclosedasherheartbeatslowed.Sheopenedhereyes.

Instantly,shewishedshehadn’t.

There,protrudingfromherchest,wasthewitch’sdagger.

Itstuckstraightout,thetipofthebladedisappearingintoMulan’sarmor.Butasshestareddown,expectinganymomentforbloodtopourfromthewound,Mulan’seyesnarrowed.Liftinghershakinghands,shepulledoutthedagger.Rippingbackherarmor,Mulansaw,toherrelief,ithadembeddednotinherskin,butintheleatherbindingshehadwrappedaroundherchest.

Inawhoosh,Mulan’sbreathrushedoutofherandsheshoutedacryofgratitude.Tothink,thethingthatshehadusedtolie,thethingthatcouldhavebeenherdownfall,hadjustsavedherlife.

Slowly,shegottoherfeet.Turningaround,shesawthePhoenixsittingafewstepsaway.Thebird’sfeatherswerewetandshelookedtired,buthappy.Meetinghergaze,MulangavethePhoenixagratefulnod.Thebirdnodded.

I’vegotyourback,always,