Epilogue

A condor circled overhead, its cries drowned by the thunderous whirs of the airship contingent heading its way.

"By decree of the four beiles, the nine isles of the Antaran territories are to mourn the passing of His Excellency, the late High Commander, for a period of one hundred days from the last full moon," a dull voice droned across the skies, bearing the message of the new leaders of the High Command.

Ying sat perched at the edge of the cliff, watching as the black monstrosities passed her by, the repetitive words fading into the crash of waves down below. She took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh, earthy scent of the grasslands after the rain. The airships passed, and a clear patch of sky was returned to her.

She thought of the friendship between her father and Aogiya Lianzhe, ripped apart by their fundamental differences in goals and ideals. Perhaps now they could finally make peace with each other and rekindle the camaraderie that once was.

Sometimes she thought of Master Lianshu, and wondered if the woman felt any regret about what had transpired, or if she was still busy absolving herself of any responsibility.

In any case, Fei and the Engineers Guild no longer held the same allure for her as they once had. The shining city was a distant memory now, a mirage of towering pagodas and soaring stone bridges, broad canals and narrow alleyways teeming with its uptight citizens. The imposing fortresslike walls of the guild, once a fervent dream that she had worshipped upon a pedestal, had been stripped of its glamour and mystery, leaving behind only the cold, heartless shell that it was.

Still beautiful, but frightening at the same time. She feared that the longer she stayed, the more her relationships with the people she cared about would begin to warp into forms she could no longer recognize, festering the way her father's had.

It was better this way. Leaving it a memory she could cherish and perhaps recall with a smile one day.

She plucked at the blades of damp grass by her sides, staring down at her village, and beyond at the massive ships docked some distance from the Huarin harbor. From her vantage point she could make out the spitting cobra figurehead at the bow of the flagship and the silver serpent painted across its battened sails, its hull painted the same shade of shadowy black as the airships that had just gone past. A vague echo of drumming and cheering drifted over from the mushroom-top gers as her clansmen celebrated the arrival of their distinguished guests.

A marriage ceremony would not be appropriate during the mourning period, but certain formalities still had to be completed out of respect for the wishes of the late High Commander. The ships were here to deliver the dowry for Nian, as a promise from the Aogiya clan that they would honor their word.

Ying averted her gaze, staring out at the azure ocean instead. The pang in her heart was difficult to ignore, and to force herself to smile and bask in her sister's happiness was impossible. Each time she heard Nian speak of Ye-yang and of the beautiful life she thought she was going to lead, Ying felt the urge to withdraw, in case the cracks in her fa?ade began to show and Nian found out about the secrets she was keeping about her relationship with the fourth beile.

So here she was—hiding.

The grass behind her rustled.

Ying turned. Her heart skipped a beat the moment she laid eyes on who it was, standing before her in his black-and-gold splendor, but then an icy wind blew past, reminding her of why he was here, and of what he had done.

"How have you been?" they both asked at the same time.

Ye-yang came closer, but stopped when he saw Ying move back. The light in his eyes faded.

"Fine, I suppose," she answered first. "Can't have been much, compared to what's been happening in Fei."

No one learned what truly happened in the High Commander's chambers that day. To the rest of the nine isles, the High Commander succumbed to the injuries suffered at Ningya, and the Antaran High Command was in need of new leadership. Since Aogiya Lianzhe had not appointed a successor before he passed, it was decided that the four beiles would rule together as a council, surprisingly with Ye-yang—the youngest of the four—at its helm. As for Lady Odval, she would be buried alongside the former High Commander, after having given her life to continue serving him in the next. Her story of touching sacrifice had been told by storytellers all across the Antaran territories, bringing tears to the eyes of many a gullible soul.

Ying knew better. She had intentionally avoided Ye-kan until the day she set sail to return to Huarin, because she had nothing to offer him other than an apology. He had done nothing wrong, yet he had been collateral damage nonetheless. She didn't know if he'd ever find out the truth behind his mother's death, but she hoped he never would.

"We've decided to put a pause on the Qirin campaign, at least until the period of mourning is over. Ningya dealt us a heavy blow and our men need to recuperate."

"You mean it's not over?" Ying turned back to face the open sea, not wanting her expression to betray the upheavals taking place within.

Ye-yang shook his head ruefully. He hesitated for a moment, then walked up to stand beside her. "This war is not for the sake of my father's ambition alone. The future of the Antaran territories hinges on it," he explained.

His words echoed in Ying's ears, and it was as if she could see the ghost of the High Commander speaking through him.

"I know you're angry with me because of what happened that day. But I want you to know that I would never have allowed anyone to harm you," Ye-yang said. "I would have stepped in earlier if I thought you couldn't handle it yourself. Everything was under control."

"Nothing is under control, Ye-yang. You can make the best preparations and still something unexpected can happen. Don't make the same mistake that the High Commander made. He overestimated himself and underestimated everyone else. Look what came of it."

Reaching into the folds of his silk garment, Ye-yang retrieved an envelope and handed it to her. "This is your official acceptance letter into the Engineers Guild. The guild masters unanimously awarded you the top position after the final test. Even Gerel."

The name on the envelope was "Aihui Ying," not "Aihui Min." But had the guild really chosen to accept her as who she was? Or was it because of pressure from Ye-yang, forcing them to bend the rules the way they had done for Aogiya Lianshu?

Ying scoffed at her own skepticism. Clearly she had been cut so deep that she now viewed everything with doubt and cynicism.

She didn't even bother opening the envelope. Instead, she held it out over the edge of the cliff and let go. Caught by a gust of wind, it somersaulted a few times in midair before drifting out toward the waves.

"My father left Fei because he had to make a choice between what he thought was right and what he knew was necessary—and he chose the former," she said. "That's what I'm going to choose too."

The war against the Empire might be critical for the Antaran isles, but Ye-yang would have to fight it without her. Her father had made the mistake of acceding to Lianshu, and that choice had ultimately set him on a path of tragedy. She would not do the same.

A pause.

"You still haven't forgiven me," Ye-yang said.

Ying shook her head. "There is nothing to forgive. There are some walls that we were never meant to cross, Ye-yang. We were a mistake from the very beginning." She turned toward him and smiled, but there was no joy. "Forget me," she said, "and live well."

"Wait." Ye-yang pulled out a small bundle that he had brought with him, carefully unwrapping the cloth to reveal an octagonal lamp. Each panel had been carved with scenes the same way her father used to.

From where she stood, Ying could see one panel with two figures clumsily whittled from the wood, setting lotus lanterns afloat upon the waters. He held the lantern out to her, and her heart ached to reach out and accept it, to return to a time when things were simpler and not marred by secrets and lies.

But she could not.

She stepped back, then turned and headed toward her horse.

"Ying," Ye-yang called out to her just as she mounted Ayanga, "remember when I said I don't believe in making wishes? If there's something I want, I'll get it myself. When I have the Empire in the palm of my hand and the Antaran territories see peace and prosperity once more, I'll come back for you, I swear. This isn't goodbye."

Wishes.

She had made a wish once.

I wished for both of us to get our heart's desire. If only I knew then that this is how it would end.

If she had a second chance, would she still have made that wish? Or made those decisions that would lead them here?

Blinking back the tears that were brimming in her eyes, Ying raised her arm into the air and waved. She could not turn back and look at him one more time, afraid that her resolve might not hold. Deep down, she knew that despite everything, she loved him still.

Tugging at the reins, she sent her horse galloping down the mountainside with her head held high.

Till we meet again, Ye-yang.