“It is not for us to dictate his stay,” Yishan said. “He has his mandate.”

Pinmei felt her mouth falling open as she stared at Yishan. He could not just be pretending. Yishan seemed to be standing taller, his face unusually serious and authoritative. What had happened to him? And what was he talking about?

“I know!” the Sea King said, annoyed. “But this is different! The Black Tortoise is in trouble!”

“The Black Tortoise is invincible,” Yishan scoffed. “What could harm him?”

“I don’t know,” the Sea King said. “But he needs help.”

“The Black Tortoise needs help?” Yishan said, and it was his voice that was full of doubt this time. “How do you know that?”

As if in response, there was a clatter of the guard returning.

“Here!” the guard bellowed.

The group of watching nobles, their robes swaying, parted to make a path. All were silent, and Pinmei squinted, for she could not see what person they were shifting for.

But then she saw. It was not a person at all. Instead, slithering toward them like a twisting piece of black string, was a snake.

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“Come,” the Sea King said to the snake, waving his hand. “Tell these children what you told me.”

The black snake slunk forward, and Pinmei saw it slide through the air, only an inch or so above the floor. The snake turned and looked at them with tiny eyes like knotted black threads.

“The Black Tortoise needs help,” hissed the snake, its voice like the wind through pine needles.

“What kind of help?” Yishan asked. “What has happened to him?”

The snake turned back to the Sea King, stretching its neck as if pleading. “The Black Tortoise needs help,” it hissed again.

“Yes, but…” Yishan began.

“It says nothing else,” the Sea King interrupted. The snake moved to coil itself next to the Sea King’s throne. “I do not think it can. But you see, do you not? The Black Tortoise is in trouble.”

Yishan nodded. Pinmei raised her eyebrows at him to try to get his attention, but he continued to look directly at the Sea King.

“You are right when you said nothing could harm the Black Tortoise,” the Sea King said. “But something must be keeping him from leaving. I know little of your world these days, but I do know it is in your world that the tortoise is trapped. You”—the Sea King hesitated, obviously skeptical—“or someone up there must free him.”

Yishan nodded, and Pinmei finally felt she could not let him continue. What was he doing? Why was Yishan talking to the Sea King about the Black Tortoise and winter? Were they even going to ask about the stone? With a surreptitious glance at the king, she jabbed Yishan sharply with her elbow.

He yelped and looked guiltily at her glare.

“Actually, we’re here for another reason too,” Pinmei said, hoping her voice did not squeak as much as it did in her ears. “We’d like to ask about a Luminous Stone That Lights the Night.”

“A Luminous Stone That Lights the Night?” the Sea King said in surprise. “It has been a long time since I have heard Nuwa’s tear called that.”

“Nuwa’s tear?” Pinmei said, frowning.

“Yes,” the Sea King said. “When Nuwa, the great goddess with the fish tail, sacrificed herself to save the sky, the earth, and the seas, she left behind three things. Do you remember what they are, Storyteller’s granddaughter?”

Pinmei looked up at the Sea King, but his eyes were as unreadable as black waves of water. She nodded.

“Her husband pulled out a strand of hair as Nuwa transformed,” Pinmei said.

“The Iron Rod,” the Sea King said.

“When he pulled the hair, there was a drop of blood,” Pinmei continued.

“The Red Stone,” the king said, and he touched his chest.

“But, before that,” Pinmei said slowly, “Nuwa shed a single tear in sorrow.”

“A Luminous Stone That Lights the Night,” the Sea King finished. He drew himself up proudly. “I am honored to have all three of these items in my dominion.”

“Y-you do?” Pinmei stuttered. “You have the Luminous Stone?”

“A stone rests in my kingdom,” the Sea King said. “At least, partly.”

“Can we see it?” Pinmei asked. All her irritation and confusion disappeared in her eagerness. The Luminous Stone was here! They were so close! “Please!”

“That is easy enough,” the Sea King said, and without warning he stood up. All the attendants and nobles sprang up in a flurry, rippling out like waves in the water. “Come,” he said. “Let us go see the Luminous Stone That Lights the Night.”

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The Sea King waved away his servants and attendants with a flick of his hand and motioned for the children to follow. The black snake silently uncoiled itself and slithered alongside.

“Yishan,” Pinmei whispered fiercely, pulling him to fall behind the king’s billowing robes. “What was that about?”

“What?” Yishan said with pretended innocence.

Pinmei glared.

“It worked out, didn’t it?” he said. “We’re going to see the stone right now.”

She looked at him with narrowed eyes as he grinned at her.

“Hey,” Yishan called as the Sea King led them out of the palace. “Aren’t we going to the treasury?”

The Sea King turned and looked at Yishan with his eyebrow raised, the disbelieving look returning to his face.

“To see Nuwa’s Tear,” the Sea King said, “we must go to the garden. Do you not know that?”

“Oh, um, yes,” Yishan said quickly. He reddened as if truly embarrassed. “I just forgot.”

“Hmm,” the Sea King said, his nostrils flaring. He continued to walk. “The garden is this way.”

It was not like any garden Pinmei had ever seen before, not even in her dreams. Again, jellyfish lanterns lit their way, making the crystal stones of the mosaic pathway sparkle. There were flowers of unimaginable colors, their closed blossoms like polished shells. Heavy with glossy pink and white fruits, the coral tree branches swayed softly above her. No, not fruits, Pinmei realized, shaking her head. Pearls!