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Too much air and you’ll fight skittishly, always on the defensive. Too much earth, and—are you even listening?”
She learned to react automatically to these. She learned to predict Jiang’s moves seconds in advance, to read from the tilt of his torso and the flicker of his eyes what he was about to do next.
Jiang lay there for a moment, dazed. Then he looked up, met her eyes, and grinned.
WE STAN JIANG
Sunzi lay against her back with its snout resting over one of her shoulders,
Stop this is adorable
“Drink, you glutton,” she grumbled as Sunzi frolicked in the stream. “I can’t wait until the day they carve you up and eat you.”
CUT IT OUT
“There won’t be a tomorrow. Not for this one, anyway.” She rubbed Sunzi’s snout. “This one’s going to the butcher tonight.”
:(
A crack like a thunderbolt echoed beneath her.
The stone under her feet had splintered under the force of the dispelled energy. One long crack ran between her feet to the edge of the stone block.
Tf
Rin’s face split into a grin. Fuck it, she thought, and leaped up to embrace him. He picked her up and swung her through the air, around and around among the kaleidoscopically colorful mushrooms.
Aww
“You have to pledge Lore,” Jiang continued excitedly. “No one—no one, not even Altan, picked things up this fast.”
How was she to tell him the only reason she wanted to learn combat was so she could get through the Trials and study with Irjah?
Not sure why ypu would choose anyone over him i mean he tookthe time to teach you evrything
“Sir, I just want to learn to be a good soldier,” she said. Jiang’s face fell. “You and the rest of this school,” he said.
:(
and she hadn’t realized how precious his attention was until she had scared him away.
Oddly, a number of apprentices put decent money on Rin.
:)
Kitay didn’t bother looking at the texts. He had memorized the entirety of Principles of War on his first read-through.
The things id do for a photographic memory
She felt very cold and hot all at once. She hadn’t slept in three days.
Meeeee in college
“I wonder how you people do it,” Kitay mused. “You know, actually having to try to remember things. Your lives sound so difficult.” “I will murder you with this ink brush,” Rin grumbled.
Altan’s voice was surprisingly melodious, soft and deep.
The corner of Altan’s mouth quirked up in a terribly attractive grin, which set her heart beating erratically. “What a rebel.”
Lmaooooo my girlie is hot and bothered
“She’s not accusing anyone of anything,” Jiang interrupted serenely. It was the first time he’d spoken since the start of her exam.
Her classmates looked like they had on the first day of class—startled and bewildered. Nezha looked dumbfounded. Then Kitay began to clap. He was the only one.
I love Kitay!!! And HELL YA THATS RIGHT NEXHA YOU DUMB BITCH SHES GONNA WHOOP UR ASS
The rest of the class had learned their fundamentals from Jun. They moved the same way, sank into the same default patterns when nervous.
“You shouldn’t even be here,” she snarled. “Tell that to your nose,” Rin said.
Lmaoooo
And Venka wasn’t the victory she wanted.
There were rumors Nezha would be disqualified for intentional maiming, but Rin knew better than to hope.
He sucks
Nezha disappeared somewhere halfway through dinner. He was likely getting private coaching from Jun.
I feel like he’s doing something shady asf
“They’re not sure if he’s going to be able to walk again. Nezha shattered his kneecap.”
Yeah well he already been there done that to Rin
Nezha was taking her seriously, Rin realized. He took her as an equal.
Rin had now lasted longer than any of Nezha’s previous opponents, and something had become clear to her: He wasn’t invincible.
She couldn’t breathe. Black tinged the edges of her vision—black, and then scarlet. An awful rage filled her, consumed her thoughts entirely.
She wanted Nezha to hurt. She wanted Nezha punished.
She barreled up the stairs, burst out the door of the main hall into the cold open air, and sucked in a great breath. It wasn’t enough. She was still burning.
Yeah she’s from Speer, she’s an orphan after all
Everything looked red: the trees, the stones, Jiang most of all. He flared in front of her like a torch.
“Help me,” she gasped. “Help.” He leaned forward and cupped her head in his hands. “Look at me.”
His eyes rolled up in the back of his head and he began uttering indecipherable noises, syllables that didn’t resemble any language she knew.
“Congratulations,” Jiang said. “You’re this year’s champion.”
She wanted that power again. She wanted what Jiang could teach her.
Jiang’s features did not soften, but neither did he get up to leave. “No. It was my fault. I didn’t realize how much like Altan you are.”
Kitay unfurled it. His face split into a grin. “Irjah thinks surrendering was brilliant. I’m pledging Strategy!”
Lmaooo
She could choose between Strategy and Lore. She pledged Lore.
YAYYY
She had planned on spending the break at the Academy, until Kitay invited her to stay at his estate. “Unless you don’t want to,” Kitay said nervously. “I mean, if you already have plans—”
Not the girl who lived vibes. ALSO WHY IS HE SO ADORABLY NERVOUS ASKING BABY
For the first time since she had arrived in Sinegard, she felt as if she belonged here. She leaned against the side and enjoyed the warm summer breeze against her face.
I love her
“But your mind has just suffered a very particular trauma. The best thing you can do for yourself now is rest. Let the experience germinate. Let your mind heal.”
She saw none of that here. The Jade District was composed of pristine barriers and walled-off gardens. Aside from their carriage, the roads were empty.
Sounds boring as helll
Several dogs rushed them at the entrance, tiny white things whose paws were as immaculately clean as the tiled path they walked on.
AWHHHH
Except the Monkey Province. Too spicy. It’s not good for you. I also don’t do stinky tofu. My only constraint is what’s on the market, but I can get just about anything at the import store. Any favorite recipes? Lobster? Or water chestnuts? You name it, I’ll cook it.”
Not Rin being treated like the queen she is, here
she might have grown up at an estate like this, with all of her desires within reach. In another world, she might have been born into power.
But our suffering builds character
“Sixty-five years ago, in the wake of the First Poppy War, the people of Nikan suffered under the weight of their Federation oppressors.
Nikan lay sick, feverish under the clouds of the poppy drug.”
Mothers sold their infants for a pound of meat, for a bolt of cloth. Fathers killed their children rather than watch them suffer. Yes, that’s right. Children just like you!
