For a moment, Chang-li seemed to be caught in between worlds. The tower fog faded away, and he was suspended in thin air, staring at the Riceflower from outside it for the second time this evening.

  The tower had changed. Smoke rose all around. He could see the devastation, entire Petals in ruins, tower beasts running rampant as refugees fled downward. Two Petals he could see were collapsing entirely, their connection to the stalk damaged. They tipped forward over the void. People were clinging to anything they could, as debris rained down into the lake below. The Flotsam was a seething mass. The rafts and little islands seemed to be trying to flee, but the lake roiled in white-capped waves. Even as he looked one raft was overwhelmed by a surge of water. Debris rained down onto another island, crowded with people, who huddled together with no more than their hands to protect their heads.

  If he were there, he could weave a lux shield, he could try to save the doomed citizens trapped on the ruined petals —

  Watch, a voice in his head boomed. Chang-li winced at the power. This is your reward, a glimpse of my glory.

  Light blossomed, warm and golden. Chimes played. Chang-li smelled roses and incense, and then the Emperor was there. Light radiated off him.

  He lifted his hands and wove techniques layered on techniques. Chang-li leaned forward, as though that made a difference, desperate to see and understand. The techniques seemed like they had holes in them where no lux existed, yet they were tight and snapped into place, clearly doing exactly as the emperor intended. Was he… was he using lumos and lux together? Was that even possible?

  Then he lifted his hands and sent up a wave of techniques like a peacock’s tail, fanning upward and outward in a thousand colors. The waves shot forward. Some raced toward the broken Petals, where tendrils of lux snaked through the ruined buildings and came out carrying people, livestock, and pets. These were taken to the nearby Petals and set down careful. Strong red-dominant weaves latched onto the damaged connection points and pulled the broken petals free. The Petals were carried out over the lake, surrounded by a globe of violet lux, then — the techniques dissolved, and the Petals were gone.

  At the same time, more weaves flew out in a net all around, stabilizing broken edges, filling holes, catching people who dangled from the platforms and bridges all around the city. A wide yellow-dominant technique spread itself out from the city across the lake, calming the waves. More weaves brought people up out of the water, righted capsized boats, drew back islands that had come unmoored.

  It took a handful of minutes, then the Emperor lowered his hands, and nodded. The rest will be for those who live here to accomplish. Come.

  And Chang-li was standing in the Governor's Palace Square. It was utterly changed from its earlier appearance. The pavilions and booths, which had decorated the festivities, lay in ruins. Fine food was scattered and crushed underfoot, with spilled wine and beer running into the gutters. The smell combined into a noxious odor in his nose.

  He looked around, even though he was certain he’d have felt the emperor’s presence. He wasn’t there. Chang-li breathed a sigh of relief. The Emperor was as terrifying and amazing as he’d ever dreamed.

  People were cautiously emerging from the governor's palace. He guessed they'd taken refuge there. Some of the windows and doors were broken, and the bodies of dead tower beasts lay everywhere, along with more than a few cultivators. It looked like they had fought hard here in the square to keep the tower beasts from getting past. He hoped that meant Min was all right.

  The lux all around him was returning to normal. He could hear the notes being played to their proper pitch.

  Joshi looked around. "This is a mess," he commented. "And in about two minutes, it's going to get even messier when people realize the attack's over and start coming to ask questions. Do you really want to still be here?"

  Chang-li remembered what the Emperor had said, that the rest was up to them. He needed to find Min and the acolytes. "I think it's our duty as cultivators to help make sure everyone is safe," he said slowly. "But I know your concerns. If you feel that you need to disappear, I won't stand in your way."

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  Joshi considered a moment before shaking his head. "No," he said. The word sounded as though it were drawn out of him from deep inside. "No, I won't run. I'm going to make my stand here with Morning Mist. You don't think we'll be blamed for this, do you?"

  "I don't see how," Chang-li said.

  “But of course the other sects will be looking for a scapegoat."

  "Then they can have Golden Locks.” Chang-li said grimly, as the doors directly across the square from him opened. These were heavy wooden doors with iron bands across, and the first to emerge were guards wearing the city livery, followed by the Dowager Pearl and other higher nobles, including Hiroko.

  Before anything else could happen, a light blossomed behind them. Chang-li turned as a will far stronger than his own reached out and touched him. He and everyone else there sank to their knees.

  Illumination flooded through the open doors. The Emperor had arrived. There was no need to ask who he was. He glowed with lux so bright it blinded and drew the eye at the same time. His will felt far stronger than the Prism's, but wielded deftly like a pen, not a sword.

  The Emperor strode through the crowd with Prism Nai Lin at his heels.

  "My people," he said. He spoke in a normal tone, and yet his voice boomed across the square. "You have nothing more to fear. I have stabilized the worst of the damage. This tower has been brought back into harmony. It will continue to provide your province with lux, though you will need to cull it twice a year for the next three decades or so. As a result, some of your harvests are likely to be lower yield for that time, but it will pass." He made a dismissive motion with his hand, as though talking about thirty years of crop shortages meant nothing. "Now, I have chased the traitorous Prism from these parts, and rest assured, I shall see that she is called to account. My Inquisitors will be arriving in the city shortly. We will soon know the full story of what has happened here. You will, of course, assist them in every way possible. Anyone found resisting the Inquisitors will be sanctioned with asset forfeiture, exile, or perhaps death."

  His words were cold and crushing. Chang-li shivered, hoping he had nothing to fear.

  "However, those of you who fought valiantly tonight shall be rewarded. First among them is the one who braved the dangers of the tower in order to call me here. My attention is spread across so much of the empire. In the blink of an eye, when my gaze was elsewhere, thanks to a diversion from the traitor, this tower could have been destroyed, killing all of you here in Vardin City. But she, thanks to her quick wit and dedicated cultivation, brought me here. My subjects, the winner of this competition and my newest bride, Li Jiya, formerly of the Morning Mist sect."

  He extended a hand, and there was Li Jiya. Somehow she'd been here this whole time though Chang-li would have sworn she hadn't been there a moment ago. It seemed that in the emperor’s presence, no one else was noticed unless he wished it. Her robes had changed. Instead of Morning Mist cultivator's robes, she wore pure white, the same styling as the Dowager Pearl's black. On her head was a circlet with a single pearl in it.

  "Li Jiya will be departing immediately for the imperial grounds. She has asked that her former sect be rewarded." He looked about. "Where is the master of Morning Mist?"

  Chang-li opened his mouth to speak, but stopped. Out of the crowd came Noren with Min beside him. She looked tired and disheveled, but Chang-li was glad to see she was all right. There was no sign of any wound on her. She caught his eye and smiled at him. He longed to go to her, but right now he couldn't get off his knees. The Emperor's will was keeping him down.

  Noren stepped forward, keeping his eyes downcast, and bowed low to the Emperor. "Your divinity, I am the Grandmaster of Morning Mist, Noren."

  The Emperor looked him over. "Well, your sect has done the Empire a great service. My officials will see to the matter of commendations and rewards. Now I have elsewhere to be." He turned, set a hand on Li Jiya's shoulder, and was gone, leaving the Prism Nai Lin standing alone. His will vanished.

  The crowd began to murmur and stir. Chang-li climbed to his feet. Min rushed to him. He wrapped his arms around her. She held him tight.

  "You're all right," she whispered. "I hoped you were, when the Emperor arrived."

  "And you?" He smiled into her eyes, touching her face with his hand. "I'm sorry I didn't come to you."

  "I know," Min said. "Noren told me. You had work to do, and I'm glad you did. Tell me about it later."

  He disengaged, keeping an arm over her shoulder as they turned to Noren, the crowd flocking in around them, offering well wishes and greetings.

  "Grandmaster," Chang-li called.

  Noren looked at him with a pleased expression. "You did well, my disciple.”

  Chang-li cleared his throat. “I beg your indulgence…”

  “Are you asking me a favor?"

  "I am." Chang-li bent in a stiff formal half bow. "Master, would you take this one as your disciple and teach me how to reach the Peak of Spiritual Refinement?"

  Noren smiled slowly. It was a curiously feral smile, barely touching his eyes. "You have no idea what you're asking me."

  Chang-li straightened out of his bow. Could the man never give a straight answer? "No, I don't," Chang-li said through clenched teeth.

  "But you're going to find out. Yes, my disciple. It's time we began your training."