Without another word, the chief attendant bowed to the queen and left the chamber, her steps unsteady and hurried. I wanted to call to her, to explain, to tell her what Ping’er had meant to us, to share our memories—except that would be a cruelty rather than a kindness. For the life Ping’er had with us was only possible because she had been parted from her family. Foolishly, I had imagined we would weep over our shared sorrow, a release to the anguish coiled tight in my chest. After all, Ping’er had intended to leave me in her family’s care here—this was where I might have spent my years if we had not been chased by the soldiers, if I had not leapt to the Celestial Kingdom.

As Ping’yi stared at her sister’s body, her nose reddened, a tear sliding down her cheek. The clear liquid shifted to a milky white, gleaming as it morphed into a pearl that fell to the ground.

Bending down, I picked it up. Smooth and warm between my fingers, it looked just like the one around my neck. Its luminosity reminded me of the laurel seeds, but with a softer glow instead of their harsh glitter. Silently, I passed it to her.

“Thank you.” As she raised her hand, light surged forth to envelop Ping’er, her body rising into the air.

“Wait! Where are you taking her?” I was not ready to let go.

“My sister will be laid to rest with the spirits of our ancestors, eventually becoming part of the ocean we love.” Her gaze flicked to me, lingering on the pearl around my neck. Unlike her mother, there was no animosity in her expression, just a deep sadness, which hurt more.

“Why did she leave?” I wanted to learn everything I could; the stories Ping’er never had the chance to share with us.

Ping’yi hesitated. “It was my fault. I was in love with our childhood friend, though he offered for Ping’er instead. We fought that day. I accused her of selfishness, of scheming to have him for herself. She left the next day.” Her shoulders hunched inward. “I thought she would return after a year or two. Ten years passed, then decades more. When she finally wrote to us, she said she was happy to serve the Moon Goddess and that she had found her place in the world.”

“She was better than we deserved.” My sight blurred, tears catching in my lashes.

Ping’yi studied my face. “Your tears … do they contain a part of you too?”

“No. Why would you think so?”