Chapter 12: The Final

"Why would she make you watch?" Lian asked.

Guan Shuo opened his mouth.

Then he closed it, turned and went back up the west stair into the gray dawn.

By midmorning the masons were back on the Cloud Stage.

They were filling the Clear Water lines with wet mortar and smoothing them flat with trowels.

"The Sect Master's order," said the Discipline Hall officer who stood watching them. "Its work is done."

Lian stood at the foot of the stage and watched the last blue line disappear under gray mortar.

Two nights ago the Discipline Elder had cut it in to catch her.

Today his own Sect Master was having it filled in before her grandson stepped on it.

Lian didn't know why.

She noticed it anyway.

At noon the five sects packed the tiers to the last ring for the final.

Then there was a noise from the west side of the summit, and heads turned.

Forty women in undyed hemp were coming up over the top of the west stair.

The head carrier walked in front, with the twins behind her.

The girl with the stammer was singing under her breath to keep her feet moving.

Two officers ran to turn them back.

"Let them watch," called the Red Pine sect master from his seat. "It's a carrier in the final. Let the carriers see it."

The officers looked up at the Jade Spring dais.

The Sect Master lifted one gloved finger, and they stepped aside.

The carriers stood along the grass at the west edge of the stage with their scarred hands folded in front of them.

Guan Shuo climbed onto the stage in white, with a jade-hilted sword on his hip.

He bowed to the tiers, and then to her.