Chapter 6: Nine Waves, Seven Waves

The Salt Tide guard came up the mountain road at noon, two hundred men in black with silver wave stitching.

The first banner appeared over the last bend of the path.

It was black cloth on a tall pole, with white crests along the lower edge.

Zhaoxue stood in the courtyard of Cloud Pine, in the pale blue robe she had worn when she died, and could not breathe.

She did not count the crests.

She saw only the black.

Around her, three hundred Cloud Pine disciples stood in rows to receive the guests, in clean grey and green.

Ning Zhiyuan stood at the head of the rows, with his key ring and a welcoming face.

Master Feng sat in a chair at the top of the steps, wrapped in a blanket, with a servant at each shoulder.

Linxia stood two steps behind Zhaoxue, in black robes, with the Pine Seal under her collar and her hand lying easy on her sword.

"Breathe," she said quietly.

"They're in the courtyard."

"They're on the path. They're guests."

"Black banners," Zhaoxue whispered. "The east gate."

"The east gate is behind you and closed. Breathe."

The first banner came through the gate.

The second came after it, and the third.

The fourth, until the whole courtyard was edged with black cloth and the sound of iron-shod boots.

Zhaoxue's fingers had gone numb.

Her father's chair was twenty paces away, beside the Quiet Courtyard door.

On the far side of the yard, a Salt Tide guard turned to the east gate.

He put his hand on the heavy bar, to lock the wind out behind the column.

It was a courtesy.

It was what a polite guest would do.