When they came out of administration hall, a few inner disciples stood at a distance, watching. Some were hostile; more were simply silent. None moved to bar the path. From the northern pavilions, no messenger came with an order, no elder with a lecture, no sect guard with a chain.
"Strange," Jia Kai murmured.
Mo Han's eyes flicked toward the high ridge. "Not strange. Promised."
They loaded quickly. Lambu climbed onto the spirit crane with the awkward dignity of a man marrying danger for the second time. Jia Kai and Mo Han were also seated on top of the spirit crane. The mountain eagle began following them.
"Open," he told the outer disciples who stood as guards at sect doors.
Mo Han held up his relieving letter. The seal glinted like a small sun. The gates groaned, then swung wide.
