The landing was smooth.

Cāng Jì touched down at the edge of the clearing with a grace that belied his earlier dramatics. His golden scales gleamed. His wings folded against his back. His tail curled once, twice, and then stilled.

He looked, Zhen thought irritably, like he knew exactly how impressive he was.

"Get off," he said.

"We are getting off."

"Get off faster."

Zhen climbed down. Tao Zi climbed down after her. Neither of them let go of each other’s hands.

Han Shān was waiting.

His arms were crossed. His expression was unreadable. His icy blue eyes swept over them—taking in the tangled hair, the flushed cheeks, the way their fingers were still intertwined.

Zhen squared her shoulders.

"Papa," she said.

"Zhen."

"We are friends again."

"Mm."

"And also the other thing."

Han Shān’s eyebrow twitched. It was the smallest movement, barely perceptible, but Zhen had been studying her father’s face her entire life.

"The other thing," Han Shān repeated.

"Tao Zi likes me. And I like him. So we are doing that now."

Tao Zi’s face went red. "Zhen—"

"What? It is true."

"You cannot just—"

"I just did."

"You are supposed to be subtle about these things!"

"Why?"

"Because—" Tao Zi stopped. He did not have an answer. He looked at Han Shān, who was still watching them with that unreadable expression, and felt his soul leave his body.

"I am going to die," Tao Zi said.

"No you are not," Zhen said.

"My ancestors are ashamed."

"They are probably cheering. You finally talked to a girl."

"I did not talk. You talked. I just stood there."

"That is progress."

Tao Zi buried his face in his free hand. His ears were burning. His tail was tucked so tight against his legs it looked like it was trying to disappear.

Han Shān continued to stare.

The silence stretched.

Then, very slowly, the corner of his mouth twitched.

"Tao Zi," he said.

Tao Zi looked up. "Yes?"

"Take care of her."

"I... yes. I will try."

"Do not try. Do."

Tao Zi swallowed. "Yes, sir."

Han Shān nodded once. Then he turned and walked away, his white hair swaying, his footsteps silent on the grass.

Zhen watched him go.

"That went well," she said.

"He did not threaten to freeze me."

"He only threatens to freeze people he does not like."

"That is not comforting."

"It should be. You are on the good list."

"The good list?"

"Papa’s good list. It is very short. Mama is at the top. Then Ruì Xuě. Then Zhēn. Then—"

"Where am I?"

Zhen considered this. "Somewhere below the good snacks but above the annoying relatives."

"That is... specific."

Meanwhile Cāng Jì shifted back to his human form in a flare of golden light.

His robes were immaculate. His hair was perfect. His expression was deeply, profoundly annoyed.

"I am never doing that again," he announced.

"You said that last time," Zhen said.

"I meant it last time."

"You did not. You flew Glimmer to the hot springs"

"That was different. Glimmer does not scream."

"I screamed because you pushed Tao Zi off!"

"It was a nudge."

"IT WAS NOT A NUDGE."

Cāng Jì waved a dismissive hand. "Semantics."

Zhen lunged.

Cāng Jì stepped back just in time, her small fists swinging through empty air. "You are violent," he said.

"You are infuriating!"

"I am a dragon. It is the same thing."

"I am telling Dà Jiāo Huǒ!"

"Tell him. He will laugh."

Zhen’s eyes narrowed. She looked at Tao Zi. Tao Zi looked at her. They had a silent, rapid conversation that involved approximately seventeen eyebrow twitches and one very aggressive head tilt.

"Fine," Zhen said. "I will not tell the Burning Sky."

Cāng Jì’s eyes narrowed. "Why do I not believe you?"

"Because you are paranoid."

"I am cautious."

"You are paranoid."

"Zhen—"

"I will tell Mama."

Cāng Jì went very still.

"You would not," he said.

"I would."

"She cannot do anything to me."

"She can make you sleep outside."

"I have slept outside before."

"She can hide your jade comb."

Cāng Jì’s hand flew to his hair. His jade comb. The one he had brought from the Dragon Peaks. The one that kept his perfect hair perfectly in place.

"You would not dare," he whispered.

"Try me."

They stared at each other—the golden dragon prince and the tiny white-haired girl—locked in a battle of wills that neither was willing to lose.

Tao Zi watched them.

He thought about intervening.

He decided against it.

Some battles, he had learned, were best observed from a safe distance.

"You owe me," Zhen said finally.

"I owe you nothing."

"You pushed Tao Zi off your back. You made me think he was going to die. You traumatized me. I am going to need therapy."

"What is therapy?"

"I do not know. But Mama says it is expensive."

Cāng Jì’s eye twitched.

"Fine," he bit out. "What do you want?"

Zhen smiled.

It was not a nice smile.

"I want a flying lesson."

"No."

"Next full moon."

"Absolutely not."

"With Tao Zi."

"NO."

"Uncle Sparkles—"

"DON’T CALL ME THAT."

"—it is only fair. You traumatized us. You owe us."

Cāng Jì looked at Tao Zi for support. Tao Zi looked at the sky. The sky did not offer any support.

"I hate children," Cāng Jì said.

"That is not a no," Zhen said.

"It is a no in my heart."

"That is not how agreements work."

"I am a dragon. I make the rules."

"Mama says dragons do not make the rules. Mama says dragons are just cats who learned to fly."

Cāng Jì’s mouth fell open.

"I am going to have WORDS with your mother," he said.

"I will tell her you said that."

"Tell her! I am not afraid of—"

"Cāng Jì."

Everyone froze.

Bai Yue was standing at the edge of the clearing, her hands on her hips, her purple eyes fixed on the dragon prince with an expression that made him take an involuntary step backward.

"Yes?" he said.

"Why is my daughter traumatized?"

Cāng Jì looked at Zhen. Zhen smiled innocently.

"I can explain," Cāng Jì said.

"I am sure you can."

"I was helping."

"You pushed him off your back."

"It was a nudge."

"Zhen says it was a push."

"Zhen is biased."

"Zhen is five."

"Zhen is a liar."

Zhen gasped. "I am not a liar! I am an unreliable narrator! There is a difference!"

Bai Yue pinched the bridge of her nose.

"I am going to need so much tea," she said.