Page 161 of Tiger's Voyage

“I inspire humans in philosophy, democracy, order, and the law. I cannot afford to nap. I cannot afford to ignore my duty. One mistake would send our planet whirling off into the dark universe. One misstep would damage the time line. One tiny loss of control, and the axis of Earth would shift, plummeting us into chaos. I was the voice behind the world’s greatest philosophers, religious reformers, and political revolutionaries. I follow the laws of the universe—the basic fundamental truths that govern all humankind.”

My fork clattered noisily to the table. I picked it up, embarrassed, but he continued.

“Of course, such things are transitory. Greed and avarice can overtake anyone, but I still have hope. It worked in Shangri-la.”

“You’re responsible for Shangri-la?” I asked.

“Indirectly. I can teach only basic right and wrong, so the people learn self-governance. The society then has to choose to accept it fully or in part. If even one member chooses to go another path, the system will eventually fail. The Silvanae not only accepted but also embraced the concept. They have lived peacefully in their land for millennia, and the animals that choose to accept and abide by their laws live there in harmony as well.”

“But what about the world tree? The iron birds didn’t seem to follow the same law.”

“The birds of which you speak were created for one purpose. They protected the Scarf. They did not wish you harm until you took the object they were designed to guard. They ceased to exist after the Scarf left their lands.”

“And the ravens and the sirens?”

“They were only fulfilling their purpose. They did not mean to injure you.”

“And now what do they do?”

“They have been given a choice. The ravens and bats chose to follow the Silvanae law and may come and go as they please, but the sirens preferred to leave. They found no one among the Silvanae willing to become their …inamorata. So they chose to leave the tree, which can still be found just outside the Silvanae lands. Incidentally, the invisible protector remained in Shangri-la as well.”

“Interesting. But how do you know about the Scarf and the Fruit when Jnsèlóng didn’t?”

“As I mentioned, he often doesn’t pay attention when important events occur. Would you like some more? You haven’t eaten much, young lady.”

“It’s hard to eat when I have so many questions.”

“Don’t let that ruin your appetite. I will remain at your side and answer as many questions as you have time for. In fact, I would like you all to remain as my guests this evening. You will need a good night’s sleep before you journey to the Seventh Pagoda.”

We accepted and spent another hour at the table, nibbling treats and asking questions. Yínbáilóng reminded me of Mr. Kadam. He knew about almost everything, and I could listen to him ruminate for hours at a time. He invited Ren and Kishan to play billiards with him. I perched on a seat and watched them play. The dragon was quite good. He explained the rules and commented from time to time, giving tips as they played and claimed he invented the game. It wasn’t long before I began yawning.

The dragon offered to escort me to my room, but I stuck it out another half hour. He then insisted that I rest and said if I’d like to walk on my own, I merely needed to press my hand on the wall, and the little living creatures would light up and show me the way. I nodded and both Ren and Kishan set down their cue sticks to follow me. The dragon raised an eyebrow, amused, and waited for my response. I put my hand on Kishan’s arm and stood up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. “Do you mind if Ren walks me back? I need to talk to him.”

Kishan said goodnight, kissed me softly, and reluctantly turned back to the game. Ren stuck his hands in his pockets and studied my expression with suspicion.

“After you.”

I sighed, placed my hand on the icy wall, and said, “A guest room, please.”

Tiny green creatures surged toward my hand just behind the ice and began moving forward. I clasped my hands behind my back and followed them. Ren silently paced along behind.

After we were several halls away from the billiards room, he asked, “Well? What did you want to talk about?”

I bit my lip. “Do you remember when you first came to America, and I was dating Li?”

“AndJasonandArtie.”

“Right. Well, when you first arrived, you told me that you wanted me to date both of you and make a choice.”

“Yes.”

“You also said that if I did choose Li you would support my choice. That the important thing was that you be near me. That if friendship was all I could give, you would take it.”

“Yes. Where are you going with this, Kelsey?”

“I’m getting there. Be patient.”

We arrived at my guest suite, and I opened the door. A blue fire crackled in a corner of the room, and a huge bed with an ice frame took up most of the space. The floor looked like it was covered with ice shavings. I bent to touch it, and it felt like a deep shag carpet. I kicked off my slippers and wiggled my toes. Little creatures under the floor drifted toward my feet and massaged my toes. Experimentally, I picked up my foot and they disappeared. When I put it back, they began massaging again.