The room is silent after my statement. The smell of blood and death is thick in the air, and Master An Meng looks at me with anger in his eyes. He desires to add one more death to the night, but I refuse to let him. I clutch the girl in my arms closer to me. Even I know that something isn’t right with me, but my conviction remains true.

The sound of many footsteps breaks our staring contest. “I will speak to the Elders.” Master An Meng says as another Master and more disciples of our sect enter the room.

Many of the younger disciples start throwing up at the grotesque sight. Bodies cover the floor, cultivator and mortal alike.

Jing Xia puts her hand onto my shoulder, looking at me kindly. I turn to look at her, sighing as I meet her gaze.

“What’s going on?” She asks, worried.

I close my eyes, trying to calm the rampaging emotions flowing through me. The intense desire to protect the little girl in my arms, the pain radiating through my whole body from the forceful manipulation of my spirit. Even some of Shia’s predatory and animalistic instincts flare up from the way that her spirit mixed with mine. “I’m not myself right now.” I say, opening my eyes.

“You just threatened to kill Master An Meng over a girl who was a demon moments ago. What’s going on?” She says. Her eyes are so honest, trusting and worried.

I look away, embarrassed at my emotions. I clutch the girl in my arms closer before continuing quietly so that the other disciples in the room won’t hear. “My spirit mixed with hers. Some of her was part of me.” I look back into her eyes. “It’ll pass as my spirit heals.”

Jing Xia lets out a breath. She thinks for a moment, then nods. “I’ll see if the others need my help.”

She stands up, slipping me something as she passes by me. I look down at it, careful to keep it hidden from sight.

It is the red dagger with black veins running through it. The dagger that was stabbed through the girl’s chest. I slip it into my robe before standing up. Gently, I lift the young girl up with me, holding her in my arms.

Why did she give the dagger to me and not Master An Meng? I look over to where he is talking with the other Master. His gaze meets mine, and I see… something, only a hint, but something. I move out of the way of a disciple who walks past me to look at one of the dead bodies on the floor.

The girl shifts slightly from the sudden movement, bringing my gaze down to her. The girl’s hair is scarlet, like the demon’s qi. I don’t think it was that way before. Her eyes flutter open, landing on me. She has black irises, flecked with white. She smiles when she sees me, then her eyes close as she falls back asleep.

I adjust my hold on her, placing her head into my shoulder. The other disciples from our sect look at us questioningly and I meet their gazes heatedly. Aggressiveness still flows through me, wanting to lash out at them.

“Calm, little one.” Shia says as she slithers back into my robes, hiding from the sight of my fellow disciples. “They will not harm you.”

I take a deep breath, calming the tidal wave of strong emotions and trying to ignore the pain from my injured spirit. I still can’t help but glare at the disciples who are still staring. They quickly look away.

I walk over to Master An Meng, bowing slightly as I enter the presence of the two Masters.

“With your permission-” I start, forcing the words to come out calmly. Why do I need their permission. They have no right to control me! “I- I need to leave.”

Master An Meng looks at the girl in my arms.

I clutch her closer to me. “I will watch her, Master An Meng.”

“Disciple Lin, we don’t know-”

“Master An Meng. Do not test me now.” I say, the words coming out as a hiss. Some part of me is astounded by my tone, but I ignore it. “I will watch her.”

The Master’s eyes narrow. “I will speak to Elder Tai Qiu about this.”

I bow again, “Do as you wish.” I spin around, walking to the exit.

Dead mortals and cultists line the floor, their bodies arranged grotesquely. I bring my gaze away from them, carefully stepping over any parts that block my way. The bottom of my robes must be soaked in blood by now.

Once I’m out of the building, I take a deep breath. Demonic spirit still coats the palace, but I can feel it slowly dispersing.

The girl in my arms stirs, so I sit her against one of the twisted trees.

I notice idly that the world is starting to lighten from the approach of sunrise.

The girl's eyes flutter open, bringing my attention back to her. She stares at me in confusion, before she hurriedly backs herself into the tree I set her against. Her eyes go wide with fear as she looks all around the empty courtyard.

“You’re alright.” I say softly, showing my hands. I look at my hands to see them covered in blood and quickly hide them again.

“Y-you’re her.” She says, calming with my words. “The Lady of Music and Death.”

I pause, snorting at the title. I hide my smile with my sleeve. “I know death better than most. But I wouldn’t call myself that.” My smile disappears as I study the girl. Her age is hard to tell. She could be anywhere from eight to twelve years old. I lower my hands, gently grasping hers. “How are you feeling?”

The girl frowns, considering my question. “Like the Great Beast Lontung is inside me, screaming to be let out.” her eyes close as her frown deepens. “He wants to devour everything, especially you.” Her eyes open, filled with a familiar fear. “He’s terrifying.” She whispers.

“That isn’t Lontung inside you.” I say softly, “That is a demon. A monster from beyond this realm.” I move my hand to her daintain, the center of her qi. “I have sealed him within you.” I look into her eyes. “What is your name?”

Her fear flows away as she looks into my eyes. “Ai.” She says.

I smile gently. “I am Jia Lin, Core Disciple of The Flowing River Sect.” I stand up, lowering my hand to her. “I will help protect you from the demon inside of you.”

She puts her hand in mine and I help her stand up. “Why are you helping me?” She asks, looking up at me.

I pause, not having expected the question. Some of my protectiveness comes from what I did to my spirit, but I know the main reason is something else. “I want you to live.” I finally respond. “That’s all really.”

Ai is quiet after that.

I lead us back to the palace I’m sleeping in, startling one of the servants with my blood drenched form and the strange girl walking beside me.

After the servant gets over their fear, I have them deliver us both some clean clothes.

Not too much later, Jing Xia stops by my room, where Ai is currently sleeping on my bed. Jing Xia tells me that the meeting with the second prince was cancelled tomorrow due to the discovery of the demonic sect within the capital city.

I sigh as I hear the news, motioning Jing Xia to sit down next to me. I don’t know how to feel about the meeting. Some part of me wants to confront the prince who ordered my death, and scared me away from the capital so many years ago.

Still, I fear him.

I look over to where Ai is sleeping.

“Master An Meng is furious with you. If he had the ability, he’d be punishing you himself right now.” Jing Xia says, noticing my gaze. “You have made an enemy.”

“I made the right choice.” I say calmly, closing my eyes as I lean into Jing Xia. “I have no doubt that she’d be dead if I didn’t keep her with me.”

Jing Xia sighs. “The Matriarch won’t let her live if you take her back to the sect. That, or she’ll be imprisoned until she dies of old age.”

I freeze at her words, then pull away to look at her.

“You know it to be true, Sister Jia. The sect fears demons, rightfully so. If you take her back to the sect, she will never leave it.” Jing Xia puts her hand on my shoulder, “Master An Meng has asked me to deliver the news to the sect. You have a week. A week before they order you to take her back to them.”

I look at the girl, peacefully sleeping, her scarlet hair spread around her like a canvas of blood. “I won’t take her back to be imprisoned or killed.”

“I know.” She says, smiling at me. “You know the decision that must be made.”

I close my eyes. “A week. I have a week.”

“That’s as long as I can give you.”

****

Ai is still asleep when I wake up in the morning. Cultivators need less sleep than mortals, and as long as Ai keeps the demon sealed within her, that is all she is. A mortal girl.

With the meeting with the second prince cancelled, I simply sit next to the window of my room, my flute in my hands.

Once I feel ready, I play a simple melody, enjoying the easy sounds of my music.

The room lightens up with the melody, bright with the simple joy it provides.

I love playing music, the simple joy of the notes flowing through the air. I love how it brings me back to my mother, almost as if she were in the room with me.

I miss that day a couple years ago, when I sat in a tavern with Matu, playing songs that came to me as easily as flowers falling into a pond. The people that hung on every note, every breath of air, delighting in my music that I played for them. Music is not meant to be a lonely thing, it is meant for others to hear and enjoy, to experience and transform through.

I end the melody lightly, letting it flow into its natural end.

I take a deep breath, pulling a slip of paper out of my robes. I move over to the lone desk in the room, grabbing the brush and writing a single character onto the paper.

I fold the paper into a bird, then watch as the paper bird comes to life. It chirps.

“You know where you need to go.” I say to the construct given to me by my master.

The bird hops off of my hand, flying through the window.

Only one word was written on the paper, but Elder Tai Qiu will know what it means.

A murmuring from my bed draws my attention back to Ai.

I know that I care for her more than I should, but I cannot describe how much our bonding of spirit affected me. I saw her for who she is. I love her like a friend I have known my entire life, like a sister.

The feeling is beginning to fade now, but it will never be gone completely.