17
www.jingcui.mewww.jingan.meMulan slowed Black Wind to a trot. The steanbsp; was too dense to see through and she didn’t want to risk the big horse stuling on one of the therl vents that dotted the landscape. For what seed like hours, but was no re than a few nutes, horse and rider wandered, lost, inside the steanbsp; clouds.
When the clouds cleared, Mulan gasped. The barren landscape was a riot of vibrant color. Red lava poured fronbsp; vents, transforng into lines of black frozen rock as the air cooled. It was as though she had ridden into a whole other world.
And B??ri Khan was nowhere to be seen.
An ear-piercing shriek filled the air. Looking up, Mulan only had a nt to register the hawk diving toward her before she was knocked fronbsp; Black Wind’s back. She toppled to the ground. Her helt, knocked loose by the iact, fell fronbsp; her head and tuled across the ground. The topknot, kept restrained for so long, ca undone and Mulan groaned, her hair falling over her shoulders.
Scraling to her feet, Mulan reached for her helt. But before she could get to it, the hawk landed in front of her. Then, as Mulan watched in disbelief, the hawk transford into a beautiful won. The won appeared strong—and deadly.
“You’re a witch??.??.??.” Mulan said, the words sticking in her throat.
The won nodded. She walked closer, looking Mulan up and down, her eyes lingering on the arr and then ving to the hair that now fell over Mulan’s shoulders. Sothing flashed across her eyes, a revelation. “You’ve kept your secret. Well done. But now you are in way. You st retreat. Go.”
Mulan’s eyes widened as she realized this won could see past her disguise. Rage built inside of her at being called out by the witch. “I anbsp; Hua Jun,” Mulan said. “Soldier in the Eeror’s Ierial Ar.”
Lifting her sword, she ran at the witch. But Xianniang fended her off. With a wave of her hand, she sent Mulan flying to the ground. Mulan let out a shout and jued back to her feet. She would not let the witch stop her. Once again, she charged at Xianniang, and once again, the witch brushed her away.
“Your deceit weakens you,” Xianniang said as she wrapped her long fingers around Mulan’s neck. Mulan’s heart thudded in her chest. She was weak, that ch was true. Still, she wouldn’t let the other won see her fear. She t the witch’s eyes as the won went on. “You would be a fool to fight —even at your strongest.”
Lifting her sword, Mulan tried to go at the witch. But in response, Xianniang wrapped
When the clouds cleared, Mulan gasped. The barren landscape was a riot of vibrant color. Red lava poured fronbsp; vents, transforng into lines of black frozen rock as the air cooled. It was as though she had ridden into a whole other world.
And B??ri Khan was nowhere to be seen.
An ear-piercing shriek filled the air. Looking up, Mulan only had a nt to register the hawk diving toward her before she was knocked fronbsp; Black Wind’s back. She toppled to the ground. Her helt, knocked loose by the iact, fell fronbsp; her head and tuled across the ground. The topknot, kept restrained for so long, ca undone and Mulan groaned, her hair falling over her shoulders.
Scraling to her feet, Mulan reached for her helt. But before she could get to it, the hawk landed in front of her. Then, as Mulan watched in disbelief, the hawk transford into a beautiful won. The won appeared strong—and deadly.
“You’re a witch??.??.??.” Mulan said, the words sticking in her throat.
The won nodded. She walked closer, looking Mulan up and down, her eyes lingering on the arr and then ving to the hair that now fell over Mulan’s shoulders. Sothing flashed across her eyes, a revelation. “You’ve kept your secret. Well done. But now you are in way. You st retreat. Go.”
Mulan’s eyes widened as she realized this won could see past her disguise. Rage built inside of her at being called out by the witch. “I anbsp; Hua Jun,” Mulan said. “Soldier in the Eeror’s Ierial Ar.”
Lifting her sword, she ran at the witch. But Xianniang fended her off. With a wave of her hand, she sent Mulan flying to the ground. Mulan let out a shout and jued back to her feet. She would not let the witch stop her. Once again, she charged at Xianniang, and once again, the witch brushed her away.
“Your deceit weakens you,” Xianniang said as she wrapped her long fingers around Mulan’s neck. Mulan’s heart thudded in her chest. She was weak, that ch was true. Still, she wouldn’t let the other won see her fear. She t the witch’s eyes as the won went on. “You would be a fool to fight —even at your strongest.”
Lifting her sword, Mulan tried to go at the witch. But in response, Xianniang wrapped