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a Jun’s horse. His uth dropped open as the rider burst free fronbsp; the snowy st and fog right in front of the The horse she rode was Black Wind. But if the horse was Black Wind, that ant the won riding hinbsp; was??.??.??.
“Hua Jun?” Coander Tung said, putting voice to Honghui’s thoughts.
The fele warrior shook her head as she disunted her horse. “I anbsp; Hua Mulan,” she said, her voice strong, steady—and fenine.
Honghui’s head snapped back and forth between Coander Tung and the soldier he had known as Hua Jun. The nder’s face grew pale and the slightest of trers shook his hand as he stared at Mulan. Honghui could see—and understand—the struggle Coander Tung was under as he grappled with what was happening.
Mulan saw it, too. She straightened up, keeping her expression stoic. But Honghui saw the unease creeping into her body. Her shoulders fell just slightly; her hand quivered briefly. The proud warrior she had been was beginning to fade under the horrified gaze of Coander Tung.
Beside Honghui, Cricket gasped as he de the connection. “He’s a girl??.??.??. ?” Cricket said, shaking his head. The other soldiers led and ttered under their breath as well, shocked by what they were seeing and hard-pressed to believe it. Honghui listened, his rage building. Hua Jun had lied to hi He, or rather she, had been able to tell hinbsp; what to say to a won not because she had spoken to one, but because she was one! He had allowed hielf to be vulnerable in front of her, and she had even beaten hinbsp; in battle—re than once. His cheeks grew red as he reered the lake.
Meanwhile, Coander Tung’s expression had grown icy. “You are an ioster,” he hissed, his voice heavy with disappointnt. “You have betrayed your regint.” Mulan hung her head in sha. Coander Tung went on. “You have brought disgrace to the Hua faly.”
His words cut Mulan like a sword through her heart. Her head flew up. There was nothing worse he could say. “Coander??.??.??.” she begged.
The nder didn’t let her finish. “Your deceit is sha,” he went on. “When we return to the capital, I will yield nd.”
A shocked rr ved through the soldiers. Resignation? That was nearly unheard of! Coander Tung’s career spanned decades. He was one of the st powerful and well-known nders in all the Ierial Ar. Yet he would turn his back on it because of Mulan’s deception? The n looked back and forth between the pair. Mulan y have helped thenbsp; defeat the Rourans in this fight, but was the victory worth losing their leader? A
“Hua Jun?” Coander Tung said, putting voice to Honghui’s thoughts.
The fele warrior shook her head as she disunted her horse. “I anbsp; Hua Mulan,” she said, her voice strong, steady—and fenine.
Honghui’s head snapped back and forth between Coander Tung and the soldier he had known as Hua Jun. The nder’s face grew pale and the slightest of trers shook his hand as he stared at Mulan. Honghui could see—and understand—the struggle Coander Tung was under as he grappled with what was happening.
Mulan saw it, too. She straightened up, keeping her expression stoic. But Honghui saw the unease creeping into her body. Her shoulders fell just slightly; her hand quivered briefly. The proud warrior she had been was beginning to fade under the horrified gaze of Coander Tung.
Beside Honghui, Cricket gasped as he de the connection. “He’s a girl??.??.??. ?” Cricket said, shaking his head. The other soldiers led and ttered under their breath as well, shocked by what they were seeing and hard-pressed to believe it. Honghui listened, his rage building. Hua Jun had lied to hi He, or rather she, had been able to tell hinbsp; what to say to a won not because she had spoken to one, but because she was one! He had allowed hielf to be vulnerable in front of her, and she had even beaten hinbsp; in battle—re than once. His cheeks grew red as he reered the lake.
Meanwhile, Coander Tung’s expression had grown icy. “You are an ioster,” he hissed, his voice heavy with disappointnt. “You have betrayed your regint.” Mulan hung her head in sha. Coander Tung went on. “You have brought disgrace to the Hua faly.”
His words cut Mulan like a sword through her heart. Her head flew up. There was nothing worse he could say. “Coander??.??.??.” she begged.
The nder didn’t let her finish. “Your deceit is sha,” he went on. “When we return to the capital, I will yield nd.”
A shocked rr ved through the soldiers. Resignation? That was nearly unheard of! Coander Tung’s career spanned decades. He was one of the st powerful and well-known nders in all the Ierial Ar. Yet he would turn his back on it because of Mulan’s deception? The n looked back and forth between the pair. Mulan y have helped thenbsp; defeat the Rourans in this fight, but was the victory worth losing their leader? A