If the Scholars are correct in their averages, the Gods gave most of us thirty thousand days.

I have managed to waste over a hundred thousand and counting.

— Excerpt from Flangel the Wise's journal, middle section.

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ZhiXia City, Outskirts

Primrose stretched her arms, walking over to the wagon assigned to them.

A quick peek underneath confirmed Kalle hadn't tried sneaking any alchemic instruments with them. In many ways, he was still mourning the loss of his workstation in JiangXi, but there was simply no time to go retrieve what he had left. Molam had promised Kalle that he would have access to a workstation in Oasis, but the alchemist had been loathe to leave what instruments he had managed to bring in ZhiXia City.

She straightened herself, checking the items that were actually present. Molam had kept to the bare essentials: basic clothing, small personal effects, but more importantly, multiple sheafs of notes detailing his current understanding of Mursa Allyce. Kalle was the same, though he seemed to have borrowed several books about the Great Sage's works from Sanctuary. Martyker's large greatsword, wrapped in oiled cloth, lay on its side so as to not accidentally hurt anyone.

Primrose dipped her fingertips into a thimble-sized pot of leymint and sandalwood oil mixture before rearranging their items to make space for her own, ensuring she touched everything at least once, then pushed her own things into the wagon. She brought simple items any woman would need, as well as a pack of choice blades and four sets of clothing that could be easily mixed and matched for any occasion, as befit a Flower of HuaLang Chamber. Looking around, Primrose carefully placed a small pouch made of hardened leather where it wouldn’t be crushed by other items. The pouch carried fresh satem flowers, and the pouch itself was inscribed with alchemic runes of preservation.

Primrose nodded to herself, satisfied with the result of her inspection. Everything seemed to be in order.

"Checking again, Primrose?"

Primrose straightened up at the words, turning to see Kalle approaching with a bundle tucked under one arm and a steaming cup in each hand. Most people would have hidden their hands behind their backs, but HuaLang Chamber trained its Flowers to never look guilty.

"I wanted to make sure Mursa Shang didn't arrange for any tricks," she said, rubbing her fingertips against her palms.

"Hmm," Kalle replied, handing her a cup of hot tea. "The Mursa needs us alive. Molam, at least." He sipped from his cup. "Regardless, I'm glad you only lie to spare my feelings."

"I trust you, Kalle," said Primrose, keeping a straight face against a surge of mixed feelings. When had Kalle become so perceptive? She took a sip of her own tea, then almost blanched at the taste. Pu'er, judging by the taste, but poorly brewed — or someone had used unwanted leaves. "I just like to verify things."

"A good practice," the alchemist praised, and did not pursue the subject, much to Primrose's gratitude. "Have you seen Molam? We're supposed to be leaving once the Sun crests over the horizon."

"No, I was about to ask you." Primrose frowned, peering around the caravan at the mursashu. The others were also doing last moment checks, with the mursashi running around barking orders to their mursasho, sending various groups scurrying here and there as they prepared the horses and inspected the wheels.

Another group of mursasho walked up to them, this one led by a mursashi, who frowned as he approached. Stocky with broad shoulders and shoulder-length brown hair that he had tied into a braid, Primrose remembered this one to be Cholani's younger brother Choji.

"Primrose, Kalle," Choji greeted as he approached. While the younger brother was of similar height, he was definitely more muscular and visibly capable of physical labor when compared to his older sibling. "I assume Molam is still busy?"

"He hasn't returned, if that's what you're asking," Primrose replied with a cheerful wave. She never felt the need to be calculated in her words to the earnest Choji, unlike her dealings with Cholani. Perhaps that was why he was mursashi overseeing a mursasho doing honest handiwork and Cholani wasn’t.

He nodded back. "Very good. I assume both of you will allow my mursasho to do final checks on your wagon?"

"By all means, we could certainly use your expertise," said Primrose, smiling at him and the mursasho behind him. Two of the younger men blushed at her look, diverting their gazes to their suddenly shuffling feet. "We're relying on you."

Choji nodded, turning around to bark his orders. "Stop staring like you've never seen a woman before. This is the last one, but that doesn't mean you relax and do shoddy work. Get to it!"

The men fanned out, two seeing to the horses that would pull their wagon and two ensuring the wheels were properly aligned. Choji himself peered into the wagon, muttering to himself and nodding as he went. After several moments, the horses were securely attached and the men stepped back, declaring their inspection complete.

Choji side-eyed the line of mursasho, unimpressed. "Are you certain? Did you check everything?"

"Yes, Choji!" came the answer.

"If their wagon breaks down you'll have me to answer to, and the Mursa will get what's left! Do you understand? If you want to check again, now is the time!"

One man fidgeted, but all four stood with their backs straight. "It's been checked!"

After making them wait a moment longer, Choji nodded. "Good. Go tell Gyutan I said you four get to share a bottle of chambanga ale tonight. Dismissed!"

The four walked away with cheerful looks of relief. Choji turned to Primrose. "Your wagon is ready. The Mursa will sound the signal soon, though I imagine he will make certain allowances for the Oracle's vessel if he is late."

"I'm here."

Primrose spun around, seeing Molam. Priestess Komura chased after him with a white cloak and Priestess Shantayla trailed behind them silently, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"Good. I'll return to my wagon too, then," said Choji, sauntering off.

"You made it just in time," Kalle called, clambering into the wagon. He had elected to drive. "We are supposed to be leaving soon."

"Anything new?" Primrose asked, bemused at Molam's exasperated look from Priestess Komura's fussing.

"Not now," Molam answered curtly, then winced as the elderly Priestess pinched his ear so he would stand still. "I'm not sure I can keep a white cloak clean while traveling, Priestess Komura."

"You'll appreciate it better than the black one once you enter the Endless Sands," the Priestess replied as she fastened the front of the cloak. "And you should wear it when you meet the Lord of Sands. Remind him who you represent."

"Everyone knows he wants to see the Oracle, not me," Molam muttered under his breath, but allowed the Priestess to finish tidying him up.

"There, isn't that better?" Priestess Komura said with satisfaction, taking a step back. "And remember to eat balanced meals; you've been gorging on too many meat buns. Don't think I haven't noticed your cheeks." She patted Molam lightly on the face, then frowned. "It would be best if you gave up meat during your travel, lest the Lord of Sands think the Oracle chose a gluttonous representative."

Primrose saw Molam's reaction and almost giggled — his face bore an expression similar to one that Sanctuary's orphans wore when the Priestesses fussed over them. As for the comment on the cheeks, Primrose had no idea if it was true — Molam's face wasn't as gaunt as it had been when they first met, but it would be difficult for anyone to accuse him of being overly well-fed.

Despite Molam's clear indignation, his words were more measured. "What next, no fruit either?"

"Only stubborn children use that tone. Be better," the Priestess snapped back, then she turned to Primrose. "Molam has a bad habit of not watching what he's eating when stressed. Keep an eye on him."

"Yes, Priestess Komura. I'll do my best to keep watch over his eating habits." Primrose winked at Molam, who, amazingly, rolled his eyes.

A loud whistle sounded somewhere, then some shouting echoed down the length of the caravan.

"That's the signal," observed Kalle. He reached down, picking up Molam's pack. "It's time."

Primrose hopped onto the wagon, reaching down for Molam.

"Thank you for everything, Priestess Komura." Molam gave the Priestess a quick hug, then took Primrose's hand. Before pulling himself up, he paused. Primrose looked behind him, surprised to see Priestess Shantayla's hand grabbing onto Molam's white cloak.

"Priestess Shantayla?" Molam asked her, seemingly confused.

The Priestess pressed something into Molam's hand. "From Nettie," Primrose heard her whisper, then stepped back and looked down, her brown bangs hiding her face.

Priestess Komura smacked the younger Priestess lightly on the back. "Stand straight, Priestess Shantayla. We've been over this before."

Molam seemed to inspect what had been given to him, but Primrose could not see it. "Thank you, Priestess Shantayla," he said, then pulled himself up to the wagon just as the one in front pulled away.

Kalle snapped the reins and the horses responded, the wagon lurching forward.

Primrose waved to the two Priestesses, the older one holding up the younger one's hand and waving back at them. Molam gave a half-hearted wave back, stumbling further into the wagon in search of a place to sit down in the cramped space. Her keen eyes saw a folded piece of paper in Molam's hands as he stuffed it into a pocket.

"Have you seen my notes on Mursa Allyce?" Molam asked her.

"Under the brown leather bag," Kalle called out from the driver's seat. "You placed them there so the wind wouldn't take them."

"I'm asking because they're not here."

"I moved them," Primrose said, pointing to a wooden crate. "Under that. I was arranging things to get more space earlier."

"Thanks," Molam replied, then lifted the crate to slide out his notes. "I appreciate it."

Primrose sat down at the back of the wagon, looking back at the City as they left it further and further behind. She had elected to be a lookout, but now also appreciated the extra space she had as her legs dangled out the wagon's rear.

"We're supposed to make just two village stops before we reach Heaven's Wake," she said to Molam as they exited ZhiXia City's perimeter.

"Yes. I'll be revisiting everything I've learned about Mursa Allyce so far on the way, and I'm sure speaking to the other mursashu will help," Molam responded "Oh, and before I forget? Nettie asked me to tell you that the Mirror is complicated but simple: it reflects what you need to see."

What? Primrose stared blankly at Molam as he crossed his legs, frowning at the notes in his lap. Why would — oh. She remembered. A challenge she had issued to the Prodigy during the Festival of the Hero. It hadn't even been something she truly cared to learn, but it had been a great method of keeping Nettie's chattering to a minimum. Primrose was somewhat surprised that the Prodigy still remembered to give her an answer.

Though not even a full moon had passed, that conversation felt like a lifetime ago.

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The Road

Primrose leaned back against the wooden bench, her eyes tracing the gentle rise and fall of the Central Valley's landscape as their wagon trundled along the dusty road. The air was crisp with Spring's Blessings, carrying the scent of blooming wildflowers and freshly plowed earth.

Though they had left ZhiXia City proper, they were near the farming villages that tilled for their existence in the Valley. Fields stretched out in every direction, blanketing the earth in a patchwork of vibrant green and earthen-brown hues as far as the eye could see. Birds chirped merrily overhead, their songs weaving through the rustle of the breeze.

Primrose's gaze lingered on the distant hills, their rolling slopes adorned with budding trees and the occasional grazing herd of deer.

"I've been thinking about the problem Molam is facing in order to obtain the three Mursas’ approval," Primrose began, her eyes gazing around at the sprawling landscape surroundingthem. "I want to say the test seems… quite the impossible task?"

"Hmm?" Kalle responded next to her, holding lazily onto the reins in his hands. "You mean the test from the third Mursa?"

"Yes, that one. What do I, Mursa Allyce, want more than anything in the world?"

"It's certainly not an alchemy question," Kalle said.

"No, it's not," Primrose agreed, stretching her arms out and holding the position. "It's a question of the heart and mind; it asks Molam to find out the most intimate detail about someone he has never met. Something even Mursa Khan and Mursa Shang do not know."

"Oh?" Kalle's tone became inquisitive. "Intimate? That's a curious choice of words. What makes you say that?"

Primrose raised her eyebrows, then chuckled. Of course Kalle wouldn't understand. She had spent some time discussing this at length with Scarlette and Molam before they had left ZhiXia City, and thought reframing it for Kalle would help her better understand this problem. Perhaps the process would give her some insight that would help them answer Mursa Allyce's question.

"How to explain this…?" she thought aloud, now pulling one arm to the side while rolling her head around. "What do you think is the most intimate detail about yourself?"

Kalle's cheeks reddened. "That's a very personal question, no?"

Primrose laughed. "It's probably not going to be the most embarrassing aspect about you! And while you are correct in thinking it's personal, it also might not be what you think it is. Some people might say it's an embarrassing past or a childish desire, but this goes beyond that. We're talking about the one thing you want more than anything in the world, so much that it takes precedence over all else."

"But what makes that intimate?" asked Kalle. "I don't consider my dreams to be intimate."

"Because we are servants to our wants," Primrose answered simply. "They influence all our actions, to a degree. Greed, desire, lust, and more. The more you understand someone's wants, the more influence you have over them. You can sell something at an inflated price. You could get someone to disregard their own eyes and ears because it contradicts what they wanted."

Kalle frowned. "Don't you think you're underestimating people a bit much?"

Primrose smiled. "Do you remember how I convinced you to leave Techoria?"

"Of course. You told me that you would —" the alchemist fell silent, then harrumphed. "That's different."

"Oh? How so? Did you not tell me you felt hindered by the Council's bureaucracy? That your creations were more than good enough to help people? That you… wanted a place where you could see your impact?" Primrose reminded him slyly. "Or did I imagine this conversation?"

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"I said that's different." Kalle stared ahead at the wagon in front of them. "That's not a selfish want at all."

"Who says what we want needs to be selfish?" asked Primrose. "It just needs to be something we want. If a village elder offers up their life in exchange for the safety of the rest of the villagers, they want to save their people. That's not selfish at all."

Kalle's eyes flickered towards her and Primrose fell silent. She hadn't meant to use that example. She looked up ahead and then shot her hand out, getting Kalle's attention.

"Stop, stop!"

The horses whinnied unhappily as Kalle reflexively yanked on the reins. Their wagon drifted to the right, the left-side horse bumping into the wagon in front of them. But the horses slowed to a halt, and Primrose peeked around to the side, looking at the rest of the caravan.

The caravan had stopped. Looking towards the front, Primrose saw the midday's Sunlight shining off the surface of a large lake. Several messengers were riding back from the head of the caravan, pausing briefly at each wagon.

"We'll be making a temporary stop," said a rider as she came alongside them on her chestnut brown horse. She was a tan-skinned woman with trimmed black hair, kept short for practical purposes. Primrose recognized her as Meera, who had been assigned to them. "The Mursa has sent riders to scout which side to go around."

Primrose found that curious; this wasn't in the pathing plan she had seen. "Wasn't the path already predetermined?"

"Yes," Meera replied with a nod. "But the Mursa didn't expect a lake."

Ah, Primrose remembered as she glanced back towards the lake. Of course.

This was where the Whale of ZhiXia had fought the Empire's three Titled Ones.

"Please wait," a voice called out behind them. Primrose turned to see Molam poking his head out of the wagon. He looked towards the messenger in particular. "If you're returning to the front, can you please bring me with you? I need to speak with Mursa Shang."

The mursashu looked down her nose at Molam, then shrugged. She trotted her horse close to the wagon, indicating Molam should sit behind her. "It would be up to the Mursa if he wants to make time to speak with you."

"Thank you," Molam said, sliding awkwardly onto Meera's horse. He caught Primrose's gaze, adding, "You are correct about what can be done with someone else's wants. But the reason it's intimate is because once we realize how it can be used, the very next step should be to protect ourselves: our wants are something we should keep closely confident."

"None of your beloved notes?" Kalle teased him. Primrose grinned; Molam had been distracted with his notes each time one of them had tried to speak with him.

"No, reading in the Sunlight hurts my eyes," Molam responded. "They're tucked into the brown leather bag — make sure nothing happens to them."

"Are we going?" asked Meera, wrinkling her nose at Molam. Primrose noted the gesture; not quite hostility, but disapproval. Each of the mursashu must have heard of what Molam had asked for and were judging him for it. She resolved to tell Molam about it after — assuming he was too distracted to notice it himself.

"I appreciate your patience." Molam settled himself in behind her. "Ready."

"Don't fall off," Meera muttered, then whistled her horse into action.

As she watched them ride away, Primrose couldn't help but think that Molam should learn to lower his guard. The stiff way he spoke to unfamiliar people like Meera meant it took longer for others to get to know him, and that couldn't be helpful at all. Then again, that was probably why Molam tended to ask her to deal with any matters that took a more delicate tact.

But still. She thought it was worth bringing up.

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The front of the caravan

"Hello, Molam. I assume you are here for the Mursa?" Jyuni greeted them as they rode up. She had put away her usual elegant robes of woven silk and taken on a different, practical look. Fitted trousers with leather chaps hugged her legs. On her upper body was a black tunic with gold trim. A navy blue cloak completed her look, protecting her from the wind and any sudden showers of rain. The hood was lowered to allow her glossy black hair to flow freely around her shoulders.

"Yes," Molam replied. He saw the look passed from Jyuni to Meera, and the resulting curt nod from the mursashu rider in response. It was times like this that he found himself missing the phoenix's silent commentary. If only it wasn't searching for the wandering spirit of wind, Molam wouldn't feel so alone among all these humans. Molam almost laughed out loud when he caught himself in this line of thought — he was missing a voice in his head.

"Unfortunately, you just missed Mursa Shang," Jyuni informed Molam. "He's taken a walk with Gyota's mursasho near the lake. I don't know if he will take the time to answer your questions about Mursa Allyce right now, but I'll take you there."

"Oh, I wouldn't want to take you away from your task." Molam indicated the marks Jyuni was drawing on the map. A large shape had been outlined right where the lake currently was, though the measurements had yet to be written in.

"It will be fine. I was waiting for the riders to return with the information, and this will be another good learning experience." Jyuni whistled; a horse whinnied in response and a majestic black stallion with a white splotch on his forehead trotted up to her, still chewing on the grass it had been grazing on. Jyuni patted her horse's head, then pulled herself up the saddle and guided it forward without touching the reins. "Come. Meera needs to go back to her work"

Molam slid off the horse. "Thank you for the ride, Meera."

Meera nodded curtly to Molam, then guided her horse away. Molam looked up at the black stallion; it was taller now that he was standing on the ground, and he wasn't sure how Jyuni would feel if he reached for the saddle's horn. Jyuni reached down, offering him a hand and pulled him up.

"You're very experienced with horses," Molam observed as they rode towards the Mursa's group. He could only trust that Jyuni knew where she was going when trees blocked his line of sight.

"Every mursashu grows up around horses. Our people are nomadic, after all. At least, until our homeland is restored."

Jyuni slowed down her horse, walking up to the group ahead. Molam looked over her shoulder, spying the Mursa standing with a small group. Several of the mursashu were lugging pails of water up from the lake while others were standing around a large bucket, discussing something unintelligible.

Mursa Shang looked up as they approached. Like Jyuni, he had traded his elegant robes for a similarly practical outfit better suited for travel. The only differences were his black cloak, still trimmed with golden threads, and a pair of dark brown gloves. The bulges on the fingers told Molam the Mursa hadn't bothered to take off his rings.

"Ah, Molam. I was just thinking of sending for you."

"Mursa Shang," Molam greeted as he slid off Jyuni's horse, thanking her for the ride as she nudged her horse towards the clearing where the other horses were waiting. "You don't need to start each of our conversations looking to gain the upper ground. Perhaps I'm only here as a friend."

"Friend, is it? I always welcome visits from friends." The Mursa peered at him with a raised brow and a twinkle in his eyes. "I assume you heard about our delay and thought to use the time to ask me about Mursa Allyce."

"That was the original purpose," Molam admitted. "But I see you weren't content to wait while your riders scouted out the location." He glanced at the mursasho as one tasted the water. "If I'm guessing correctly, you are considering the choice of stocking up on water before we reach Klagynah."

"Observant as always," the Mursa sighed. "Why couldn't you have been born a mursashu? Yes; the problem is storing the water for transport. I don't suppose you're willing to volunteer your alchemist? It's what you brought him for."

"Kalle is a friend, not a resource," Molam reminded the Mursa. The man waited for a brief moment, then raised his eyebrow. Molam grudgingly added, "But I can ask him. I'm sure he'll appreciate the challenge."

"I'm certain he will." Upon seeing Jyuni join them, the Mursa beckoned towards Molam, gesturing towards the lake's shore. "Come, walk with me. I've always thought humans were best suited for walking, not riding horses and camels."

Now that he was closer to the newly-formed lake, Molam could see the evident signs of the battle. The area's basin-like shape, which had once served to collect enough water for all the trees, was now the primary cause for their drowning. Some of the taller trees had their crowns sticking out of the lake; other splintered logs floated on the surface. Molam looked down into the lake itself; some of the trees had been stripped of their leaves, standing like silent sentinels in the water.

And then there were the strange rock formations that reminded Molam of black glass. He had seen them through the trees while they rode here, but they could be seen jutting haphazardly through the bottom of the lake as well. Molam wondered which Titled One could have done this; the OutCast came to mind, but she had been in ZhiXia City the whole time. It didn't seem like the Tempest's work. The HushFang, or the Islander?

"Have you considered joining a mursashu caravan?" the Mursa began as they walked. "If you do, I will recommend you to Mursa Allyce as her successor; even she couldn't be stubborn about not taking on an apprentice if she does a true evaluation of your skills."

So Mursa Allyce has yet to select an apprentice, thought Molam. That was new information, something the other sources had either neglected to mention or did not know. He replied aloud, "No."

"Don't reject the idea so… decisively." The Mursa wagged a finger. "I was hoping you would be amenable to the idea considering you seem keen on being in command. The lofty role of City Lord is probably out of your reach, but there's a path here for you."

"You and I both know that one must be born a mursashu in order to become Mursa, so is it really worth your time to lead me with false promises? Moreover, it's less about being in command and more about having my own vision for how events should progress," Molam deferred. He couldn't be certain what the Mursa was hoping to achieve here; the thinking made little sense. "I hope you view my vision as worth following when you share what you know about Mursa Allyce with me."

"Jyuni, pay attention." The Mursa now waved at his apprentice. "Notice how Molam phrases his request with a humble attitude while reminding me of his successes. Moreover, he assumes that I'll be sharing my knowledge with him; he skips the step where he asks."

Jyuni dipped her head in response. "You could do with learning from Molam's willingness to be humble as well, Mursa."

Molam coughed to avoid laughing at the Mursa's look of indignation. "You have a good apprentice," he managed to say with a straight face. "My mentor used to say that the best student and teacher relationship is one where they are learning from each other."

He glimpsed a rare look of approval from Jyuni's normally passive face.

"Then I'll be humble." The Mursa grinned, snapping his fingers. "Jyuni, I haven't told you my full thoughts on the matter at hand regarding Molam's test. I want you to respond to Molam's request in my place; you have my full backing. Mursa has spoken."

The Mursa hummed to himself as he walked ahead of them. Molam turned to Jyuni with a raised brow, catching Jyuni's briefly shocked face as she recomposed herself.

Molam couldn't resist joining in the teasing. "I feel for you," he told Jyuni in a lighthearted tone before she could speak. "I also understand the frustration with being handed unexpected and difficult tasks."

"You believe yourself to be difficult? I might need to retract my earlier statement on your humbleness," she replied in a biting manner. "This is only unexpected. At best."

The Mursa chuckled from several steps ahead of them, turning his head to wink at Molam. "She has her own way with words, yes? You would think she is actually Mursa Allyce's apprentice."

"We should start with the first question," Jyuni spoke without raising her voice, as though her Mursa's interjection was only a mild annoyance. "Why should we help you? If my people do give you any information, it increases your chances of answering Mursa Allyce's test. This would put you, an outsider, into the position to command the mursashu people — even if it is only temporary."

Molam recognized that way of speaking; it was the telltale cadence of someone who had gone over this topic multiple times with someone else and was now expected to reiterate what they had learned.

"Therefore," Jyuni continued, "allowing our people to speak to you about Mursa Allyce is a clear benefit for you but of no value to us. Not without something in return."

She looked at him as though expecting him to offer immediately. Molam sighed, glancing towards the Mursa's back. Part of him wondered if Mursa Shang intended for Jyuni's representation to force Molam's hand.

"Jyuni," he began slowly, "I appreciate you explaining your stance and circumstances, but I don't think your Mursa should be making you practice with me right now."

"I currently speak for the caravan," Jyuni answered flatly. "If you want to buy information from us, you can discuss with me."

Molam sighed. He could respect Jyuni's willingness to learn, but she had now ignored two amicable warnings. Another glance at the Mursa's turned back indicated no interest in interfering on his apprentice's behalf. Perhaps Mursa Shang did not think Molam would take Jyuni seriously, but Molam was in no position to put on a kind visage when sitting down at the proverbial table.

"You seem to have a misconception, Jyuni." Molam steeled his voice and met her gaze. Very well then; Jyuni would receive the argument he had already prepared for the Mursa. "Shouldn't your people be looking to curry my favor now that I stand to take control of all three caravans?"

To Jyuni's credit, she did not flinch. Molam was impressed. It was likely she hadn't expected this line of reasoning, evident by the fact that she had no prepared response. This surprised Molam more — the Mursa hadn't anticipated an argument like this and prepared his apprentice beforehand? But it was clear Jyuni was thinking rapidly through what he had just said and its implications, and Molam could appreciate her ability to respond while unprepared.

"You don't know that you'll take control at all," she replied eventually. "I don't see any point of leverage there. If you don't want to pay, we don't have anything to say." She offered him a polite smile.

"If you're going to pretend you don't see it then I'll show you the opportunity you're walking away from," Molam countered. "You cannot put an actual obstacle in my way. I only need to come up with the answer Mursa Allyce wrote into the agreement to gain control. But for your people there's something important to consider, isn't there?" He lowered his voice, seeing he had Jyuni's full attention. "Once Mur is restored, are the three Mursa going to share power equally; or will one person lead?" He paused to ensure Jyuni understood the implications before he even said it aloud. "And if I do end up finishing my use for the position and need to pass it along to a single Mursa, do you think I'll look favorably on being snubbed now?"

He gave her a grim smile before continuing. "Didn't Mursa Shang and Mursa Khan think to use this method to declare a temporary leader in me — one who is guaranteed to leave this position — so that they have an outsized influence on the matter of succession? This brings me back to my point: if you want your Mursa to be the one in charge after Mur's restoration, shouldn't you be currying my favor by offering me what I want so that this power transfer can happen?"

Jyuni finally frowned, and Molam looked past her to call out to the Mursa, "Mursa Shang, you're quite cruel to make your apprentice play a losing game. Was the intention to teach Jyuni that sometimes there are no winning moves?"

"Are you disrespecting my Mursa's decision for me to represent him?" Jyuni asked Molam. She did not raise her voice, but he noticed a small knot in her clenched jaw.

"Jyuni." Mursa Shang finally turned around, silencing her with a look. "You had the initiative and chose to make a sale. Molam took it from you by framing it as something you should be giving him for our mutual benefit. You couldn't recover with any leverage when he spoke to me directly and tried to appeal to mannerisms instead of addressing his statements." His features softened. "We'll revisit this later, but you forgot the fundamental rule that it is easier to sell when both sides see the benefit. Your approach was too forced because you believed we had all the leverage in denying Molam information."

Jyuni clasped her hands together to make a chastised bow. "Yes, Mursa."

"Do you have any advice for Jyuni, Molam?" the Mursa asked him pointedly. They had begun looping back towards their earlier location.

"Should I be training my future opponent?" Molam asked in return. "Jyuni is set to become Mursa one day."

"One day, but hopefully not soon if I intend to live for some more time." Mursa Shang winked, then added, "if you become the acting Mursa, Jyuni's improved skill could be beneficial for you when you have her as a resource." Mursa Shang grinned at him slyly. "You could say… there will be a mutual benefit. Surely you see the value in that."

Molam laughed, then turned to Jyuni. "Desperate buyers make poor customers. Your Mursa learned the hard way in JiangXi City when he tried the same thing, then again when he twisted my arm several days ago regarding passage to Oasis," he said, glancing at the Mursa. Thinking he would do Mursa Shang a favor, Molam added, "Don't think poorly of him. I think it was harsh for him to put you up to this, but perhaps he wanted you to learn the lesson through experience."

The Mursa nodded twice at Molam's words.

"Was there a way to sell it to you?" Jyuni asked him.

"You should only pursue a sale if you believe my coin is worth more than my goodwill," Molam replied, winking at her. "And I'm not about to teach the next Mursa how to part me with my money."

Jyuni smiled at that while Mursa Shang chortled.

"It was my fault," the Mursa said. "Jyuni, you did well considering the circumstances. As for your request, Molam," he said as they reached the earlier group of mursashu, still gathered around the water bucket, "we'll tell you as much as we know about Mursa Allyce, but I have no idea what her deepest desire is. You will need to answer that question yourself. As for who she is, all I can start with is… I never understood why her predecessor, Mursa Synbad, chose her to be the next Mursa."