Ju Xian knelt by the riverbank, cupping cold water into her palms and
splashing it across her face. The current flowed steadily eastward, winding
through the dense green hills. The night sky had begun to settle above them
— a canopy of stars blinking into place one by one.
Behind her, Taotao limped along the muddy shore, glancing over his
shoulder every few steps. "We need to keep moving. If they're tracking us,
this water will hide our trail."
Ju Xian nodded. "This stream flows east. If we follow it, we'll reach a village
eventually."
As they walked, the trees parted just enough for Ju Xian to see the heavens
above. She paused.
"Wait," she murmured. Her gaze fixed on the stars. Her fingers traced the
air instinctively.
North. Then east. Her lips moved, silent and unsure. She couldn't explain it
— she just knew. The star patterns felt familiar, as if she'd once studied them
carefully, used them to cross great distances.
Taotao watched her in silence, then gave a small laugh. "You really don't
remember, do you?"
She turned. "What are you talking about now?"
He stepped forward. "You read the stars. You used to. In the past. On
campaign. You were the one who guided us through fog and darkness."
She frowned, eyes narrowing. "Another one of your made-up tales?"
"It's not made up," he said. "It's real. I remember it all. I don't know why
you don't."
Ju Xian looked away. "Then maybe it's better that I don't."
Taotao sighed, brushing a wet branch out of his path. "We've already
crossed the border. If we keep following this river, it'll lead us far away. You
said you wanted to go to an apothecary."
She nodded. "Yes. To study. To get better."
"No," Taotao said firmly. "We should go to the capital."
She blinked. "The capital? Why?"
"Because that's where everything will converge. The bird… the truth… the
rest of the dream. You may not remember now, but you will. And when you
do, you'll need to be there."
Ju Xian stared at him, torn between annoyance and confusion. "You're
asking me to gamble my life on your hallucination."
"I'm asking you to follow the stars," he said quietly. "Like you always did."
The night wind stirred her hair. The stars above seemed to shimmer a little
brighter.
Taotao smirked faintly. "Maybe if we hit your head on a rock, you'll start
remembering things too. Worked for me, didn't it?"
Ju Xian rolled her eyes. "Very funny. Keep limping before I push you into the
river."
က
And the river carried them forward.