The Demon and the City

several moments. He could not read her expression. At last she said, "I doubt it. I suppose we could find a hotel."
    Grinning, the demon followed her back into what was left of the street.

Sixty-One
    The winter sun lay low and crimson through the bare trees. Droplets of water were strung in icy beads along the branches and the feathers of the long grass. The air smelled of snow.
    "God, it's cold," Robin said. She flung her arms around herself for warmth. Beside her, Mhara was scenting the air; Robin watched him curiously. The long braid had come undone and the dark hair streamed down his back. He gathered it together, absently, with one hand.
    "Not so far now, Robin."
    She smiled. "I don't even know where we are. I thought we were in Shai, but—" She looked at him questioningly, but he did not reply. Instead, he took her cold hand and led her through the trees, toward the sun, and she saw that the trees were blossoming. They were not thousand-flower, but the sweet scent was the same, spilling out into the air.
    "If I look," Robin said. "Will I find a star?" She smiled at Mhara.
    "You might," he agreed. "But what do you really want to do?"
    "I want to go home," she told him.
    "You're sure, are you?"
    "Quite sure. There's nothing for me in Heaven. I want another life, another chance. Other choices."
    "You've always had those." He spoke quietly, as if there was something she should have realized, but she did not know what it might be.
    "I know," she said. "But I made the wrong ones. It's important, in Taoism, to place oneself in harmony with one's innermost beliefs, isn't it? I haven't really done that in my life. I haven't done anyone any good."
    "Who can say?" Stepping behind her, Mhara put his arms around her waist. "Robin," he said into her ear, "it's winter here. Look—the air's full of snow. We should get moving."—and after a moment she put her hands over his.
    "We should," she agreed. She could not tell whether it was snowflakes or flower blossoms that drifted through the frosty air.

Sixty-Two
    A day later, Jhai and her mother were standing outside Paugeng, surveying the impressively improbable angle at which the building now leaned.
    "Hell of a lot to do," Jhai remarked, almost cheerfully. Her mother gripped her hand in sympathy.
    "Oh, Jhai, I'm so sorry. All your hard work . . ."
    Jhai looked at her. Opal seemed older, somehow; it must be the stress of the last few days, not to mention her daughter's confession, but at least she was still alive. Jhai said, "Well, mother, we've gotten away with it. You know what I mean. And I can start again. Sometimes it helps, having a clean break." She was aware of a curious sense of anticipation, almost eagerness. Perhaps Heaven would come after her, or Hell. She didn't know how things would work out with Zhu Irzh, but perhaps it didn't matter. After all, she reflected, lovers came and went, but the city—well, the city and Paugeng would endure as long as she could help it. There would be a lot of rebuilding to do. And then, when she had finished with the city, there was the rest of the world to consider. She thought that her business interests had been a little narrow up to this point.
    With Shai shattered and fallen, a major gate between the worlds was closed. It wasn't the only one. There had been reports all over the city, from people unable to contact their dead relatives anymore. Hell was sealed and silent. But not, Jhai thought, for long. There were other gates, after all. She thrust the thought aside. They'd solve that problem when they came to it.
    "A lot to do," Jhai repeated. She met her mother's gaze, and pulled her fur-collared jacket closer against the unseasonable chill.
     

Sixty-Three
    "I have to go back to Heaven," Mhara said. They were sitting on the steps of the little, ruined temple, looking out over the city. The dust from the various quakes had resulted in a magnificent sunset: the sky was a blaze of glory across the port.
    "I know," Robin said. She reached out and took his hand.
    "My father wants me to begin taking things over." Mhara sighed. "I expect that means he wants me to do things exactly as he would do them—continue the process of withdrawing Heaven from the other realms. That's not what I have in mind."
    "No," Robin said. "I didn't expect you to."
    "And you, Robin." He turned to her and smiled. "What are we going to do with you?"
    "If I could be with you, up there," Robin began hesitantly, but she knew that the Jade Emperor was