He can imagine the different creatures, nodding his head in thought the once. The image of fire has his lips twitch, but he doesn't say anything on it: the Wen had been fire aligned, and Sizhui was back home. The whole aura sounded like an envisioning of power, which was all those things. Warm, safe, terrifying, dangerous.

God blessed kings can turn into anything but.

He shook his head, then laugh, a light sound.

"You loved him," he said. "And don't mistake me, I'm not saying you are or were in love—people here stop hearing the differences. You loved him, and you still do. Seems like the kinder thing, though if he ever goes off course, it'll break your heart."

Things people shouldn't say, and then there's Jingyi.