Her husband, the emperor, had already fled. Tahmu thought of his face as the fiery dragon thrashed through the streets of Kaineng, barreling into the naga that killed her people. Her children. When Tahmu awoke in the Celestial Realm, she stood before a young boy. When he extended his hands to her, he gave the empress a single orchid and a small, wooden statue of a dragon. He took her by the hand and led her down a long, winding pathway of stars and a thousand lifetimes—flickering like candles in all directions. When they reached the other side, Tahmu emerged as the dragon—the leader of the Celestials. She looked over her new subjects, all victims and criminals and fools. She looked at them and smiled. They were safe now.