And so it had been. Dawn Star had petitioned the Empress on her behalf and Lian, ever the stateswoman, knew that it would not be a good idea to anger the secret Heir to the throne. By then she had also convinced Sky to visit her friend and Wu had made her apologies to him as well. He'd accepted them wholeheartedly but she knew that none of them, save Dawn Star, were likely to trust her again. But trust was certainly more than she deserved at this point.

She and Dawn Star had left the palace not knowing where to go. She made some money fighting in the Arena and finishing off Kai Lan's organization. They hunted down rogue Assassins who had not submitted to the will of the Empress. They did much in the Empire, yet always seemed to be heading towards Two Rivers.

And now their business here was done.

"Come on," Wu urged as she packed her things on the flier. "We don't want to lose too much light."

Dawn Star put her things down and crossed her arms. It was not like her at all and Wu stopped packing. "What is it?"

"I'm not going."

"You want to stay here, alone?"

Her friend nodded. "It's my home. I want to rebuild it."

"By yourself though?" Wu could not think of a lonelier task. "And how do you know anyone will come here again?"

"Kia Min was alive. I'll find her hometown, invite others to come. We know a town can thrive here – and a school."

"You want to reopen the school?" she asked incredulously.

"I think I know enough to start one. I will hire good teachers and oversee it. It's the least I can do to honor our friends."

Wu shook her head, trying to keep her dread at bay. In all her talk of the future, Dawn Star had not invited her to stay. "I don't know what to say."

"Goodbye. That is what we say."

"But why?" She lost her composure and began shouting to hide her fear. "We've been together all our lives! You can't leave me now!"

Dawn Star stared at her levelly. "I will not live at Dirge – and you know that is where you will end up."

Wu froze. Dirge. She had not spoken of it to Dawn Star, to anyone. "Why do you think I must go there?"

"Because you did not find peace here." Dawn Star gestured, taking in the ruins of Two Rivers. "You told me you were looking for peace, but that was not true. You're looking for his ghost and you did not find it here. The only other place in the Empire you might find him is Dirge. You know that. I do as well. And I will not go there. It is time for me to make my own life, Wu, as much as it pains me that we must part. But I cannot follow you forever and you will never be content here."

It was all true. She had Zu's writings now, but eventually that would not be enough and there was only one place on the mortal plane where spirit was stronger than the body and she might be able to see him again.

She owed it to the Empire as well. The Great Wheel turned, but there would still be lost spirits needing to find their way to the other side, there would still be a need for her kind. She was the only one who could restore the Order.

"You are right." She took her things off the flier. "You're going to need this more than me."

Dawn Star protested but she'd hear none of it. "Walking will do me good and if there are any bandits around here, I'll have them cleared out for those new townspeople of yours."

They stood in front of each other awkwardly. "Take good care of the garden."

"I will. Especially the one you planted."

She smiled. "I appreciate that. I will send you word when I can."

"As will I." And then Dawn Star bridged that gap between them and gave her such a bear hug she thought she would lose her breath. "I will miss you, friend."

Wu knew she would cry if she said anymore so she patted her friend on the back, smiled tightly and walked away.

The last thing Dawn Star saw of Wu was her back. The last thing she heard of her was her whistling. It was the first time she'd heard that in a year.