26 East

In oppressive summer heat at court, Dumai secretly meets Kanifa in the Floating Gardens to discuss the coming rite and threats from River Lord Kuposa and his daughter, Nikeya. Dumai resolves to deny Kuposa opportunities to sway her. At dawn, amid gossiping handmaidens, Osipa shields Dumai from Lady Yapara’s barbs before Dumai joins Emperor Jorodu in the Water Pavilion, where he praises her studies and laments the dragons’ absence and the Kuposa grip on power.

Traveling through Nirai’s Hills to Lake Jasiro for the Day of the Golden Catch, Dumai watches the vast gathering of people she intends to serve. During ablutions, Nikeya intrudes as a faux helper, needling Dumai. The ceremonial casting of fish offerings begins: Jorodu places the imperial carp, Sipwo casts the Kuposa silver fish, Suzumai adds a bream, and Dumai approaches to offer the governors’ gifts.

As Dumai casts the first sculpture, Furtia Stormcaller erupts from the lake, the first divine appearance in centuries. Before the stunned multitude, Furtia calls Dumai to ride. Dumai grips the dragon’s mane and ascends, elated to be in the sky at last.

Furtia carries Dumai to a newly awakened fire mountain where lava flows. In a stifling cavern, Furtia shows nine boulder-like stones veined with heat, explaining that a cosmic balance has failed, the star’s cooling has not returned, and similar sites exist across the sea to the north. She slew the lone sire here, but others are laid elsewhere.

Furtia commands Dumai to ride across the sea to learn how many will open. Dumai hesitates, fearing that leaving will let Clan Kuposa topple her father. Furtia rebukes mortal politics as trivial beside world-burning fire and invokes the ancient vow between dragons and Dumai’s house. Convinced of her duty as godsinger, Dumai pledges, “Your will is mine.”