The small island of Tao is in the isle chain of Dragon's Breath–the day after the fight with the Srith. One big white cat named Luss sits ontop of Hawk and wakes him up. Hawk is just doing his job, he hardly knows Windblade here and doesn't know the Sidhe people. The magician has them in his house, keeping them safe and warm. The three fairy boys (one with shaved underhair and ponytail is called Jeet) are with them. This chubby, Oriental wizard with a guitar and Elf Ears is named Greylone WorldStrider. Windblade wears a short cut top and a thong with hanging robe, which covers very little. He has been shown many secrets about his magic by Greylone. A poem about placing an Elflord on a throne. Windblade's power draws from a shared light and he moves in a moonlit trance and can do a time dance. White hairs scare Hawk. Greylone calls Hawk and Windblade Yin and Yang as the prepare to sleep. The next day, Hawk is smothering in royal mainlander clothes, he can't feel the air on him. Windblade and he are in a sailboat. Windblade hushes him and he tells him not to. Windblade is sorry, he is scared, his centering isn't working. Hawk wonders if he wants to get out or go another way. The Emperor and the Mandarin come through with an entourage of boy elves. Pirates have killed all of Hawk's people. The Emperor greets him and tells him Ravenclaw and cohorts have been sighted in their waters. A blackbird sits on Ravenclaw's shoulder. He calls Nung and Cho. Nung is a black elf with curly hair and Cho is an Oriental. Both are Shades available to Ravenclaw here. He knows the true nature of the Sidhe and wants him. His fire bombardment will give them the cover to do what they must. Once another white hair was his and the power of their entire race was his. He has searched a long time for another. Hui Cheng, a bald monk boy tells Haw he is commended as a hero but Hawk doesn't feel much like one. He misses the little white hair––he didn't realize the little guy had gotten to him like this. Hui hugs an arm around Hawk. Hui tells Hawk he could request an audience with Windblade, who has become a symbol for Kathay. Windblade, all dressed up, dances as three elves play instruments (harp, flute, drum). The magic in Windblade stirs as he dances. Sidhe are vessels for the magic powers that are stored in the secret lines that run along the world. The music players cannot stop. The Mandarin can siphon off as much as he wishes. Cho, waiting for a moment to get Windblade, drools, unable to think as Windblade dances. The Mandarin makes Windblade stop dancing, commanding it––as Windblade couldn't stop himself. The other two dancers, zapped, can't stop. Kibu, the blond who is sneering at everything and seems evil, is told by the Mandarin to take the Sidhe out. Windblade feels sick. Mandarin tells the dancers the magic must run its course and he cannot stop it. The Mandarin will rule supreme on this world using Windblade. Hawk and Hui find the music players all tired out, Hawk smelling the stink of magic. Hui knew nothing of this. Hawk realizes they had been fooled by the wizard Mandarin and because of it the wholecity may die.
Includes a Map of Pangia.
