The north wind swept debris across the flagstones. Five-year-old Bai Mo lay on his sister's thin back, his lips paler than snow.
The extreme yin energy surging through his body gnawed at his bones like a venomous snake, as if it would freeze his soul!
Bai Qi bit her bleeding lip, wrapped her brother's legs around her waist, and climbed the steep stone steps, taking a step and bowing her head with each one.
Her forehead struck the hard, cracked flagstones. Beads of blood mingled with the rain and trickled down, yet even they could not compare to the growing chill of her brother in her arms.
When the vermilion gate of the temple finally emerged through her tear-blurred vision, she dug her bloodied fingers into the knocker and cried out for help, her voice breaking with sobs.
