The Poppy War

The beginning of this chapter is told from the point of view of the Cike commander, Tyr, onboard the Federation-owned schooner the Emperor Ryohai. On Daji’s orders, Tyr lurks on the ship, cloaked in shadow. He finds it difficult to leave the darkness and thinks about Chuluu Korikh, the stone mountain where shamans are imprisoned when they lose their sanity. Daji comes aboard and meets with a Federation general. She spots Tyr and pushes him off the ship, killing him.

In midsummer, the Federation declares war on Nikan and begins decimating northern cities, conquering Horse Province on their way to Sinegard. The Academy is transformed into a military encampment. Classes stop meeting and the instructors resume the positions they had in the Second Poppy War. Rin wants to call the gods to help them fight, but Jiang warns Rin that shamanism shouldn’t be militarized. He grows agitated when Rin mentions the Phoenix and begins to avoid her again. She sneaks into his garden and steals poppy seeds.

The Federation breaches Sinegard’s walls. Rin makes her first kill; she feels no emotion. She is tempted by the Phoenix’s fury and the poppy seeds in her pocket but decides against calling the god.