Jin Ling nods, leaning just a little bit toward Sizhui so that their shoulders are touching. “It will be all right.”

When Sizhui tugs his sleeve, he shakes his head. “I’ll stay out here tonight. I won’t be able to sleep anyway. Fairy and I can keep vigil, and we can wake you if anything happens.”

Sighing, he hugs his legs up to his chest, leaning a little more against Sizhui as he does so. “He might not even be that dangerous anymore. He’s only got one arm. I don’t know how he’d garrote me with only one arm.” He immediately thinks better of that. “No, he’d find a way. He’s very resourceful.”

He nudges his shoulder against Sizhui. “It’s okay. You should go to bed.”