Free Moon Princess by Barbara Laban Page A

and I beg you not to give up either.’
    I haven’t , thought Sienna, and smiled. The old man bowed slightly and continued his walk, his broad shoulders stooped. Sienna felt overwhelmed by the old monk’s words. It was hard to hold back the tears.
    Hong Yi patted her shoulder gently. ‘Your mother left some papers with us, the day she disappeared. Perhaps you would like them. If you wait here, I’ll bring them to you. Will you be all right?’
    â€˜Yes,’ she said, sitting down on the shaded steps. ‘I’m fine.’
    He nodded, and hurried off across the courtyard.
    But Sienna wasn’t fine. She felt sad and excited all at once – it was so confusing. She hoped Mum was OK, wherever she was – but Minka had said she was in danger. How would Sienna find her before it was too late? Bai tuzi pressed his nose against her cheek comfortingly. What papers could her mother have left here, and could they hide an important clue?
    A moment later a loud gong pulled her from her thoughts. The door of another hall opened on the opposite side of the courtyard. A group of about fifteen monks streamed out. Sienna looked at the faces of the young men in their ochre-coloured robes.
    Then she saw him.
    It was the piercing blue eyes that gave him away, though he was also much plumper than the other monks. Pearls of sweat glistened on his brow. In his hands he held a golden vessel, which flashed in the sunlight. Sienna realized that the last time she had seen this man, in theapartment in Shanghai, something else had been flashing in his hand: a knife.
    This was Ling’s accomplice!
    Desperate to get away before the monk recognized her, Sienna raced across the inner courtyard.
    She was approaching the exit when someone gripped her arm. She jumped violently.
    â€˜What’s the matter? Here, I found them.’ Hong Yi handed Sienna a folder full of papers and pushed his glasses up his nose. ‘These belonged to your mother. You should have them. But also I wanted to invite you here for our Moon Festival celebrations. It will be a very special occasion this year. And we are planning to say a special prayer for your mother.’
    Sienna’s heart was pounding. ‘Um, thank you. I’ll think about the Moon Festival. Thank you for showing me around. I have to go now.’
    Waving a hasty goodbye at Hong Yi – who seemed a little hurt – Sienna raced down the mountain. The white hare whispered directions in her ear: next right, next left, cross this road, that’s the bus stop over there . Finally she was sitting on the bus, feeling relieved, sweat tricking downher neck.
    By the time she made it back to Zou’s place, it was dusk. As she pushed open the door, she heard a familiar voice, and her heart began to thump violently.

10 Huozhede – Alive!
    â€˜ M y delicate nose simply cannot bear this smell. Thanks for your trouble, Doc, but I’m afraid I must stop this treatment.’ There, right in front of Sienna, lying on a white cloth, was Rufus! Zou was standing over him, pouring a steaming drink into the dog’s mouth. ‘Waah!’ wailed Rufus. ‘Help! He’s trying to poison me!’
    â€˜It’s all over now,’ the doctor soothed him. ‘That was just some medicine to help sootheyour energy and repair your good temper.’
    Zou’s words made Sienna smile even more – she certainly wouldn’t describe Rufus as ever having had a ‘good temper’! But she had never been more pleased to see her friend. She lifted Rufus from the couch and hugged him tightly. ‘Rufus, you’re alive! You’re alive !’
    â€˜Of course I’m alive, silly girl,’ Rufus said crossly, but he looked pleased to see Sienna and he gave her a tender lick on her nose. ‘That monster had no chance against me.’
    Sienna carefully carried her friend up the stairs, kissing and hugging him tightly, while Zou watched them