Pahua and the Soul Stealer

Not part of Riordanverse This book or series is published under Rick Riordan Presents and its contents are not considered canon to the Riordanverse.

Pahua and the Soul Stealer
Attribution
Author	Lori M. Lee
Publication Information
Publisher	Rick Riordan Presents
Release date	September 7th, 2021
Pages	436
Chronology
Preceded by	None
Followed by	Pahua and the Dragon's Secret

Pahua and the Soul Stealer is the first book in the Pahua Moua series by Lori M. Lee that focuses on Hmong mythology. It was released September 7th, 2021.

Synopsis

Pahua Moua has a bit of a reputation for being a weirdo. A lonely eleven-year-old Hmong girl with the unique ability to see spirits, she spends her summer days babysitting her little brother and playing with her best friend, a cat spirit no one else can see.

One day Pahua accidentally untethers an angry spirit from the haunted bridge in her neighborhood--whoops. When her brother suddenly falls sick and can't be awoken, Pahua fears that the bridge spirit has stolen his soul. She returns to the scene of the crime with her aunt's old shaman tools, hoping to confront the spirit and demand her brother's return. Instead, she summons a demon.

Thankfully, a warrior shaman with a bit of an attitude problem shows up at the last minute and saves her butt. With the help of this guide, Pahua will have to find her way through the spirit worlds and rescue her brother's soul before it's too late. Little does she know she'll have her own discoveries to make along the way. . .

. . With its unforgettable characters, unique nature-based magic system, breathtaking twists and reveals, and climactic boss battle, this story based on Hmong oral tradition offers everything a fantasy lover could want.

Development

This book was first announced on Rick Riordan's Tower of Nero tour in October 2020, which was confirmed by the author Lori M. Lee via Twitter on January 28 2021. In a following Tweet she said that the book contained "a judgmental invisible cat [...] a fire spirit that lives in the stove [...] multiple realms inhabited by spirits and dragons [...] a demon in a sundress [and] FUN TIMES ALL AROUND" and in the next Tweet she put a link to the Goodreads page with the official summary.

On February 3 Rick Riordan posted an update to his website in which he said "First up, news broke this week about Lori M. Lee’s wonderful upcoming novel for us: PAHUA AND THE SOUL STEALER. [...] I have read it. I have loved it. My only regret is that I didn’t know more about Hmong story traditions before now. They are fascinating. The ghosts! The shamans! The talking cats!" At the same time Lori M. Lee had also made a page on her website for Pahua and the Soul Stealer.

On February 19 Lori M. Lee made a Tweet that revealed the release date for Pahua and the Soul Stealer -- September 7.

On April 14, ReadRiordan revealed the cover for the book through their website.

Plot

Summer School, Haunted Bridges, and Nightmares

Pahua Moua.

As Pahua Moua is getting ready for summer school, a spirit in the form of a black kitten named Miv, who she has known since she was five, says she looks like an eggplant with the shirt she is wearing. She ignores him and bumps into her mom carrying pants of rice. While she is exited for movie night, her mother says she has to skip it as something came up. After eating breakfast, she and her younger brother, Matt, go to summer school. As they walk, she sees various spirits and acknowledges them, only for two boys passing by to call her crazy. When she gets to her first class, algebra, she sees the school's mean girl, Hailey Jones, walk in with her friend, Jocelyn. They find a grain of rice on Pahua's shirt and mock her for it. Just then, a new girl from Chicago, June, stops the girls from mocking her and asks Pahua to join them in checking out a bridge, which is said to be haunted by the ghost of a girl who was abandoned by her family, which she reluctantly accepts. As they get closer, Pahua starts to feel something negative.

The four girls reach the bridge and look around. Pahua sees the spirit and a girl crying and focuses on her, however June calls Pahua's name and the other girls snicker at her for “talking to a bridge post”. Miv tells her to get away when the spirit notices her and asks her to stay. When the other girls give Pahua funny looks, but she says she has to pick up her brother, but plans to come back to talk to the spirit. However the spirit gets angry and interrupts before she can say she is coming back and attacks. Frost forms around the bridge and Hailey, Jocelyn, and June run away screaming without Pahua. After getting over the shock, Pahua and Miv leave when the spirit seemingly vanishes. As they head back to the school, Pahua worries the other girls will pin this on her and everyone will think she is cursed, Miv congratulates her on her bravery for standing her ground. They run into Matt and head home. Pahua makes ramen for lunch and the siblings watch Voltron. As Pahua washes up, the spirits in the apartment tell her she lead in a great evil. As Pahua is putting Matt to bed, she feels his forehead and finds that he has a fever, but she senses their is more to it. When their mother gets home, she gives him medicine and waits to see how he is in the morning. Pahua tries to tell her she things something is spiritually wrong with him, but does not elaborate for fear of how her mother would react. That night she dreams that she is by a banyan tree and a woman saying she found her, having known her for millennia. Pahua then wakes up, questioning what her dream means.

Spiritual Sickness, Shaman Warriors, and The Echo

Zhong

Pahua goes to check on Matt and finds him asleep. She checks his forehead and finds that it is scolding hot. She tries waking him up to no success before telling her mother. Her mom tries to cleanse Matt as Pahua questions if she should tell her mother about her abilities. After speaking with Miv, she realizes Matt is possessed by the bridge spirit. Pahua heads to her mom’s close to take some of her aunt's shaman equipment to the bridge, she takes a dulled short sword and a gong and hammer before getting dressed and headed to the bridge with Miv to try and draw the spirit back. Once there, she hits it and the water starts to bubble. A figure jumps out of the water and lands on the bridge. As it approaches her, Miv tells her to run. However it catches up and she strikes it with a sword. In response it tosses Miv aside and hits her in the head. Before it can kill her, it is peppered with arrows and Pahua sees a Hmong girl her age. As it disintegrates, the girl berates Pahua for her poor skill in dealing with the creature who she calls a Poj Ntxoog, what remains of a soul after it is stolen by an evil spirit. The girl introduces herself as Zhong, a shaman warrior, who is surprised by Pahua'a ability to see spirits without training. Zhong explains that she was sent to look into the Bridge Spirit who has been sent to the Spirit Realm. When Pahua says her brother is unresponsive and has a fever, Zhong says his soul was taken to the Spirit Realm. Pahua is shocked by this, fearing Matt could become a Poj Ntxoog. Miv says they have between three and seven days before it happens as Zhong recruits Pahua to help.

After stopping home to drop off the gong and leave a note that she would be at school getting something, Pahua checks on Matt to find him still unresponsive and sees her mother having a hushed conversation on the phone. The girls head into town as Zhong leads Pahua to an elephant statue. Zhong explains that the statue acts as a gateway they will use to talk to Shao, a traveling shaman, as she take out a qeej, a flute like instrument, and plays a melody before saying a passcode and the statue speaks. Zhong says they are their for business and a door opens up and Pahua sees a city with in the door. Zhong enters as Pahua reluctantly follows. Miv tells her this is a bad idea as they glide through the sky and Pahua keeps her eyes shut, only seeing darkness. Zhong says they are in The Echo, one of the realms, and tells Pahua about her school, the School for Shamanic Arts and Spiritual Mastery in Minnesota. Pahua says her aunt is a shaman as Zhong says not all shamans have the spiritual energy to become warriors. When they land, Zhong notices Miv and offers to send him away, but Pahua refuses as Miv threatens to attack her. They walk on as Zhong explains that Shao is a shaman who was given immortality, the ability to see the future, and trapped in The Echo for reaching the home of the gods. Pahua is surprised that the Hmong have gods and Zhong says many of their stories were lost or not passed on through the generations. Zhong also explains how the Echo mimics the mortal realm as it changes. Zhong leads them to the Bamboo Nursery where Shao resides, however they find a large clothing store in its place. Zhong leads them inside to search for the garden as Pahua inspects the close and notices the laces are on the heels of the shoes. As she tries on gloves that keep the wearer warm in different realms, the girls get into a small argument over Zhong always ridiculing Pahua for her lack of Hmong knowledge as Zhong realizes the store is for demons. The three are soon surrounded by poj ntxoog and Zhong and Miv fight while Pahua looks for an opportunity to retreat. However a poj ntxoog approaches her and she is forced to fight. After ripping the demon's dress, it says it is going to kill Pahua, but another says someone wants her alive. Pahua finds an exit that she thinks leads to the bamboo nursery and pulls Zhong with her. Zhong opens the door as a poj ntxoog grabs Pahua. However she spin kicks it away and goes into the door.

Talking to Shao and the Sky Father and Entering the Spirit Realm

After landing in the nursery, Zhong hoists Pahua up and demands to know where she learned to fight, believing she is lying. Pahua says she never fought like that before and Miv backs her up. Zhong says the store was a trap and someone is after Pahua, not believing her, Zhong says Shao will see the truth and she leads them there and warns Pahua not to fall asleep. As they walk Pahua stumbles into a statue half buried in the foliage and realizes it is a sleeping man. To keep each other awake, Zhong tells Pahua about the Hmong gods in the council. They reach Shao's house and find him asleep at the table. Zhong fiddles with a radio close to Shao to wake him up, when she finds the right station he jolts awake. Zhong addresses Shao with respect and Pahua asks him about her brother. Shao asks for a lighter and a vial from the drawer as he tells them about Shee Yee, the first shaman. As he talks, he says the vial contains oil and traps the girls in a cage of fire. Pahua asks Zhong to put it out, but she has not learned about shamanic fire yet. They tell him to release them, but be says only Pahua can do that. Suddenly, a spiral appears on Pahua's wrist and a storm appears outside. Rain destroys the cage. As the girls berate Shao, he tells them that when Shee Yee died, his soul was bound to a tree to prevent it from being reincarnated. However it was freed somehow and Shee Yee was reborn as Pahua, shocking both girls. He says the gods will be after her and to be careful as he falls asleep. Before he does, Pahua demands he tell her how to save her brother. Shao says that only she can save Matt and tells her to avoid the Ivory Gate. He falls asleep and the girls fail to wake him. They step outside to find Miv resting under a statue.

Pahua falls asleep and dreams she is in a garden as a man in a bathrobe approaches her. He says he and his daughters missed her and they knew each other in a previous life. He forbids her from controlling the weather again and tells her to be inconspicuous. As he leaves, he tells Pahua not to trust anyone. She realizes it is a dream and she has been talking to Ntuj. She wakes up to Miv telling her she was asleep for half an hour and she sees Zhong still asleep. Pahua grabs Zhong's feet and drags her out of the Nursery. When they exit, Zhong awakens and complains about the dirt on her clothing. Zhong then apologizes to Pahua and reveals she is still in training, angering Pahua. Zhong says getting the Bridge Spirit to pass on is her only chance to become a shaman warrior, as she will be expelled if she fails. Pahua begrudgingly accepts her apology as they realize the Hmong word for thread is Hox, the name of the god of destruction. They realize he set a trap to get revenge on Shee Yee for defeating him. They believe that if they find Shee Yee's thunder axe then they can take him on and Miv reveals it is in the Tree of Souls in the Spirit Realm. Zhong says she has a spirit friend who can get the Spirit Realm as Pahua suggests they use her bedroom.

They exit through the same portal as they entered, but no one takes notice of them. Pahua's phone vibrates and she finds that her mother has been trying to contact her. She calls her mom to learn that Matt has been hospitalized. Zhong says they should head to the apartment, but Pahua insists they head to the hospital and they walk. As they walk, Pahua notices Zhong is barley covered in frost as she is drenched. Zhong says their is a spell to counter this, or a protective charm can be used, such as a bracelet she is wearing. Zhong also describes the school she goes to and how she has been a student there for three years and will become a full fledged shaman in another four if she succeeds in this quest, being expelled if she fails. Pahua asks Miv, who is resting on Zhong's shoulder, if he heard of the school and Zhong freaks out when she realizes this. The girls clean up in the bathroom of a gas station before reaching the hospital. Zhong waits outside as Pahua and Miv enter Matt's room. They find her mother sitting by Matt's bed and ask her what is wrong, she says that the doctors cannot figure out exactly what is wrong with him. When asking if her aunt Kalia might perform a ritual for free, her mother says she wants something other then money as payment but does not elaborate. Pahua leaves and Zhong says she overheard the nurses talking about five other kids coming in with mysterious comas and they question if the spirit is behind those as well before rushing the the apartment.

They reach the apartment to find it trashed and Pahua sees the spirits restraining a dragon. The dragon says he has been sent to take Pahua with him, but she can tell he feels arresting her is beneath him. A fight breaks out and Pahua does not deliver a finishing blow and the dragon escapes. Zhong berates her for letting the dragon live as he would most likely return. A neighbor checks in on them and Pahua fears she will get her family evicted. As Pahua tidies up, Zhong is imprised at her ability to see all spirits all the time, sometimes even the greatest shamans cannot due. When Pahua finishes, Zhong says entering the Crossroads, a series of roads connecting realms, with be impossible with the gods after her and suggests they go physically. Zhong says she will show Pahua how as Miv suggests Pahua wear a disguise. She changes into a green dress and a cloak from a Halloween costume and puts on a red cloth mask she found in the shaman trunk. As Zhong demonstrates how to enter the crossroads, the world starts to slow and grow quiet. It gets cold and she puts on the gloves. Soon they enter the Crossroads.

Entering the Spirit Realm

They arrive at an interaction of rainbow flowers and various stands maned by humanoid animals. Miv explains that they are spirits who can shift between human and beast forms by use of a cloak, something Pahua remembers the dragon wearing. As Pahua walks around amazed, she bumps into a man who the horns and nose of a bull. A woman next to him tells them the man, Choj, usually looks angry and introduces herself as Aunt Chan and offers them sticky rice. Miv declines as Aunt Chan says she uses transmutation to get the food, a difficult feat to accomplish. Pahua asks Aunt Chan about the Ivory Gates and Choj tells her it is Xov's prison. As they get closer to the guards, Aunt Chan finds it strange that they are unaccompanied minors and the girls say their parents let them travel on their own for the first time. When they reach the guard. They are asked for permits, something Pahua and company does it have. She lies that she lost it and says her uncle in the Spirit Realm wanted them to visit. Aunt Chan distracts the guard by offering him rice and Pahua, Miv, and Zhong sneak past him and onto a boat bound for the Spirit Realm. However as they sail away, an eagle spirit senses stowaways and the girls ready for a fight. The eagle reveals its nine tongues and shrieks three times and Pahua realizes they are slowly turning to stone. They fight back as best they can with Zhong hitting the eagle with an arrow and Pahua slicing off two tongues as it shrieks a fourth time. The eagle demands it’s tongues as Pahua demands it unpetrifies them. It reluctantly agrees and Pahua returns the tongues. The eagle warns them there are far worse things them itself as they journey on.

Miv

As they set sail, Zhong complements Pahua on her quick thinking, but feels that killing would have been preferable. Pahua says violence is not always the answer as Zhong says fighting it her best skill. They stop arguing and Zhong agrees to help Pahua focus her spiritual energy. Miv tells the girls to put on masks as they approach a waterfall. They see a girl on a big elephant and Miv tells them to stay quiet as they enter the waterfall. Zhong leans in close and Pahua, noticing Zhong's bracelet is vibrating and grabs her wrist with a gloved hand to keep it intact. They emerge on the other side of the waterfall covered in frost and Pahua wonders if the gloves saved her and Zhong's lives as they reach a field with some trees and Miv says they are in the Spirit Realm's waiting room. They get off the boat and slowly follow the line up a hill to a pond. A frog sucks up the water and reveals a tunnel on the bottom, and becomes bloated in the process. Miv says it is funny but Zhong warns them not to laugh as the frog was punished by Nhia Ngao Zhua Pa, a shapeshifting goddess, for ruining a prank show was pulled on a mortal man. Miv guides the girls, as they cannot see with their masks. However Pahua takes off her mask and laughs as the frog releases the water right on the three. They are washed into a cave and Zhong pulls Pahua out of the the water. Pahua starts to squeeze the water out of her clothes and thanks Zhong. Miv says they cannot exit way they entered and have to find another way. As they walk, Pahua asks Zhong about the school again and she reveals her old sister also attends with her parents visiting her sister and says father being a part-time shaman, but is mainly a graphic designer. Pahua remembers her father drawing a lot but stays silent when Zhong asks about him. Eventually they come to a forked tunnel. Miv says to go right but the girls insist on going left because it is bigger. As they walk, they trigger a trap and the girls draw their weapons. Pahua senses the Bridge Spirit is there, and has grown stronger. She wants to fight but the others say they need the axe first. They eventually find the exit.

Pahua holds in a scream when she sees a six horned water buffalo spirit and Miv says to get by quietly. However Pahua sneezes, alerting the spirit and angering her companions, and they run. Zhong tries to create a barrier, but Pahua tackles her before she could do it. Miv tells them to run into a nearby forest and climb into a tree where Pahua gets a tree spirit stuck in her hair. Soon the water buffalo spirit gives up and returns to its heard. They wait a little before climbing down and wander into the forest. As they walk away, Zhong says she wants trying to use shaman magic to protect them, but she says it is not her best skill. They walk until Zhong decides to make camp and gets materials for a fire while nature spirits attack her. After starting a fire a nature spirit comes over to them and introduces herself as Nplooj, the queen of the nature spirits, and offers assistance as thanks for dealing with the water buffalo spirit. As they eat, Zhong complements Pahua on her bravery and says not all older siblings will do what she is doing. Eventually they fall asleep. Pahua dreams she is standing in front of a cage with a voice saying it knows her despite a different appearance and she will free it. She realizes it is Xov as hands grab her and drag her away. She wakes up soon after.

Journeying to the Tree of Souls and Searching for the Ax

Pahua washes up and has a breakfast of fruit and nuts from the nature spirits when the queen in forms her that her sister, ruler of the fields, can help her. Miv returns after scouting out a route and, after Zhong wakes up, he tells them they are near the main road, but they have to cross a mountain range and back in two days. As Pahua questions their next move, Zhong reveals she has a spirit horse that can take them to the tree in no time. They head into a village where Zhong finds a place to contact her horse. The horse spirit manning the stand, Suad Nag, refuses to summon the spirit at first, but does so when Pahua bribes him. A second later Zhong's horse spirit, Spike, appears and agrees to take the three to the Tree of Souls after learning of Pahua's brother. The three mount Spike and the spirit horse zooms across the mountains. As they travel, Pahua sees a forest on the back of a turtle and a fog covered peak where Zhong says houses lost mortal souls. After a while they stop so Spike can rest and Zhong agrees to teach Pahua some of what she knows. Pahua manages to channel some energy into her sword, which glows bright before she drops it. Zhong then teaches Pahua some combat skills. Zhong disarms her a few times, but Shee Yee's instincts kick in and Pahua disarms her, angering Zhong. Zhong reveals her older sister is a prodigy at shamanism and is nearly a full fledged warrior, even going on missions on her own. Zhong also reveals her father’s sister and paternal grandparents are shamans as well, leaving her with a lot to pressure and expectations to live up to. Pahua says she gets it and reveals her feelings about her father leaving them. After a while the girls are chummy again and Spike returns to take them to the Tree of Souls. Pahua recognizes it from the dream she had when Matt first got sick. Spike refuses to go any further and the three move in. As they do, the caretaker emerges, the woman Pahua saw in her dream, and notices them. Believing she would not harm them, Pahua walks up to her and introduces herself as Shee Yee's reincarnation. The caretaker, Yeng, says she knows and tells Zhong and Miv to leave. Zhong says she is on a mission for her school and momentarily hesitates when asked if she wants to be a shaman warrior. Pahua asks for the ax, but Yeng says she must find it herself. A new soul arrives as Yeng switches it out for another soul. Pahua asks the caretaker why Shee Yee was reborn and she says a strong being came when she was away. Pahua is given locket with the trees only leaf to find the ax and heads into the tree with Zhong and Miv.

They come to two doors, one depicting branching and another roots. As they decide which door to take, Pahua remembers that in her younger days her parents wanted her and to be educated on Hmong customs and culture to stay in tune to their roots. Pahua chooses the door with the roots and they enter. They find different rooms, with Pahua trading her sandals for boots, before finding a library. When they enter, the books start to attack them and spurt out various facts. They eventually find a book on Shee Yee and grab it. The books stop attacking and they read. They ask the book about Shee Yee and Xov and it shows them visions of Shee Yee saving a child from a demon and him fighting and imprisoning Xov with his list remaining child forced to guard him. As Zhong is awe at seeing her idol, Pahua feels strange watching herself in a past life. The book says Xov's prison is guarded by a curse and recites it as the try to fugue out what it means. As the leave the room, Pahua wonders how much time they have left as the floor shifts and a crack in the wall opens up and swallows Pahua before closing. Pahua tumbles down the tunnel and into a room that resembles a forest. She comes to a bridge with a door on the other end and a man sitting with a bucket of plums. He introduces himself as Cag, the spirit of the tree's roots. He says Pahua can cross as long as she gives him her worst memory. She realizes that is the day her walked out and is hesitant, wondering if it would make her feel better or worse. He hands her a plum and tells her to eat it. When she does she sees her old living room and her parents after a fight. As her father stands by the front door, she says she cannot forgive him. The scene fades to reveal Pahua has crossed the bridge and Cag says to keep the plum pit. She puts it in her pocket and opens the door, running into her companions. Pahua guesses they went through a similar test as her as they find a room with a statue of Shee Yee holding the lighting ax.

As her companions encourage Pahua to take the ax, which is as tall as her, they subdued by a group of dragons, Miv is placed in a bubble as the girls are restrained. The dragons say they want to give the ax to Xiav, a dragon who became the deity of thunder when Xov was locked away, so that Xov can remain imprisoned. Pahua says that as Shee Yee's reincarnation, she is the niece of their king, Huab Tais Zaj. A dragon goes to take the ax, he is vaporized. Another dragon holds a sword to Zhong's chest and threatens to kill her if Pahua does not retrieve the ax. As Pahua is freed, a group of Poj Ntxoog arrive to take the ax and a three way fight breaks out. Zhong frees herself and Pahua tries to find Miv before Zhong tells her to get the ax. Pahua grabs it and feels a surge of cold energy. She put her gloves on and tries again, succeeding. The ax shrinks so that Pahua can use it as the rooms collapses in on itself. As the poj ntxoog and dragons flee, Pahua searches for Miv before Zhong drags her out. The girls flee up a stairway and end up outside the tree.

Pahua tries to get back inside, but the tree seals itself. The girls find Yeng, who comments on the damage Pahua made, and ask her where Miv is as Zhong notices Spike is missing. Yeng says cat spirits have no place in the tree and tells Zhong Spike was scared off by the dragons due to a rivalry between the two species. Pahua begs Yeng to tell her where Miv is but the arborist refuses. With the grief of losing her best friend and the uncertainty of how to save her brother in time, Pahua scolds Yeng for not helping. In response, Yeng says they can get the her brother if they pay a price and tells the girls that she was once mortal and was cursed to tend to the tree after exposing a trick Nhia Ngao Zhua Pa was pulling on her girlfriend. Pahua returns the leaf as Yeng goes back inside. As Zhong laments that she should have called her teacher, the girls see a poj ntxoog and go after it, Zhong fires an arrow into its leg to subdue it. Pahua recognizes it from the store trap as the demon says the tree was calling to it. Zhong finds it hard to believe as poj ntxoog have no memory of their mortal lives. Pahua asks where Miv is and it says he was taken to their camp. Wanting to save her oldest friend, Pahua agrees to give it her hair clip if it can take them to the camp. It agrees and says it’s name is Hluas as Yeng arrives as Pahua removes the arrow to shit can trust them. Yeng offers to have wind spirits help them if it would get them off her mountain faster. The three mount Hluas's storm spirit and go to save Miv.

Saving Matt and Miv and Facing the Imprisoned God

They make it to the outskirts of the encampment and Hluas demands to hair clip for bringing them there and threatens to alert the others. The girls give Hluas the hair clip and it leaves leaves just as the others discover them. The girls draw their weapons as Pahua demands Miv, they say he was delivered to Xov and they go in to eat Pahua and Zhong, after failing to talk their way out, a fight breaks out. Pahua resists the urge to use the ax, but unleashes it’s power after Zhong is hurt. A flash of light erupts from the ax and vaporizes the poj ntxoog along with most of the forest. Pahua is horrified as she helped an injured and equally shocked Zhong. The nature spirits tell the girls to leave as Zhong says Pahua only used the ax to defend her. Soon the queen, Nyom, arrives and Pahua apologizes to her. Realizing she still has the leaf Yeng gave her, Pahua gifts it to the nature spirits and they accept her apology. After planting it, Nyom reveals she knows what Pahua is and that she has a tight deadline. After Pahua questions her self, Zhong says she would be a great shaman warrior. Pahua bandages Zhong as Nyom then turns the thunder ax into a comb for Pahua to manage easier and Pahua decides to go after her brother as Xov would use Miv to lure her in. Nyom offers her a short cut as a door into the ground opens and wishes the girls luck.

They emerge from a bush near their campsite, meaning they are close to the tunnel. As Zhong winces in pain and refuses Pahua's help, Nplooj arrives, saying Nyom told her they would arrive, and gives the girls fruit that heals their injuries and rejuvenates them. Pahua notices one of Zhong's pins resembles one her aunt gave her mother and the other girl theorizes she attended the school. As they are about to cross the field, they see the water buffalo spirits and Zhong looks for something to get past when the remaining dragons arrive to take the girls to Xiav. After the leader says Xiav has spies among the nature spirits, Pahua gets an idea and starts insulting the dragons, much to Zhong's shock. The dragons get angry and, as Pahua planned, the water buffalo spirits attack the dragons and the girls use the opportunity to slip into the cave.

Bridge Spirit

As they retrace their steps, Pahua questions if she could save Miv as well and if she will see Zhong again. When Zhong notices this, Pahua says their is no one she would rather go on a quest with. As the girls get closer, Pahua turns her comb into an ax and they stumble across the bridge spirit. Pahua sees Matt, along with a dozen other children, starting to turn into poj ntxoog and fears she is to late. Pahua yells at the bridge spirit to get away from her brother and notices Miv is caged on tusks. Pahua goes for Miv as Zhong takes care of the spirit children, placing paper talismans on them to subdue them. Pahua fights off two spirit children and starts to climb a wall of tusks to save Miv, he tries to warn her about something as Pahua frees him. However the wall of tusks explodes, sending Pahua flying as she blacks out.

Pahua comes to in a black void and realizes the charm to keep her soul in her body was destroyed. She heard a thunderous voice and realizes it is Xov. The god tells Pahua she has broken one of the three seals imprisoning him. She remembers the curse she was told and, remembering the last line and the cage Miv was in, she realizes Miv's cage was the Ivory Gates and that he is Xov's son and that he freed Shee Yee's soul. As she is angry over the revelation, Xov demands she break the remaining seals. Pahua rejects his offer and manages to summon the ax as Xov creates a physical manifestation to fight with. He summons a spear and strikes Pahua. The two appear near eventually match with the imprisoned god having the upper hand most of the time. As they fight, Pahua wonders if Miv truly betrayed her or not and taunts Xov by asking for his motives and claiming he only wants to enact revenge on Shee Yee for not only locking him up, but for being Ntuj's grandson. The taunting only works to an extent and Xov quickly knocks her to the ground and Pahua blocks a fatal blow. After feeling the plum pit in her pocket, she tosses it to Xov, who catches it and becomes distracted long enough for her to get away and destroy his spear, trapping him again. Xov fades away, declaring he is not done yet, as Pahua blacks out.

Pahua wakes up back in her body as Miv smothers her with joy. Still somewhat angry with him but happy to be with him, she reveals that she knows Miv is Xov's son as Miv fills her in. Pahua sees Zhong desperately trying to fend off three spirit children and, despite a sprained ankle and hurt ribs, she limps over to Zhong's back to get more paper talismans to help Zhong. The bridge spirit sics two more spirit children on Pahua, who subdues them with the talismans. She makes it to Zhong and subdues the ghosts attacking her. Zhong thanks Pahua,who reveals she subdued Matt, as Pahua turns her attention to the bridge spirit. As she goes to destroy the spirit, Pahua remembers how sad and lonely she was and thinks of how she herself was isolated from being different. When she reaches the bridge spirit, Pahua hugs her. The spirit flails in anger, but eventually starts sobbing as Pahua comforts her. The spirit says she cannot remember before name and says she is scared. Pahua tells her she knows someone who will care for her and that she will never be lonely again. The bridge spirit then turns into a cloth and heads to the Tree of Souls as the children return to their bodies. The cavern starts to crumble as Miv and the girls rush to escape.

Returning Home

They run into the nature spirits again, the girls being given fruit to heal their injuries, and return to the town to find Spike waiting for them. As they head back to the Mortal Realm, Miv explains how he released Shee Yee's soul to please his father, but decided not to turn her over to him after seeing the love her family displayed each other and expresses remorse for his actions. Zhong is shocked and appealed by this but Pahua forgives him. As they cross realms, Pahua notices that the gloves have holes in them, but sees this as a sign to learn to control her spiritual energy. Spike drops them off at the hospital, where they learn they were only gone for six hours, and they clean themselves off before heading to Matt. Zhong asks Pahua if she wants to attend her school, , saying the staff could help her fix the Ivory gates, which she considers and Zhong gives Pahua a pin her mother gave her. Zhong waits outside as Pahua enters the room to find Matt eating and hugs him as their mother exists the bathroom. Pahua asks her mom about the pin and she reveals her aunt attended a shaman school for a year before dropping out and wanted Pahua to attend, sensing strong energy from her. She tells her daughter she wanted her to chose to attend the school on her own and Pahua says she would like to. Her mother asks Pahua to get her a change of clothes and she agrees. Meeting Zhong in the hall, Pahua asks her to help her clean the apartment. Zhong agrees as she points out a piece of jasmine on Pahua's shirt, indicating Gao Pa knows about her.

Characters

• Pahua Moua
• Miv
• Lia Moua
• Matt Moua
• Hailey Jones
• Jocelyn
• June
• Bridge Spirit
• Mr. Taylor
• Yeng
• Zhong Vang
• Hluas
• Shao
• Ntuj
• Choj
• Aunt Chan
• Nplooj
• Xov
• Suad Nag
• Spike
• Shee Yee
• Cag
• Mr. Moua
• Nyom

Chapters

1. My Best Friend Is a Cat Spirit
2. Human Spirits Are The Worst
3. Don’t Talk to Bridge Spirits
4. Continuing the Tradition of Making Bad Decisions
5. Shaman Warriors Are Real and Also Rude
6. Flying by Elephant Statue
7. Killer Fashion
8. Sleep Is for The Weak
9. Let Me Cosmos-Google That for You
10. Meeting Grandpa, Ruler of All the Realms. No Pressure
11. I Wouldn’t Even Mind if He Called Me Dummy
12. Dragon Spirits Need Fashion Tips. A Sword Tip Works, Too.
13. Traffic Jam at the Crossroads of the Realms
14. The Guardian of the Crossroads is a Stone-Cold Screamer
15. Death by Cursed Frog
16. If There's a Booby Trap, It's an Evil Lair
17. Running for Our Lives-A Theme
18. Equestrian Rentals
19. Friendship Upgrade
20. Sacred Ground, No Trespassing, Will Be Cursed
21. Knowledge Hurts
22. Past-Life Highlights Reel
23. Worst Memory
24. King Arthur Did It Better
25. Stranded
26. Trust-Fall, Extreme Edition
27. Don’t Take Me to Your Leader
28. Smoke and Ashes
29. Dragon, Meet My Friend the Water Buffalo
30. Sibling Reunion
31. God of Thunder, Destruction, and Goth
32. Truth and Lies
33. True Strength
34. Time for Those Long-Overdue Talks

Prophecy

A after imprisoning Xov, Shee Yee placed a curse on the prison.

Bone in ivory, silver, and gold
The god of wrath will prison hold
By victor's hand the gates undone
When sky bridges earth for love of son

Unraveling the curse

Line 1.-Describes the Ivory Gates.

Line 2.-Describes Xov, the prisoner.

Line 3.-Only Shee Yee can free Xov.

Line 4.-Pahua Moua, Shee Yee's reincarnation, uses the thunder ax to free Miv, her friend who is unbeknownst to her Xov's son.

Trivia

• The book is dedicated to Lori M. Lee's mother, "whose bravery could rival any folktale's hero", and to Matt, "one of [her] earliest partners in imagination".

References

Pahua Moua series
Books:	Pahua and the Soul Stealer | Pahua and the Dragon's Secret
Main Characters:	Pahua Moua | Miv | Zhong Vang
Secondary Characters:	Lia Moua | Yeng | Bridge Spirit | Matt Moua
Minor Characters:	Hailey Jones | Jocelyn | June | Shao | Shee Yee | Mr. Taylor | Mr. Moua | Spike | Suad Nag | Cag | Hluas
Hmong Gods:	Ntuj | Xov
Mythical Creatures:	Ghost | Poj Ntxoog | Dragon | Spirit Eagle
Related Content:	Lori M. Lee | Rick Riordan Presents