"So what do you think happens when the stars whisper and the void answers?" Sarah asked as they approached the ornate gates of a traditional courtyard house tucked between modern high-rises. Dawn painted Beijing's skyline in hues of amber and gold, the city already humming with early morning activity.
Atlas checked the address against the one on their invitation. "I think we're about to find out."
The gates swung open before they could knock, revealing a severe-looking man in his sixties dressed in traditional clothing that somehow didn't look costume-like on his dignified frame.
"James and Sarah Chen," he stated rather than asked, his English carrying only the slightest accent. "I am Master Wang. You are precisely on time. This is favorable."
He gestured for them to enter, closing the
