He nods, and tries to decide what to say, how much to say, to explain as he has promised.

It is important, for Wei Ying loves the work that Tom has given him access to, loves the challenge of it, and has delighted in telling him of the House of Arch, of London Below and Above. He does not want to see him lose any of it, and fears that he would swallow his own pain and endure with a smile rather than risk upsetting or offending Tom.

“Wei Ying is brilliant,” he starts, simply. “This you know.”

“What you may not know is that he invented the practices of the - the ghost path, that he follows. It had not been done before. Even the most respected teacher of my own sect had never heard of such a way.”

And had thrown books at Wei Ying’s head for even suggesting it.

“During the war - the Sunshot Campaign - he created a spiritual tool of such power that he was able to seize control of an army of fierce corpses from the enemy and destroy them. Thousands died in that battle, but all would have died and all been lost, were it not for Wei Ying. But after that...”

He shakes his head, struggling for the right words.