Chapter 5 The Whispering Shadows

She has to rush back to him, where he was still sleeping and feverish.

She was relieved that he was still alive.

Li Mei couldn't sleep.

Not even with the soft chirr of night crickets, or the scent of sandalwood curling from the temple's lanterns. Something had changed in the air heavier, darker, like the space between heartbeats just before a scream.

She dreamt of fire. Of blood sliding down twin swords. Of two golden-eyed boys kneeling before a crumbling throne, one whispering: "Let me live."

The other: "Let me rule."

And in every version of the dream, Li Mei chose wrong.

Li mei now understand that her journey here was a dangerous and uneasy situation.

When dawn broke over the misty bamboo hills, Li Mei followed Zhou Wen through the peach blossom grove, the silence between them louder than any army's march. He was different now tenser, as though his body remembered something his mind refused to accept. The veins at his temple pulsed when she touched him, and every glance he gave her lingered a moment too long... like he was searching her eyes for secrets she hadn't told him.

Because she hadn't.

She hadn't told him about the tomb. The coffin. The other prince.

And worst of all she hadn't told him that the scroll's magic whispered in her ear every night, repeating the same sentence:

> "One shall rule, one shall perish. And the girl shall choose."

She shouted out loud why must I choose??

Forgetting that Zhou wen was around her, she smiled and apologized for shouting.

That night, she tried to burn the scroll.

It laughed.

The fire turned blue and cold, and the whispers grew louder. They slithered through her ears like silk-draped serpents, hissing phrases from futures not yet lived:

> "Zhou Wen will betray the kingdom..."

> "Zhou yao Long is not what he seems..."

> "A kiss can crown a king or curse one."

Li Mei fell to her knees, choking on phantom smoke, her hands blistered by untouched flame. She screamed but no sound came. Only the echo of shadows giggling like children around her.

How am I supposed to understand all this? She cried I want to go home now? I can't do this?

She found Zhou Wen training in the moonlight, his shirt tossed aside, sweat gleaming along the curves of muscle born from survival, not vanity. His sword cut through the air with a furious grace, like he was trying to kill something invisible perhaps a ghost only he could see.

When he spotted her, his expression softened for just a breath. Then, suspicion crept in. Slowly.

> "You're hiding something, Mei."

I can feel it "

She wanted to deny it. But the truth pressed against her ribs like knives made of guilt.

"There's another prince," she whispered. "Your twin... he's alive."

Silence.

Then the sword in Zhou Wen's hand dropped to the earth with a thud that echoed through the trees.

His eyes glowed gold.

"I don't have a twin."

"You did," she said. "But now... the throne will only accept one of you. And I........"

He was in front of her in two steps. Not touching, but close enough to steal the air from her lungs.

"And you what? You'll choose who lives?"

His breath was fire and winter. His stare devouring.

Li Mei's lips trembled. "I didn't ask for this fate."

"No," he murmured, his fingers brushing her jaw. "But fate has a way of choosing the ones with the softest hearts to make the cruelest decisions."

He leaned in, his lips grazing hers not quite kissing, but claiming.

"If I die," he whispered against her mouth, "promise me you'll mourn me... like a lover."

Is this guy alright? Talking about mourning him like a lover when we both might die or I might even die before him?

And just as her knees threatened to collapse

A blood-curdling scream tore through the grove.

They turned.

A palace guard stumbled into the clearing, his armor slashed open, his eyes wide with madness.

"The tomb.....it's open! The prince... he's gone! And he's wearing your face, my lord!"

Zhou Wen froze.

And Li Mei knew...

Zhou Yao Long had awakened. And he was already playing the game.

He disappeared on her because he wants to play games!!

They have gone back to Zhou wen palace and things has changed to the worst part.