The maid standing in the far corner of the pavilion was none other than Xia Yuqing.
Beneath her lowered lashes, a faint look of I knew it flickered through her eyes. From the moment his footsteps had approached, from the instant his shadow had fallen over her, she had understood.
No matter how flawless her disguise, no matter how carefully she had adjusted her posture, lowered her voice, concealed her features beneath humility and silence, he would recognize her.
She bit the inner corner of her cheek, forcing herself to remain perfectly still. The faint metallic taste of blood spread across her tongue, grounding her racing thoughts.
If she lifted her head, it would be over.
The moment their eyes met, he would seize her without hesitation. He would drag her back into the gilded prison of the palace, lock her behind guarded doors, and this time, he would never allow her to leave again.
