Pov Author
The night did not loosen its grip after he left.
Anna stood there long after Shou Feng disappeared into the shadows, her palms pressed flat against the cold metal table, breath uneven, heart hammering like it wanted to escape her ribs. The torches flickered as if disturbed by something unseen, their flames bending briefly toward the direction he had gone.
Only when her legs threatened to give out did she step back.
She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, angry at the tremor in her fingers. Angry at herself for standing frozen instead of walking away sooner. Angry at the fact that even now, part of her felt pulled in his direction like a tide she couldn't fight.
"You don't own me," she whispered to the empty courtyard.
The words felt small against the night.
She turned and left the training grounds, unaware that this was the last quiet moment she would have for a long time . She went inside her chamber and washed her hands trice.
Get a grip anna !
She says to herself...A soft knock sounded.
"Party," Mong's voice announced cheerfully from the other side of the door. "Prince Yuvan says if you don't come, he'll assume you hate joy."
She huffed a weak laugh despite herself. "Give me a minute."
---
Yuvan's palace stood glowing against the dark like something unreal.
Lanterns floated above the entrance, magic holding them aloft, their warm light washing over marble pillars and silk banners. Music drifted out in lazy waves, gentle and inviting, as if the palace itself were trying to convince the world it was still whole.
Anna slowed at the threshold.
For a second, the noise felt overwhelming. Laughter. Voices. Life.
Then someone nearly ran into her.
"AH—" Mong skidded to a stop inches from her, arms flailing. "Oh. It's you. Good. Excellent. Perfect, actually."
She blinked. "Hello to you too?"
"I was just telling Yuvan that if you didn't show up soon, I would personally drag you here," he said cheerfully. "Preferably with snacks. Less effort that way."
She smiled despite herself. "I needed air."
Mong squinted at her. "You look like someone who just argued with a god."
"…How did you know?"
"Lucky guess," he said lightly. "Statistically, it's always one of us."
That earned a short laugh from her, the tension in her shoulders easing just a little.
He gestured grandly behind him. "Come. Eat. Drink. Pretend everything is fine."
"Is that what you're doing?"
"Obviously," he replied. "If I stop pretending, I might start thinking. And that's dangerous."
Inside, the palace was alive.
Lanterns drifted beneath the high ceiling, casting soft gold and jade light over the crowd. Long tables were filled with food—steaming dishes, sweet fruits, cups of glowing drinks that smelled faintly of spice and citrus.
Yuvan stood near the center, dressed in green and gold, speaking animatedly to a small group. When he spotted Anna, his face lit up.
"You came," he said warmly. "I'm glad."
"Thank you for inviting me," Anna replied. "It's… beautiful."
He smiled, a little tired, but genuine. "We need beauty where we can find it."
Kiyoshi stood nearby, serene as ever, flute resting against his shoulder. Kitsune lay curled at his feet, tails flicking lazily.
"You look troubled," Kiyoshi said softly as Anna approached.
"I feel unsettled," she admitted.
Kiyoshi inclined his head. "So do the winds."
That did not comfort her.
Renji lingered by one of the pillars, arms crossed, watching the room like he expected something to go wrong. When Anna met his gaze, he looked away first, jaw tight.
Tomika waved her over, pulling her briefly into conversation about nothing in particular—food, decorations, Mong nearly tripping over a servant earlier. It was normal. Almost comforting.
Then Anna felt it.
A familiar chill.
She turned.
William—no, Wataru now—stood near the edge of the hall, half-shadowed, dressed like he belonged among nobles and gods alike. His hair was tied neatly, his expression polite.
His eyes, however, were the same.
They found Anna immediately.
He smiled.
Her stomach dropped.
Mong followed her gaze and groaned quietly. "Oh no. Absolutely not."
"What?" she whispered.
"That man," Mong said, pointing subtly, "has the face of someone who ruins parties. I don't trust him."
Shou Feng stood across the hall, posture relaxed, expression unreadable. But the moment Wataru smiled at Anna—
The air shifted.
Anna felt it like pressure against her chest.
Shou Feng's gaze snapped up, dark and sharp. Lanterns above him flickered faintly.
Renji noticed too.
"Kiyoshi," Yuvan muttered under his breath, "keep her close."
Kiyoshi's hand rested lightly at Anna's back.
Wataru took a step forward.
Mong stepped directly into his path, arms spread wide. "Ah! Friend! You look lost. Food is that way. Trouble is the other direction."
Wataru paused, eyes flicking over Mong with mild irritation. "I was only—"
"Socializing?" Mong finished brightly. "Same! You should try it with someone else."
Wataru's smile tightened.
Shou Feng didn't move.
But the shadows around his feet curled, restless.
---
Time passed more slowly after that.
The music softened. Conversations lowered. Anna stayed close to Kiyoshi, though she caught Shou Feng watching her more than once—never for long, always when he thought she wouldn't notice.
Mong stuck to her side like a self-appointed guard.
"At this point," he said, sipping his drink, "I should start charging for protection."
"You?" she teased.
"Hey," he replied, offended. "I once distracted an assassin by pretending to trip over my own shoelace."
"…Did it work?"
"Yes. I fell on him."
She laughed properly then, the sound surprising them both.
Later, when the party thinned and the lanterns dimmed, Kiyoshi touched her sleeve.
"Come with me," he said quietly.
They moved into a quieter corridor, painted screens lining the walls with old legends. The noise faded behind them.
Kiyoshi stopped.
"There's something you should have."
He withdrew a familiar book from within his robes.
Anna's breath caught.
"The book…"
"The one you stole," he said gently. "With help."
She took it carefully. Magic pulsed faintly beneath her fingers.
"It contains spells," Kiyoshi continued. "One of them can send you home. And not only that but other thousands of spell of god know what."
Her heart stuttered.
Home.
"Why now?" she asked.
"Because forces are moving," he said. "And because you may soon lose the chance."
"Does Shou Feng know?"
Kiyoshi looked away.
"No."
Across the hall, Shou Feng looked up suddenly.
Their eyes met.
Something tightened between them.
Anna looked down at the book.
That was when the scream tore through the palace.
Lanterns flickered violently. The floor trembled.
"Anna!" Mong shouted.
She turned—
Darkness surged.
The book burned hot against her chest as shadows wrapped around her, pulling her away.
Her last thought was not fear.
It was shou feng .
To be continued..