The word didn't come from Su Mei.
It came from Wei Chen.
A soft, pleased "yes" rose inside his own chest, like his black sun brand had found a way to borrow his voice without asking. Wei Chen went still, eyes wide, breathing shallow, like he had just heard himself betray himself.
Lin Xue felt it through the bond rope at the same time. The warmth flickered. The anchor trembled. Her wrist mark burned, then went cold at the edges, like the copy's law-thread was chewing the bond down to a thin final strand.
"Chen Wei," Lin Xue whispered, shaking. "Look at me."
Wei Chen's eyes snapped to hers. His jaw was clenched so hard it looked painful. "That wasn't me," he rasped.
Lin Xue grabbed his face with both hands and held him there, forcing his attention to stay on something real. Her voice turned sharp, elder-hard. "Then prove it," she said. "Say my name. Stay real."
Wei Chen swallowed and forced the words out. "Lin Xue."
"Again," she demanded, because one was never enough when the dark was listening.
"Lin Xue," he said louder.
The bond rope flared warm—then flickered again as the law-thread tightened. Lin Xue hissed in pain, but she didn't let her hands leave his face.
The copy smiled softly, watching like it was enjoying a lesson. "See?" it murmured. "He is learning to agree."
Su Mei stood behind the copy, black eyes calm, body too still. Her lips parted slightly, like she was about to repeat the new rule.
Wei Chen's black sun brand pulsed.
Cold slid under his skin like a hand searching for a latch.
Lin Xue pressed her forehead to his, breath trembling. "Rules," she whispered, voice low now. "Stop means stop. You choose. Do you choose me?"
Wei Chen's throat worked. His eyes held hers like he was holding a cliff edge. "Yes," he said. "I choose you."
Lin Xue's cheeks warmed despite the fear. The word hit her like heat in winter. She hated how much she needed it. "Say it again," she whispered, softer.
Wei Chen's mouth twitched, a roguish ghost of a grin. "You're getting addicted to hearing it," he murmured.
Lin Xue pinched his side hard. "Idiot. Again."
Wei Chen exhaled and said it like a vow. "I choose you."
The bond rope flared brighter, fighting back. Lin Xue used that flare like a blade. She slammed her palm onto her own wrist mark and poured frost into it, not to freeze it dead, but to harden it like armor around the bond.
Pain shot up her arm, sharp enough to make her vision blur.
Wei Chen caught her wrist instantly, holding it gently but firm. "Stop," he said, voice urgent. "Do you want to stop?"
Lin Xue's breath shook. Pride wanted to say no. Survival wanted to say yes. She chose the truth. "No," she whispered. "Not until you're safe."
Wei Chen leaned close and kissed her wrist mark.
It was a simple touch, but it burned like a promise because it was exactly where the bond lived. Lin Xue shuddered, cheeks flushing hard, and her curse hesitated like it didn't know whether to bite or melt.
Wei Chen's voice went low by her ear. "Stay with me," he murmured. "Let me warm you."
Lin Xue swallowed. "Yes," she whispered. "But don't lose yourself."
Wei Chen nodded once, and he moved his hand to his chest, right over the black sun brand. He covered it like he could hold the crack shut with palm and will. "Lin Xue," he said, strained, "it's trying to make me say yes again."
Lin Xue's eyes sharpened. "Then we make a louder yes," she whispered. "A yes that is ours."
The copy's smile widened. "How sweet," it murmured. "Confess more. It feeds on devotion too."
Lin Xue ignored it. She stepped closer to Wei Chen and pressed her cold palm against the brand under his hand. Frost slid out like ink. Wei Chen's heat rose to meet it, careful and controlled. Their energies hummed together, tight and intimate, like two hands locking fingers.
Wei Chen's breath hitched. "If you keep touching me like that," he murmured, trying to be shameless through the fear, "I'm going to forget there's a monster."
Lin Xue's cheeks burned. "Focus."
Wei Chen's eyes stayed on her. "I am," he whispered. "You're my focus."
That line hit too deep. Lin Xue's throat tightened. She leaned in and kissed him—slow, deep, steady—because her body understood anchors better than speeches. Wei Chen kissed her back like he was starving for something real. His hand slid to her waist, holding her close. Her frost steadied his fire. His heat softened her curse.
Wei Chen pulled back just enough to ask, low and clear, "Do you want me to stop?"
Lin Xue shook her head. "Don't stop," she whispered. "Hold me. Make it hear us."
Wei Chen kissed her again, stronger, then pressed his forehead to hers. "Say it," he murmured. "Say the vow."
Lin Xue's voice trembled, but she didn't look away. "Chen Wei," she whispered. "I choose you. I accept your heat. I accept this bond."
The bond rope flared bright gold-silver, and for one heartbeat the law-thread around her wrist hissed like it got burned.
The copy's eyes narrowed. "Interesting."
Su Mei's black eyes blinked once, slow.
Wei Chen's black sun brand pulsed hard, like it was angry at being denied. Cold surged upward, trying to force his mouth open again.
Wei Chen clenched his teeth. His throat moved.
A soft "yes" tried to climb out.
Lin Xue slapped her palm onto his lips, not harsh, just fast, stopping the word at the edge. "No," she whispered. "Not that yes."
Wei Chen's eyes widened, then softened with a rough, grateful heat. He kissed her palm quickly, then held it against his mouth like he wanted her to keep it there.
Lin Xue's cheeks flared. "Are you… enjoying this?" she hissed.
Wei Chen's grin flashed, wicked and honest. "A little," he murmured. "Because you're taking control."
Lin Xue's glare tried to return, but it broke at the edges into something dangerous and warm. "Good," she whispered. "Then obey."
Wei Chen's breath hitched. "Yes," he said, and this time it was his voice. His choice.
The copy laughed softly. "Perfect," it murmured. "He said yes."
Lin Xue's blood went cold. "Not like that—"
The copy lifted its finger and snapped the law-thread tight.
Lin Xue's wrist mark flared—then cracked with a sharp sting.
The bond rope flickered violently.
Wei Chen's black sun brand answered with a cold surge.
The crack on his chest opened a thin line again, and a breath slid out—cold and hungry.
Su Mei stepped forward with black eyes, hand lifting toward Wei Chen's chest, and this time her body didn't hesitate.
Wei Chen barked, "Stop!"
Su Mei didn't stop.
Lin Xue's heart slammed against her ribs.
And the copy whispered, pleased, "Now… we see whose rules survive."
To be Continued
© Kishtika., 2025
All rights reserved.