"I don't think it's a good idea for you to be saying that out loud." Ningyan let out a strangled sound, his breath hitching but he still smiled thinly.
"I offered to help you." Wuyin's grip tightened as he growled between his teeth. "You refused me. Then, you ruined..."
"You're the dumbest beast I've ever met," Ningyan rasped. "First, you announce that I'm the reason Wuhen didn't die by your poison." His voice thinned, strained but steady. "Second, you're choking me. Aren't you surprised he hasn't killed you yet?"
Wuyin's crimson eyes burned. "Shut up!"
But Ningyan didn't.
Even as his vision blurred, he forced the words out. "How long has it been? He doesn't speak to you anymore. Doesn't that fill you with dread?" His lips curved faintly despite the pain. "You tried to murder your own family. And you know how ruthless Wuhen is. We all do."
He sucked in a sharp, painful breath. "I admire your courage, for staying here and alive this long."
"I said shut up!" Wuyin roared.
