THE NEXT MORNING
EMPEROR LIANWEI POINT OF VIEW:
I woke slowly, the dull ache in my body still lingering but less sharp than before. The pale morning light filtered softly through the thin curtains, casting a gentle glow across the room. My eyelids fluttered open, and the first thing I saw was Mei Shen, her face calm, eyes closed, as she slept in the chair beside my bed. Huan was curled up on a small stool nearby, his tiny chest rising and falling in steady breaths.
For a moment, I just watched them, the weight of how close they'd become settling deep in my chest. Mei Shen's hand rested gently on the edge of the bed, fingers twitching slightly, still holding onto the worry from last night. Huan's small form looked so peaceful, completely unaware of the storm we'd been through.
Then, that voice, unwelcome, ever present, echoed inside my head with its usual teasing tone.
