White Empress, Ashes of Love Sequel

Chapter 28

"It's so vast. Beautiful, really," she breathed out, taking in the tree covered mountains casting abstract reflections on the rippling water of the lake before them.

"You have never been here?" he asked, angling his head to look at her profile.

"I don't know," she stated honestly. "It doesn't seem familiar to me, but then again, you said the Mortal Realm was huge by comparison to the other Realms, so perhaps I have been, but just not in this particular area."

"Perhaps," he agreed before grasping her hand. "Come," he ordered, giving a slight tug for her to follow before she quickly yanked her arm back, dislodging his fingers from hers.

"I'll walk on my own," she stated before striding past him.

"You're still upset!" he called after her, unable to stop the smile from spreading on his face.

"I am thinking of ways to get back at you. This has been the worst morning! You kiss me in front of Yanyou. You let me walk out of the Palace with ink on my face! Thank the Gods the General was the first visitor, otherwise, I may have been the laughingstock of the entire Realm, no thanks to you..."

His smile turned to a frown at the mention of the other man.

"You know, Xiang asked for permission to court you," he said, not surprised when she whirled around to face him.

"What?" she asked in alarm.

"He did. What do you think of that?" he asked, his eyes scrutinizing her closely.

"I don't think anything of it," she replied adamantly.

"Really?" he asked as he stepped toward her. "Because...you have feelings for someone else?"

"Who? You?" she asked, looking up at him as he stopped inches from her.

He gave a shrug and an innocent look.

"Mmm, yes," she stated after a moment's hesitation. "It's true. I do have feelings for you," she said in a breathy tone. His look changed from feigned ignorance to intense in the blink of an eye.

His hand reached up, sweeping the veil covering her hair, his fingers touching her cheek lightly as he locked his gaze on her.

She immediately swatted it away, stepping back.

"I didn't say they were good feelings," she shot out, turning and taking a few steps before tripping on a rock, stumbling then quickly righting herself to continue with as much dignity as possible.

"Do you even know where you're going?" he laughed out after her, his head shaking at her antics.

"Away from you!" she called over her shoulder, "That's all that matters," she added under her breath.

*****

"Public sentiment is not in your favor," she commented in a low tone as they watched the actors on the stage below.

"This play is entitled "Insanity of the White Dragon", what did you expect?" he asked.

"Is any of this true?" she whispered, her eyes glued to the woman tied up and the man in white robes wandering around the stage with his hands clasped behind his back.

"I never tied her up," Runyu muttered.

"What about the rest of it? They're making you out to be some lunatic tyrant intent on ruling all Realms with complete control."

"I was a lunatic tyrant," he mumbled absently as his eyes fixed on the stage.

"This is the Mortal Realm. How do they know of this?" she asked, her eyes shifting to the man next to her.