The Silent Guard (mxm)

Chapter 33

He wasn't sure why Lee Shaan had reacted the way he had, but as Qi rested, sitting up in Huang's bed, he couldn't help but think that something had changed. 

Staring down at his wrist, he could just-barely feel the man's curse dancing along his skin. 

A distance tether.

It was beyond disheartening. There was no way he could return to his Zen with such a shackle on, nor could he remove it because his energy had been sealed after he'd been brought back. He would also not dare bring Lee Shaan to Zen, because he had no doubt that the man wouldn't hesitate to try and remove him from the picture completely once he figured out how to break the curse. 

He was just about to wake the other prince, hoping to receive more insight on the shackle around his wrist, when he heard Lee Shaan's heavy footsteps enter their room. 

He looks exhausted...

The man walked over to them, stopping right next to Huang before kneeling down. Qi tensed in response, his hand inching toward the blade he'd somehow been allowed to keep. 

"Do not waste your energy," Lee Shaan said as he carefully slid his hands beneath the prince sleeping against the side of the bed. 

Once he got Huang into his arms, he easily stood, then stared down at him with a raised brow. 

"Why was he not sleeping in the bed with you? It is plenty large enough." 

He almost sounds upset.

"He would not hear of it. I tried to pull him up here once I awoke a few hours ago, but he shrugged off my help and went back to sleep," Qi said, honestly still feeling bad about it. 

Lee Shaan grunted out a sigh and sat down on the edge of the bed, easily settling the man in his arms against his chest. 

"How soon do you think you can travel?" he asked after a few moments of silence. 

Travel? 

Qi immediately scowled, earning a quiet bit of laughter from Lee Shaan before he turned and kicked his booted feet up on the bed, then leaned back against the pillows next to him. 

Prince Yuen awoke as he was tugged down with him, but his struggles to get free were fruitless. Frustrated and tired, he turned his head against Lee Shaan's chest and met Qi's eyes. 

Qi offered him a calm, yet-awkward smile before returning his attention to the larger man. 

"I am ready to travel now, but where are we going?" 

Lee Shaan smirked as he leaned his head back against the pillows, then turned it to look at him. 

"You know the answer to your question." 

He did, but if that was the case...

"I'm afraid that I'm not up to traveling," he said as Huang squirmed in Lee Shaan's arms again, trying to escape for a second time. 

The man finally decided to let him go, allowing Huang to scramble off of him and sit down next to Qi.

"We won't lead you to Zen," he said, his voice firm, even though it still sounded tired, too.

 Closing his eyes,  Lee Shaan took several deep, calming breaths before pushing himself up, then turning and opening them again. 

"You both know that I am quite capable of pulling his location out of your skulls. Please, do yourselves a favor and take me to him without forcing my hand." 

Qi swallowed his growing nerves as he looked to his left at the same time Huang looked at him. They did not doubt his abilities as a curse master.

When neither of them replied quickly enough, though, Lee Shaan sighed.