Solstice Souls Book 2: Black Fire, White Flame

Filling in the Blanks

Wei Ying POV

Wei Ying blinked back the tears in his tired eyes and swallowed past the knot in his dry throat. Maybe it was the lack of sleep or perhaps the adrenaline crash that made him so emotional. But he knew that wasn't it.

It was this beautiful, loving, and generous man holding him in his arms. Lan Zhan, the once cold and stoic Second Jade of the GusuLan Clan, was no longer the same man Wei Ying had danced for. He likened it to watching icicles thawing under the first bright rays of the spring sun. Little by little, drop by drop, the ice around his jade's burdened, broken heart had melted away. And now that his beloved was completely exposed to the world around him, Lan Zhan's emotions were raw.

Wei Ying saw the rising concern in those spectacular golden eyes the longer he withheld his answer and he scolded himself for not responding quicker.

"Oh! My love! That's a wonderful idea!" he exclaimed. "We could help so many kids. You could teach them how to write and meditate. But we won't have so many rules. Uh uh! Just the important ones. We can both teach them to read and take them on night hunts. I'll teach them how to make talismans and swordplay. And when they're old enough....."

"Dance." Lan Zhan interjected.

Wei Ying smiled, his bunny teeth on full display. "Of course I'll teach them how to dance. And you can teach them how to play the guqin while I show them how awesome a flute can be."

Lan Zhan's face lit up with excitement. Wei Ying liked seeing his jade like this. Looking forward to the future, wanting to help everyone no matter their age or status, fighting for what was right. It was something he believed in himself. Traveling all over the kingdom as Mo Xuanyu, Wei Ying had seen so many atrocities. Whether it was from jealousy, greed, or fear, people could do evil things to those who didn't deserve it.

And Wei Ying had been helpless to stop it. His family couldn't risk the exposure. But now? Now Wei Ying had someone by his side whom he didn't have to hide from. And someone whom he trusted with his life.

"Lan Zhan, let's make a promise together."

"Promise? Aren't we already promised?"

Wei Ying giggled like bubbles were tickling him from the inside. The tension from the night's stressful encounter was now fully gone from his muscles.

"Of course we are. But this promise is something we don't share with anyone else. It's just between us. A pinky promise."

Wei Ying held out his hand curled into a fist with his pinky finger extended. Lan Zhan's brows furrowed in confusion. Wei Ying's expression softened at the young man who apparently had no idea what a pinky promise was. How was it that Lan Zhan could speak multiple languages, wield a sword like it was child's play, and write the most beautiful calligraphy yet not know what a pinky promise was? He supposed there was a difference between book smart and street smart.

"Just do what I'm doing." Wei Ying said encouragingly

Lan Zhan brought out his right hand and mirrored Wei Ying's with his own pinky extended. Wei Ying gently hooked his pinky around Lan Zhan's, locking them together. His sparkling silver eyes grew brighter as a tiny smile touched his jade's lips, curling the ends up ever so slightly.

Looking directly into Lan Zhan's enchanting eyes, Wei Ying said in his most serious voice, "This is a pinky promise between I, Wei Ying, and my soulmate, Lan Zhan. It is a promise that will never be spoken aloud again. It's a promise we will carry in our hearts forever. It's a vow we will always be true to."

He paused, waiting to see if Lan Zhan had any objections. When his jade just stared at him with admiration sparkling in his endless golden orbs, Wei Ying continued.