Reincarnation to the Past

Chapter 100

Persea's POV

I left the room and walked past the corridor, expanding my senses and allowing them to guide me towards the call of the waters, until I reached a small pond with baby fishes swimming in it. There was a large stone on one side so I headed towards it, slipped out of my shoes and settled on the warm surface of the rock. I dipped my feet into the cool water and smiled when the little fishies immediately swarmed around and started kissing the soles of my feet. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, letting the tranquility and silence of the surroundings seep into me, allowing the 'icy' mask to slip away.

The whirlwind of events left me feeling adrift. Meeting with Apollo, Artemis and Hermes... Appearing in Lì's garden... Revealing everything—save for my identity to him—even the dream I had kept hidden from everyone else. The fact that I actually told him about it scared me. I never told anyone about it—not Father, not Mother, not Annabeth, nor Hades, Hestia or Hephaestus. 

I stared at my reflection—at the fear evident in my eyes. You don't fear unless you have something to risk... something to lose. And suddenly I did. The future I wanted seemed as fragile as a snowflake, which could disappear as soon as I touched it. The fact that I was a man in my soul hung over me like a constant ticking time bomb that could explode at any moment and push me to my ruin.

I don't know what happened or why I ended up in the past. But no matter how much I adjusted to this time or to the female body, the fact that I wasn't her didn't change. The fact that I am a man didn't change. I knew it. My soul was that of Percy Jackson. And I also knew that if I wanted something real with Lì, I'd have to tell him. And it scared me. It scared me to think about how he'd react to loving someone who was once a man—who is still in the soul. Or would it just be too much for him??

A cough pulled me out of my trail of negative thoughts. I turned around to see Bai Zou staring at me with a curious expression. "Yes??" I asked, raising an eyebrow in suspicion. He remained silent for a beat before taking a step closer and then another.

"You're Yǔ'er, aren't you???" My eyes widened in surprise. How'd he know?? Although it seemed like he was asking, he seemed almost confident about the response. "How?? When???" My questions came out in broken words.

He smirked. "I knew it! Well, more like I suspected it... I only truly realized it a few minutes ago." 

So he wasn't sure, after all. Opps.

He started to explain on seeing my confusion. "Master isn't the kind who'd get seduced by a woman, even if she looks like you. And after how attached he was to Yǔ'er at the gambling den, it didn't make sense him risking it for... well you. And then I remembered how you had the ability to disguise yourself perfectly and it all fell into place. I confirmed it today while you were bantering with Bai Ze. The only one who's ever gotten under his skin is Yǔ'er. And the only one brazen enough to be so rude to the Emperor himself is again Yǔ'er."

"I'm impressed." I honestly was. "Did Bai Ze figure it out??"

Bai Zou snorts, "No, his frustration towards this "you" is preventing him from seeing or thinking clearly."

"Ohh goodie..." I sighed in relief and smiled sheepishly, "I was worried my fun had ended. It's sooo much fun ruffling his feathers. He's just that easy; you can't even blame me."

"Bai Zou!" Bai Ze calls out from a distance, walking towards us.. Speak of the devil and he appears. He scowls when he sees me. "Oh! you're still here." He mutters in disgust.

"I'd be nicer to me if I were you. I may just become your master one day, if I have it my way!" I wink, and my lips curve into a smirk. Yep, so much fun pissing him off. Bai Zou holds back a smile and quickly composes his expression.