Immortal Serenade

9. Loss and Shadows

"If you want to go back," the stranger said, his voice firm, "you can go back to the place where we stayed the night. You'll meet a man who can take you back too."

Lin Xi looked at him, her mind racing. She could go back? But did she want to?

The stranger turned to leave, but Lin Xi's hand shot out, grasping his arm. He turned back to her, surprised, as Lin Xi's heart fluttered in her chest.

She didn't know what she was doing, but she couldn't let him go. Not yet.

Slowly, Lin Xi's hand slid down his arm, her fingers wrapping around his wrist. The stranger's eyes locked onto hers, his expression unreadable.

Lin Xi took a step closer, her heart pounding in her chest. The stranger didn't move, didn't speak, as she wrapped her hands around his waist, pulling him closer.

Her head rested on his chest, his warmth enveloping her. The stranger's eyes went wide, his breath catching in his throat, as Lin Xi's body pressed against his.

For a moment, they stood there, locked in a silent embrace. The world around them melted away, leaving only the two of them, lost in the moment.

His heart raced as Lin Xi's body pressed against his, and then she suddenly broke the hug, leaving him feeling breathless and bewildered.

He looked at her, and they stared at each other for a moment, the tension between them palpable.

"What's your name?" Lin Xi asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

The stranger's eyes locked onto hers, his expression softening. "My name is Li Chen," he said, his deep voice sending a shiver down Lin Xi's spine.

Lin Xi's eyes widened slightly, as if trying to process the name, and then she nodded, a small smile playing on her lips.

Just as Lin Xi nodded, a flurry of arrows shot towards them, whizzing through the air with deadly precision.

Li Chen's eyes snapped towards the threat, his instincts kicking in. He grabbed Lin Xi's hand, pulling her close as he dragged her behind a nearby tree.

They pressed against the trunk, panting, as the arrows thudded into the wood mere inches from their faces.

"The guards," Li Chen muttered, his eyes scanning their surroundings. "They must have tracked me down."

Lin Xi's eyes widened in fear. "What do we do?"

Li Chen's grip on her hand tightened. "You need to go," he said urgently. "Tell them I ran away, leaving you behind. I'll manage."

Lin Xi hesitated, her grip on his hand tightening. "No, I won't leave you."

Li Chen's expression turned stern. "You don't know what I do, Lin Xi. You don't know what I'm capable of. That's why you're being foolish."

Lin Xi's eyes flashed with defiance. "I don't care what you do. I think you're a good person, and you won't harm me."

Li Chen's gaze softened, his eyes searching hers. "Fine," he muttered. "But if you stay with me, you need to trust me completely. Can you do that?"

Lin Xi nodded, her heart racing with fear and uncertainty. Li Chen's eyes locked onto hers, and for a moment, they just stared at each other. Then, Li Chen pulled her out from behind the tree, and they sprinted through the forest, arrows flying past them.

As they ran, an arrow suddenly pierced the air, striking Lin Xi in the shoulder. She cried out in pain, stumbling as Li Chen caught her.

"No!" Li Chen shouted, his eyes blazing with fury. He tried to fight back, taking down several guards with his swift movements. But there were too many of them.