Moonlit Hearts

Chapiter 35: Chains of Trust

Wangji sat on the couch, the calming tea still warm in his hands. Though the heat soothed his body, it did little to quiet the turmoil inside him.

He took a slow sip, his gaze distant as Hel's offer lingered in his mind like a thorn, digging deeper with every passing thought. Freedom. It would be so easy to say yes—to cast off Odin's chains and reclaim his life. But what Hel had proposed wasn't without its risks. To rebel against a god, especially one as powerful and cunning as Odin, could bring devastating consequences. Not just for him, but for Wei Ying, for Sizhui, for all those he had sworn to protect.

Beside him, Wei Ying sat quietly, his presence comforting yet strangely unnerving. Wangji could feel Wei Ying's eyes on him, a steady gaze that was both reassuring and... something else. Something he couldn't quite place.

"You're thinking about Hel's offer again," Wei Ying remarked, his tone light but with an edge of concern.

Wangji nodded, his grip tightening slightly around the cup. "I can't stop," he admitted quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. The weight of the decision had been pressing on him since Hel first approached, and now it felt heavier than ever.

Wei Ying leaned closer, his hand brushing lightly against Wangji's arm in a gesture of support. "Lan Zhan," he began, his voice calm, almost too calm, "you don't have to rush this decision. Hel's not expecting an answer right away, is she? You should give yourself more time. Think it over."

Wangji hesitated. More time? He'd already spent days, weeks, trapped in this endless cycle of uncertainty. The longer he delayed, the more the chains around him seemed to tighten. And yet, there was something in Wei Ying's tone that made him pause. It was gentle, soothing, but also... deliberate.

"I've thought about it," Wangji said, his voice steady but troubled. "But every time I do, I think about what could happen. What it might cost."

Wei Ying's fingers tightened ever so slightly on his arm, a subtle gesture that might have gone unnoticed if Wangji hadn't been so attuned to every movement, every nuance. "That's exactly why you need to be careful," Wei Ying replied, his gaze flickering with a strange intensity. "We can't afford to make a mistake. Odin... he's not just going to let us go. Hel's offer—it's dangerous. Too dangerous."

Wangji frowned. "I know the risks, but..." He trailed off, the words tangled in his mind. Hel had promised him freedom—freedom from Odin's hold, from the punishment that kept him tethered to this place. It was a temptation he couldn't easily dismiss.

But Wei Ying's words—his hesitation, the way he seemed almost eager to push the decision back—it unsettled Wangji. Wei Ying had always been one to leap into action, to embrace danger if it meant a chance at freedom. Yet now, he seemed... different. Cautious. Too cautious.

"You don't think it's worth considering?" Wangji asked, turning to study Wei Ying's face.

Wei Ying smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I think... we should wait. There's no need to rush into a rebellion against a god. Odin has his reasons for punishing you, and maybe... maybe we can find another way. One that doesn't involve going up against him. You've already been through so much, Lan Zhan."

Wangji's brow furrowed. Another way? But what other way was there? Hel's proposal had been the only glimmer of hope, the only escape from this suffocating prison Odin had built around him. Yet, Wei Ying seemed almost eager to dismiss it, to push it away.

Wangji glanced down at his tea, the warmth still radiating from the cup. The liquid inside was calm, unlike the storm raging within him. He had expected Wei Ying to encourage him, to push him toward a decision—but instead, it felt as though Wei Ying was pulling him back, keeping him from making a choice.