Blind and Bereft

Chapter 18 | Taste

Jingrui trembled beneath Prince Zhanying's dark gaze, and she stepped back.

He couldn't possibly see her, could he? Besides, she had already concealed her presence, how could he have sensed her? She held in her breath and closed her eyes. Even if he had, there was no way he could have known who it was. With that thought, her eyes snapped open and she leaped into a run.

Before she could get behind the curtain, his hand slammed down onto her shoulder, dragging her back before him. "How much longer are you intending on breaking propriety, Bao Bao?" His voice croaked from his throat as he peered blankly into the darkness.

"H-How did Your Highness know it's me?" she stuttered as she tapped his hand for him to let go of her. "You are blind, aren't you. . .?"

At her question, his gaze snapped her way so fast that she almost jumped. The pale moonlight shone onto his intimidating figure as his dark eyes pierced her with threats. "I may be blind but, Bao Bao, I could still hear your footsteps coming out of your chamber." He brushed the fallen strands of hair back behind his ears as he took a step closer to her. She gulped and instantly inched back.

"And I could smell the soft scent of peach blossoms on you as you entered my quarters," he said, his voice lacing with poison. The amusement on his face grew the more she shifted in fear.

Jingrui held in her breath. "Y-Your Highness, you must be kidding-" she began, but her words hitched in her throat when he reached out towards her. The hair by her neck stood, and she tried to back away from his grasp, only for her back to hit against the bamboo wall. She was cornered like prey within the menacing shadow of his towering figure. "Y-Your Highness, look here, I didn't mean it-" she stopped short when he brushed his thumb across her cheek, pricking warmth against her skin.

"I could still feel you against my fingertips." His muscles flexed under his loose hanfu as he angled his face to the side. "And, Bao Bao, did you know that coming into my chamber in the middle of the night like this, I can still. . ." He bent down, his breath lingering against her ears as a taunting smile formed on his lips. "Taste you?"

Jingrui shut her eyes tightly, holding in her rugged breathing. "I-I didn't know Prince has such amazing senses."

He let out a soft chuckle as he took a step back. "What are you trying to do by entering my chamber at night? Seduce me? Many have attempted, ending in utter failure."

Jingrui shook her head rapidly. "I would never dream of that, Your Highness. I . . . I just wanted to retrieve my jade lucky charm knot." Jingrui didn't dare lie.

His eyes darkened upon hearing her mentioned the knot. He narrowed them before turning around, flipping his hair behind him. "So it is. . ." Prince Zhanying threw himself onto his bed and rested his head against his hand. He grabbed the knot out from under his sleeves and spun it around his finger. "You could have come in broad daylight."

Jingrui furrowed her brows, wanting to snatch the knot back from his finger. She clenched her fists and lowered her gaze. "The truth is . . . I don't have the courage to face Your Highness in broad daylight."

"Why?"

Jingrui gulped. "I-I'm . . . I'm scared."

A chuckle left his lips, and his brows cocked up. "Are you?" His dark eyes penetrated her nerves. "Are you really a scared little immortal with no motives?"

"I don't understand. . . " Jingrui began.

Prince Zhanying let out a sigh and sat up. "Since you entered my palace, how many rules have you broken? How many boundaries of etiquette have you crossed?"

Jingrui's mouth felt dry as she held her fingers out to count, but she ran out of fingers.

Prince Zhanying held the knot out and ran his hands over the patterns on it. "I can let you make up for them. For a moon, you will clean the inner courtyard and my quarters, grind my ink, brew my tea, run my errands. By then, I'll return to you your precious knot, what do you think?"

"That is naturally my duty . . . but if you really wish to punish me, you can just demote me to the outer courtyard again, you don't need to. . ."

He flashed his eyes into hers. "I insist."

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