White Empress, Ashes of Love Sequel

Chapter 20

"You are not Duan Annchi," Runyu stated.

"Look at my face, stubborn man. It's the same face, but this is my true form, freakish as it may be," she added under her breath. "Or did you look through me the same as you do everyone else? Perhaps you wouldn't even recall what I looked like, I suppose that may be the case," she said as she began to pace before him.

"I'll ask again. Who are you and what are you doing in my Realm?" he asked forcefully.

"I have fifty years left of your ridiculous sentence. I intend to serve them honorably," she responded without looking at him.

"If you are Duan Annchi, and you believe I had you killed, I wonder that you should come here. You don't think that seems suspicious? Are you not afraid that I should try again?" he asked.

"If the poisoning didn't kill me and the arrow to my heart couldn't, I truly believe I cannot be killed. You could try again, but apparently I just keep coming back, so I say, do your worst," she said as she spun to face him.

"How would you know that?" he breathed out.

"Know what? That I took poison intended for you? That you said you tried to save me but you were thrown back by some crazy blue glowing hands? That you make me cook for you because you think it will happen again? Is there anything else you want to know? Any other proof I can offer?"

Her words must have had an effect, based on his expression as he stared at her in silence. He slowly stepped to the side, rounding the table and descending the steps, his eyes never leaving hers.

"This can't be," he seemed to say more to himself than her as he approached.

"It is," she responded with an arched brow.

"How do I like my flower cakes?" he asked directly as he stopped in front of her.

"Sickeningly sweet. And you complain your soup is cold and flavorless, but it's not and you're just being difficult. You grumble about your ink not being ground well enough, you say your robes are wrinkled when they are perfectly fine, you don't like the way I make your bed, you say there are too many tea leaves left in your tea and you hate the fact that I never bow to you. You tried to hand me over to a pervert that wants a brothel in this Realm, you put a stop to the plays Dan Zhu and I were performing because you are no fun. You destroyed my grass, but you brought it back. You thought you saved me from drowning, but you only ended up hurting me even more. You moved me from my nice cozy home to your Palace to keep an eye on me because you're mean and I believe it was your intent to drive me insane with your demands. What else?" she looked up in thought, tapping the side of her lips.

"Oh! Before I left, you said if I didn't come back, you would hunt me down and tack on another two hundred years to my sentence. Is that enough proof or do you require more?" she asked, finally taking a breath.

His lips parted as he stared at the woman before him. Quite possibly the most beautiful creature he had ever set eyes on. She was here and she was real.

"It is you," he finally stated as his heart sped up, his hands clenched at his sides, holding them back from pulling her into his arms. He should be furious with her, and yet, all he could feel was relief.

"Yes. Finally. Now, tell me why you want me dead," she demanded. Her tone sobered him instantly.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't -"

"Explain this," she stated as she raised her hand and held out the piece of arrow toward him.

"What -" he started, his eyes taking in the intricate carving on the head of the arrow. He knew instantly where it came from.