White Empress, Ashes of Love Sequel

Chapter 24

"How is the mood today?" he asked, leaning in for her ears only.

"Mmm," she considered. "Irritable and dismissive is what I'm hearing," she said, shooting Dan Zhu a sympathetic look.

"Any new prospects this time?" she asked, looking beyond his shoulder to the Elders congregated near the doors of the Palace.

"Yes. And an ultimatum," he responded gravely.

"An ultimatum? What?" she asked.

"Well, the Elders were quite pleased that Xufeng visited the Realm. It has been...a very long time. Since he is married and has already produced a child, they will ask that Runyu abdicate the throne in favor of his brother," he whispered, causing her to lean back and regard him with a shocked expression.

"They can do that?" she whispered back.

His answer was a quick nod.

Her eyes darted around before landing back on Dan Zhu. "They would cause another war," she stated.

"I don't know. Xufeng seems happy where he is. He has no interest in the throne," Dan Zhu confided.

"But they could insist?"

"Of course. They wield much power in this Realm. They seem quite resolved this time, I'm afraid," he said.

Her eyes shifted to the closed doors of the Palace and back to Dan Zhu.

"I hope he takes this seriously. If he wants to remain Emperor, that is." she stated.

"Does he?" he asked.

Her head tilted in confusion at his unusually somber expression. "How would I know?"

"I think you know him better than anyone else. He would confide in you, I believe."

"You think too highly of our relationship," she answered flippantly and yet, there was some small doubt in her mind.

"I think you're wrong, but you keep telling yourself that, if it makes you feel better," Dan Zhu answered, his twinkling eyes and wide grin more familiar to her than his previous expression.

A small tsk sounded from her before her slight eye roll caught on the Elders collective stare in her direction.

"They are confounded by you," Dan Zhu stated as he followed her gaze. "I told them of your appearance beforehand and yet they openly stare in awe. How rude," he said. "Ignore them," he ordered.

She gave a small smile as a response, wondering if any of the Heavenly Realm's Elders would hold any information as to her origins. The way they were openly staring indicated her appearance was more of a shock than a memory, though.

"Dan Zhu?" she asked quickly as she noticed the doors opening.

"Yes?"

"There's a deer that visits me at night. White fur, blue eyes. Do you know of it?"

"Oh! Yes, that would be the Emperor's companion. He is called the Beast of Dreams. Has he visited you?"

"He sleeps in my room every night," she stated before her eyes widened. "Wait. What did you call him?"

"Beast of Dreams? He consumes dreams. Have you ever tried to feed him?" he asked.

"Once. He wasn't interested," she answered.

"That's because he eats dreams."

"He eats...dreams," she repeated in a flat, disbelieving voice.

"Yes. Stop looking at me like I'm crazy! Sometimes when he sleeps, he shows some of the dreams he consumes. It's quite entertaining."

"Hmm," she murmured before tilting her head. "I think I saw some last night. I couldn't sleep. Some were blue and others were yellow. I saw...myself in one," she said quickly as she watched the Elders begin to file in through the opened door.