The fire crackled softly as Qin Yanzhou sat beside it, wrapped in a thick cloak, his wound freshly dressed but still aching. Every beat of his heart was a reminder of Wu Mei's cold smile, the vacant look in her eyes as she'd driven the blade near his heart.
It wasn't her. He had to believe that.
"She's under his control," he whispered to himself, fists clenched tightly. "He's using her."
Beside him, Zhao Xi adjusted his bowstring, his expression grim. "If we wait too long, she'll be lost to us. You know that, don't you?"
"I won't let that happen," Yanzhou said firmly. "I will bring her back, even if I have to walk into hell."
Shao Wei sat cross-legged on the other side of the fire, a map of the mountains spread across her lap. Her sharp eyes traced the ridges and valleys.
"There's a path," she said, pointing to a narrow ridge on the map. "Old and hidden. My grandfather once used it during the rebellion. It leads directly behind Dracon's castle. If we move under cover of night, we can make it inside without being seen."
Qin Yanzhou nodded slowly. "That's our way in."
"But," Shao Wei added, "once inside, we'll be heavily outnumbered. Dracon has creatures, beasts loyal only to him. And Wu Mei… we can't be sure what she'll do."
At the mention of her name, Yanzhou's jaw tightened.
"I don't care if she tries to kill me again. I'll take the risk."
High within Dracon's castle, Wu Mei sat silently by the window, staring out at the cloud-covered mountains. Her dark hair was neatly brushed, her dress a deep, flowing black embroidered with silver runes. Her skin was pale, her lips painted the same shade as shadows.
Yet beneath her still exterior, chaos brewed.
Why can't I feel anything? she wondered.
Her memories felt like fragments—some clear, some veiled in mist. She remembered the pain, the betrayal, her rebirth… and then everything blurred when Dracon touched her forehead and whispered those cursed words.
Now, every command he gave became her truth.
She moved when he said move, smiled when he said smile. But something inside her screamed—trapped, desperate, and drowning.
Behind her, the door creaked open.
Dracon entered, regal in a blood-red cloak that shimmered like fire under moonlight.
"My bride," he said smoothly, crossing the room toward her.
Wu Mei didn't flinch. She turned, bowed slightly, and said in a soft, hollow voice, "My lord."
Dracon's eyes glinted with satisfaction. He cupped her chin and examined her face, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek.
"You're almost ready," he murmured. "Just two more days, and you will be mine in every sense. Mind, body, and soul."
A flicker passed through Wu Mei's eyes—pain? Fear? Regret?
Dracon's brow furrowed. He tilted her face up.
"What is it?"
"I… don't know," she said slowly, as if speaking through fog.
He stared at her for a moment longer before placing a kiss on her forehead.
"Don't think. Just obey. That's what love means, after all."
By nightfall, Qin Yanzhou, Shao Wei, and Zhao Xi moved through the forest like shadows. They traveled light, dressed in dark clothes that blended with the terrain. Every sound was muffled under the blanket of mist descending from the mountains.
The path Shao Wei had described was narrow and treacherous, winding along sharp cliffs with sheer drops. But they pushed forward, each step bringing them closer to the monster who had stolen Wu Mei.
As they neared the hidden entrance behind the castle walls, the terrain flattened into a slope covered in thorny underbrush.
"We'll climb over this ridge," Shao Wei whispered. "There's a broken part of the wall. It leads into one of the old wine cellars."
They reached the crumbled stone just before dawn, hearts racing.
Inside the fortress, guards patrolled, but their numbers were fewer than expected.
Dracon had grown arrogant.
Zhao Xi disabled the few they encountered with darts laced in sleeping herbs. Silent, swift, precise.
Finally, they reached the inner hallways—dark, echoing, and laced with strange symbols carved into the stone.
"She'll be in his quarters," Yanzhou whispered. "That's where he'd keep her."
Shao Wei glanced toward the staircase spiraling upward.
"Let's move."
In her room, Wu Mei sat at the edge of the bed, combing her hair with a silver brush.
The wind howled outside the high windows. It was eerily quiet. Too quiet.
Her hand stopped. A whisper reached her ears—too faint to make out words, but real.
She turned her head sharply.
Then a memory flashed across her vision—
Qin Yanzhou's eyes. His voice. The warmth of his hands cradling her cheeks.
"No matter what happens, I'll find you. I'll bring you back."
Wu Mei gasped, clutching her chest. Her heart ached suddenly, sharply, as if awakened.
"No… no," she murmured. "He's… he's gone."
But the pain said otherwise.
Qin Yanzhou crept through the corridor, heart pounding with every step. Shao Wei and Zhao Xi flanked him, weapons drawn.
They reached a set of dark oak doors at the far end of the hall.
"She's here," Yanzhou whispered.
He pushed the door open, the hinges creaking.
Inside, the chamber was still.
Wu Mei stood by the fireplace, her back to them.
"Wu Mei…" he said softly.
She turned.
Her eyes met his—and froze.
No recognition. No warmth. Only shadows.
"Who dares enter?" she asked coldly, stepping forward, her voice like ice.
Qin Yanzhou felt the stab in his chest—not from a weapon, but from her tone.
"It's me," he said, stepping closer. "Yanzhou. Your husband."
She laughed, soft and mocking.
"I have no husband."
"Wu Mei, listen to me. He's controlling you. This isn't real. You're not his."
Dracon appeared in the doorway behind her, arms crossed, smirking.
"She is mine," he said. "Body and will."
"Liar!" Yanzhou snarled, drawing his blade.
But Wu Mei stepped between them, her eyes still cold.
"If you try to hurt him, I'll stop you myself."
"Mei," he pleaded, "I know you're still in there. Please. Fight it."
She looked at him—just for a heartbeat—and something flickered.
Then it was gone.
Dracon moved forward and pulled her into his arms.
"Take one more step, and she'll kill you herself," he said with venom.
Yanzhou's hand trembled on his sword.
Shao Wei grabbed his arm. "We can't fight here. Not like this."
Dracon's laughter echoed through the hall.
"Fool. You think love can break my magic?"
"We'll see," Yanzhou said quietly.
And with a heavy heart, he turned and disappeared into the shadows once more, but not without one last look at Wu Mei—hoping she saw him.
Hoping her heart still remembered.