Aftet Zhenyu left, Zi went up to her brother with a worried expression.
"Brother, are we really going to trust him?" She asked, staring at him.
"Is there a reason not to?" Quinn asked her back.
She frowned slightly and then smiled immediately, as though she never frowned before.
"Brother, we can't trust him fully. He's not reliable," she said, her tone light, but her eyes strangely intense.
Quinn studied her face for a moment. The way she forced a smile unsettled him more than her words. "What are you trying to say, Zi?"
Zi tilted her head, her smile never faltering. "I'm only saying we should be careful. The prince is… different. He may smile and speak kindly, but in the end, he's still a prince. Do you think he'll ever put us before himself?"
Quinn leaned back slightly, silent. His gaze drifted toward the window, where sunlight streamed in. "You're not wrong," he admitted at last. "But for now, he is useful. We need him as much as he needs us."
Zi lowered her eyes, her fingers curling against her dress. "I understand, Brother… but promise me something."
Quinn glanced back at her. "What is it?"
Her lips curved into a small smile again, but this one was softer, almost pleading. "Promise me you won't let him use you. You're stronger than him, stronger than anyone I've seen. Don't let anyone take advantage of you."
Quinn sighed, then reached out to ruffle her hair gently. "Zi, as long as you're beside me, I'll never be used. That much I can promise."
For a moment, Zi's eyes shimmered with relief, but as she turned her face away, her smile twitched, and a shadow of something unspoken flickered in her gaze.
"Should we take a walk around the capital?" Quinn asked her. "It's still daytime, so we should make good use of our time and explore the capital, isn't that a good idea?"
Zi clapped her hands together happily, the earlier shadows in her eyes hidden behind her childish excitement. "Then let's go! I want to see the markets. I heard the capital is filled with lanterns that shine even in daylight, and stalls with treasures from every province!"
Quinn rose from the bed, stretching his sore limbs. Though his body still bore the aches of yesterday's battle, he moved as though nothing could weigh him down. He glanced at his sister, who was already tugging at his sleeve impatiently.
"Slow down," he said, but the corners of his lips softened.
They stepped out into the bustling streets of the capital. The sun was climbing high, casting its light over tiled roofs and painted banners. Vendors shouted over one another, displaying silks, talismans, and food steaming with fragrance. Children darted between the crowds with kites trailing above their heads.
Zi's eyes widened in awe. "It's even better than I imagined…" She twirled once, her silver hair catching the sunlight. "Brother, look! They're selling candied fruits on sticks!"
Quinn followed her gaze, but his attention drifted past the stalls. His sharp senses caught more than the laughter and chatter—there were several eyes watching.
"Stay close to me," he said quietly.
Zi tilted her head. "Hmm? What's wrong?"
"Nothing," he lied smoothly, guiding her toward the vendor. Zhenyu thoughtfully left him some money before leaving so he had no problem buying anything for his sister.
She happily chose two sticks of candied fruits, handing one to him. "Here, brother. You should try at least one thing while we're here."
Quinn accepted it, though his gaze remained fixed on the reflection of steel in a nearby alley, the faint glint of a blade poorly hidden.
Just as he was about to speak, a male voice screamed. Before he could even turn around, the owner of the voice stumbled forward and collided with him.
Quinn instinctively steadied the boy by the shoulders. The youth looked up, and for the first time in a long while, Quinn found himself pausing.
The boy's features were striking—his skin pale and unblemished, almost too delicate for someone running through crowded streets. His dark hair clung to his forehead in loose strands, slightly damp with sweat, yet it framed his face in a way that only made him appear sharper. His eyes, however, were what caught Quinn the most—bright, amber-colored, like fire caught in crystal. They were wide with fear in that moment, but beneath the panic, they held a strange depth that tugged at something inside him.
His lips parted slightly as he panted, soft and flushed, and Quinn noticed how fine his jawline was, how his slender frame carried a subtle elegance even in disarray.
For a second, everything around them—the noise of the market, the distant laughter, the faint clang of steel from the alley—faded into the background. Quinn's grip unconsciously lingered, as though reluctant to let the boy go.
The boy blinked up at him, startled. "I—I'm sorry!" he stammered, his voice smooth yet breathless. He tried to pull away, but his trembling betrayed him.
Zi tilted her head curiously at her brother's silence. "Brother…?" she called softly, her eyes flickering between Quinn and the stranger.
Quinn's eyes narrowed slightly, not in anger but in something unreadable. "Who are you?" he asked, his voice calm, though his gaze was far too intense for such a simple question.
The boy's lips trembled before he whispered, "They're chasing me…"
From the corner of his vision, Quinn caught the movement of armed men emerging from the alley, their blades glinting under the midday sun.
"See, I don't have enough time to waste, here... Take it and keep it safe!" The stranger handed Quinn a small wooden box before running off again.
"Hey thief! How dare you run away with the Feng Clan's property!" The chasers yelled as they also ran past Quinn.
After they had all ran past Quinn, Zi gazed down at his hand, a puzzled look on her face.
"Brother, what is that thing?" She asked Quinn.
"I don't know, let's go back first," he said and they turned, and returned to the Inn.
Once in his room, Quinn opened the box only to find a brown round pill inside it.
"A pill?" He mumbled.
"What could it be for?" Zi asked him, clueless.
"I don't know," he replied and closed the box. "Perhaps, the stranger will come back for it."
"Brother, I saw how you were staring at that boy, why is that?" Zi suddenly asked.
Quinn didn't respond immediately. He too didn't know why he stared at the stranger longer than he should have.
"Brother!" Zi called, her voice was a bit high, jolting Quinn instantly.
"Huh?" Quinn muttered. He wasn't aware that he had just being lost in thought.
"Is there anything special about that boy?" Zi asked him.
"Well, nothing except that he looks quite good."
"Don't I look good too?" Zi mumbled with a deep scowl on her face. "You have no right to look at others!"
"What did you say?"