POV: Shou Feng
Night had fallen like a closing door.
Lanterns flickered across the castle courtyards, and servants rushed to shut the windows against the cold wind. Normally, I hated the noise of the market… but tonight, I hated the silence even more.
Anna should have been back an hour ago.
I tried to ignore the small knot of worry twisting in my stomach, but when the maid ran inside—face pale, hands shaking—I already knew.
"I… I'm sorry, my lord," she said, breathless.
"I lost her… I lost Lady Anna in the market."
All four of us stood up instantly.
Kiyoshi, Mong, Yuvan, and I moved toward the entrance at the same time. No discussion. No planning. Just movement.
We split at the first street.
Mong darted left.
Yuvan took the rooftops.
Kiyoshi and I went straight.
The market was still crowded, but something in the air felt wrong, off, sharp. Every passing second made my head feel heavier, my chest tighter. Worry kept clashing with anger until both blended into something dangerous.
"She's not here," Kiyoshi muttered, scanning the crowd.
I didn't answer. I didn't trust my voice.
We checked another street, another lane—
Then I froze.
There she was.
In the middle of the marketplace, standing alone under a lantern's glow, with dust on her clothes and her brown hair sticking to her cheeks. Her innocent eyes—usually bright—were blurred with tears.
And when she saw me…
She broke.
She didn't walk. She ran.
Tears spilled down her face, faster than she could breathe, and before I even thought about what I was doing—
I caught her in my arms.
Her hands clutched my robe, her face pressed into my chest, and she cried like she had held everything in too long. People stared, but I didn't care. I held her until her shaking faded and her breaths softened.
Only then did I pull back.
Her eyes lifted to mine, red from crying, terrified, confused. My throat tightened.
"What happened?" I asked quietly.
Before she could speak, Kiyoshi placed a hand on my shoulder.
"Not here," he murmured. "Let's get her back first."
I nodded once.
Together, the three of us walked back to the castle.
As soon as we entered the main hall, Kiyoshi called a guard.
"Send word to Mong and Yuvan. Tell them Anna is found."
Anna sat down with trembling legs. The maid rushed in with a cup of water, and Anna sipped it slowly. Kiyoshi draped a shawl over her shoulders to warm her.
I kneeled in front of her and gently brushed the dust from her face. She didn't move. She didn't even blink.
Her eyes kept drifting to mine like she wanted to say something but couldn't.
Minutes passed.
Finally, in a small, shaking voice, she whispered:
"I… I saw… Shoto."
The room chilled.
My eyes widened before I could stop them.
I had known, of course. I never killed Shoto.
When that dragon released its fire, I pushed him aside a heartbeat before the flames hit. Someone as young and skilled as him—he would have been useful in my army. It would've been a waste to let him die.
Anna looked at me, tears gathering again.
"You didn't kill him…?"
"No," I answered simply.
"Why?" Her voice cracked.
"He had value. Strength. And he was still young. I had hoped he would join me one day."
Silence swallowed the room.
Even Kiyoshi didn't speak.
After a long breath, I asked:
"Tell me what happened."
Anna hesitated… then nodded.
POV: Author Flashback
The market street was almost empty when Anna turned a corner and froze.
There—standing under a broken lantern—was Shoto.
Alive.
Anna's breath caught in her throat. Her eyes filled instantly, a shaky smile stretching across her face. For a moment, she forgot everything—every fear, every danger.
"Sho…" she whispered, stepping closer.
But the moment her hand lifted to touch his face, he stepped back sharply.
His expression was cold—emptier than she had ever seen.
Her breath trembled. "Sho—"
"Don't say my name," he cut her off.
Anna's heart dropped.
He looked at her as though she was a stranger… or worse, an enemy.
"You left us."
His voice wasn't loud, but it sliced straight through her.
"You disappeared. You walked beside the man who destroyed everything we had. And now I see you—shopping? Smiling? Living comfortably in his castle?"
Anna shook her head quickly, voice shaking. "It's not like that—please, just listen—"
But he didn't.
He spoke over her again and again, each word landing like a stone.
"You chose him. You chose a monster over us."
"Shoto, you don't understand—"
"No. I understand perfectly."
His hands curled into fists.
"You abandoned us."
Anna stepped back, her eyes flooding. "I never—"
"Yes, you did."
His voice rose, but not in a violent way—just raw hurt, confusion, betrayal.
"I thought you were different. But you stood beside him. You defended him. And now… now you expect me to believe you didn't turn into one of them?"
Anna shook her head desperately. "Please… listen to me—"
He didn't let her finish.
He pushed her away—not harshly, but enough to knock her off balance so she fell to the ground. She gasped, more from shock than pain.
"This is what you've become," he said, stepping back.
"A shadow of someone I once trusted."
His eyes glimmered with anger and hurt.
"You're no saviour, Anna. Not anymore."
And with that… he turned and disappeared into the alley shadows.
Anna stayed frozen on the ground, tears falling silently.
---
(Pov shou Feng )
Her voice faded.
My hands tightened into fists.
Kiyoshi glanced at me, alarm flashing in his eyes. "Feng… don't—"
But it was too late.
Something cold and sharp twisted inside my chest. Anger wasn't new to me—but this wasn't the usual fire. This was different.
This was personal.
Anna wiping tears because of someone else—someone who should've stayed grateful he was even alive—
My aura stirred, red mixing with black.
I stood up slowly.
Kiyoshi stepped back.
"Shou Feng—"
"Don't try to stop me."
Those were the only words I said.
Then I turned toward the door, the hall trembling faintly as I walked.
Because if Shoto thought he could break her again…
he had no idea what was coming.
"If he wished to awaken a monster… then he should have been prepared to face one."
End of the Chapter