Xia Yiren's POV
For one heartbeat, nothing happens.
Yijun's eyes are dark brown, almost black, intense and searching. They're the same eyes that watched coldly while I died, but younger now. Less guarded.
Then agony explodes in my chest.
White-hot pain sears through my heart like lightning. I gasp, stumbling backward, one hand flying to my chest. Across from me, Yijun staggers, his face going pale.
No. NO.
Light blazes between us—visible golden threads connecting our hearts. The soul bond is forming, burning itself into existence whether I want it or not.
Through the connection, I feel his emotions slam into mine. Confusion. Shock. Overwhelming concern—for me, which makes no sense because he doesn't even know me.
And I know he feels mine. My hatred. My terror. My rage at being chained to him again.
The mark burns over my heart—phoenix intertwined with dragon—searing itself into my skin. The same mark I died with. The same cursed symbol that chained me to my murderer in my first life.
A soul bond, someone whispers. The Crown Prince's soul bond is forming.
Impossible, another voice breathes. Those only happen once in a generation.
The bond tightens, pulling me toward Yijun like invisible chains. My feet move without permission. His do too. We're three feet apart now. Two feet.
Close enough that I can see the confusion in his eyes as our emotions continue bleeding together through the connection. He doesn't understand why his destined mate hates him with such intensity.
Through the bond, I feel his desperate need to understand, to fix whatever's wrong, to make the pain in my heart stop.
It makes me want to scream.
Because this is exactly how it felt before. The bond making me believe he cared, making me trust him, making me fall in love with a man who would eventually sign my death warrant.
I reject this, I say loudly, my voice ringing through the silent hall. I reject the bond. I reject you. I want nothing to do with
Pain explodes through me again, sharper this time. The bond is punishing me for the rejection. Across from me, Yijun cries out, doubling over as the same agony hits him.
We're hurting each other. The bond won't let us reject it without destroying us both.
My vision blurs. The marble floor rushes up to meet me.
Strong hands catch me before I hit. Yijun's arms wrap around me, holding me up even though he's shaking just as badly.
Through the bond, I feel his terror—not for himself, but for me. He's afraid I'm dying.
Don't, he gasps against my hair. Don't fight it. You'll kill us both.
Maybe we both deserve to die, I manage to spit out.
His pain spikes through the bond—sharp and devastating. But he doesn't let go.
The Empress Dowager's voice cuts through the chaos: Someone fetch the imperial physician! Now!
Footsteps scatter. Voices shout orders. But I barely hear them through the roaring in my ears.
The bond is stabilizing, settling into place whether I want it or not. The burning fades to a constant ache. And with it comes the horrible intimacy I remember—feeling Yijun's emotions as clearly as my own, sensing his presence like a second heartbeat in my chest.
I'm chained to him again.
Trapped with the man who killed me.
I hate you, I whisper, and through the bond, he feels the absolute truth of it. I hate you so much.
His confusion bleeds through. He doesn't understand. We've never met before. Why does his soul-bonded mate look at him like he's a monster?
Good. Let him be confused. Let him suffer not knowing.
Because I know exactly what he'll do to me eventually. The bond won't change that. Destiny won't save me.
The only difference is this time, I'm going into it with my eyes open.
The world tilts again. Darkness creeps into the edges of my vision.
The last thing I feel before unconsciousness takes me is Yijun's arms tightening, refusing to let me fall.
And through the bond, one desperate thought from him:
What did I do to make you hate me so much?