(First-person POV — Lin / Lu Shen)
I've seen a lot of terrifying things in my short, chaotic life. Monsters, magic gone wrong, my reflection before coffee but nothing quite prepared me for the way Yan looked right now.
He was sitting at the edge of the ruined temple courtyard, moonlight spilling over him like spilled silver. His sword was beside him, untouched. His hands were clasped tightly, like he was trying to hold something inside, something dangerous.
And for once, the silence between us wasn't peaceful. It was cracking.
"You've been staring at the ground for twenty minutes," I spoke softly, breaking the tension before it could swallow both of us. "Planning to dig a hole or just trying to intimidate the dirt?"
He didn't even look up. "Lu Shen."
Uh oh. Full-name usage. That's never good.
"I need to tell you something."
I ploped down beside him, crossing my legs. "If it's that you secretly enjoy my company, I already know. Your stoic suffering gives it away."
