The storm had calmed.
Zhen Yu stood in the snow, his sword forgotten at his feet. The woman stood before him, her black robes swaying, her hair like ink against the white. Crimson veins glowed faintly beneath her pale skin, pulsing as if alive.
Her red eyes locked on him. Silent. Unblinking.
For a long moment, neither moved. Only the sound of the wind between the trees.
At last, Zhen Yu spoke, his voice low but steady.
"You… saved me."
No reply.
Her gaze was calm, but her silence weighed heavier than any words.
He tried again.
"You are the Black Lotus."
She blinked once. Nothing more.
Zhen Yu took a slow step forward. His boots sank into the snow.
"I was sent to find you. The King commands it."
She turned without a word and began walking into the trees.
He hesitated, then grabbed his sword and followed.
"Wait—! Wait for me."
They walked until the forest opened onto a cave hidden beneath heavy snow. Its mouth was dark, the air cold with frost. She paused, then gave the smallest nod for him to follow.
Inside, the walls glistened with ice. The sound of dripping water echoed like slow heartbeats. She motioned for him to sit.
Zhen Yu lowered himself onto a stone ledge. His sword rested across his knees. He was ready for her to finally speak. But she did not.
Instead, for the first time, she moved her hand. Her fingers traced quick, sharp signs in the air, practiced as a soldier's drill.
Do you understand me?
Zhen Yu frowned, then slowly nodded.
"Yes… I understand some."
Her hands moved again. Simple. Deliberate.
You are not afraid of me?
He let out a slow breath, white against the dark air.
"I have fought in wars. Faced blades and fire. Fear has no place in me."
Her crimson eyes softened just slightly. Then her fingers moved one last time.
Fool.
Zhen Yu almost smiled.
The silence between them felt less like distance now. More like the start of something neither of them had expected.