She jumped, her heart lurching into her throat. A familiar golden figure emerged from the shadows, his robes shimmering in the moonlight.
"Cāng Jì," she breathed, pressing a hand to her chest. "You scared me."
"Apologies." He didn't sound apologetic. He sounded amused. "I was patrolling. Your village has a surprising number of shadows. Very inconvenient for a dragon of my stature."
"You were patrolling," she repeated flatly. "In the middle of the night."
"I take my duties seriously."
"You were bored."
He paused. "I was also bored."
Despite herself, Zhǐ Ruò laughed. It was a small sound, barely more than a huff, but it made Cāng Jì's golden eyes flicker.
"May I?" He gestured to the step beside her.
She shrugged. "It's a free village."
He sat down. It was surprisingly graceful for someone so tall, his robes pooling around him like liquid gold. He was close enough that she could feel the warmth radiating from him, a gentle heat that seemed to seep into her bones.
