Wicked Yokai Prince

Rescue

A shadow blocked out the sun. She felt claw like fingers brushed the tips of her fingers. Joy bloomed like flowers from her dying hope as the blurriness of his face focused under the blinding ray of the golden sun.

Rin gripped for Jiro's fingers.

Then, a strong hand coiled around her arm. Above her, a beautiful man hovered, he gazed down at her with urgency-stricken visage.

"You fool!"

Jiro hurled her upwards and plucked her from the dark murky water. It splashed. The waves formed into dozen arms as they tried to steal her soul and swallow it back to the water.

Jiro flew her out; away from the menace of the demonic water and didn't put her down until he's certain she was out of danger.

"YOU STUPID HUMAN!" Jiro's lips twisted into anger, dark eyes burning as he bore his into hers. "DO YOU HAVE A DEATH WISH?"

He had set her down at the corridor of the manor, curious glimmer of servants and spirits around watched her. Some concerned and others aren't, but she's too distraught to even care. Jiro soon swatted them away and with one single command of his breath. "Go!" The corridor cleared out empty I'm favor of their privacy.

Rin vomited, water spilled from her wet kimono. Her lungs ached and her chest tightened, heaving for emergent air.

Her tears blended with water stinging her eyes more as she narrowed them at Jiro who kept a fury filmed profile.

This is the second time she'd seen his wrath; the first time was that evening when she first got spirited away, when he had forced her to eat.

"All you have to do is stay by my side, but you couldn't even do that!"

"I didn't see the water. I could've sworn it was all land." She managed at last in between her gasps of breaths.

Jiro's face became a mask of calm fury as he kept his extended glance at her. Finally, he allowed himself to loosen the tightness that gripped his muscles, and relaxed his wings that's been half splayed the whole time, tucking them easily on his shoulders.

He lowered to her side, the gentle brush of his hand sent chill of magic down her spine. Cool air whipped and wrapped around her as the waster evaporated from her soaked kimono. And in an instant, the wind stripped away all the liquid leaving her dry again.

"I can only dry your clothes." He murmured. "I can't get rid of the water in your lungs, my magic doesn't work like that. I can't magically heal someone. It takes a different kind of power to do that."

Rin made a gesture that even surprised Jiro. She pressed her head deep to the floor.

"You saved me."

"Yes, your existence here is bound with the rules of the spirit world, Rin." He explained. "You can't just try to escape. The magic won't let you, and it will kill you if you do."

"Is that why the land turned into ocean?"

"Yes, it was trying to prevent you from leaving."

She felt his cold finger on her chin as he guided her back to her knees. His face a gentle feature of calmness now. He smiled at her, his smile had been genuine. "Don't scare me like that again, Rin. I can only protect you when you're near."