CHINESE ARYA STARK meets THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA.
*A Wattpad Featured story*
When everyone wears a mask, who do you trust?
In the unforgiving empire of Erden where the Imperials reign supreme, Sarna is a slave. After escaping the brothel where a m...
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"The White Bone Spirit desired holy human flesh so much, she transformed into a young maiden, a doddering old man, and finally a blind lady to trick the Tripitaka into her lair. But the Monkey King knew her true form. However, his best intentions led him to be disowned by his masters."
BaiGu Jin—A Journey to the West
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
I could have killed him. It was so easy. But no, I had allowed myself to believe in the words of the Second Prince.
And you think emancipating all the slaves in Erden would earn yourself a good leaf in father's book? That's the most ridiculous idea in the history of ridiculous ideas.
A ridiculous idea to him, but a dream for me.
The arrow gave me more grief than I had anticipated. The Physician had to cauterize the wound and push out the arrowhead. By the time the Physician finished bandaging and administered me a bitter-tasting concoction which she promised would numb the pain, I lay in bed, ready to sleep for a thousand years. Donghwa's blood sped up healing, but it did nothing to lessen pain.
Resting my head against the feather-soft pillow, I recalled the conflict in Wulin's eyes, the struggle as he weighed whether my life was worth saving after I saved his. It was a wild gamble; Wulin could have left me to die. He could have just shrugged it off, thinking that a slave dying for her master was nothing out of the ordinary.
But slaves despised their masters.
There was a soft knock at the door. A guard pushed open the doors and strode into the chamber. I had never seen a guard like him before. Regular guards wore green and red, but this man sported a midnight blue tunic, dark pants, and light armor. His hair was drawn back in a tight bun on his head, and a gold-pressed pendant hung from his belt, clinking against his sword.
"I'm BaiFeng, the crown prince's personal guard," he said. "I'm here to deliver an order."
I stumbled out of bed, dragging down the covers as I did so, so I landed in a pathetic heap on the ground. With a hand pressing over my wound, I sank to the ground in a deep, respectful bow.
He sighed, strode over, and helped me to my feet. I winced, and he apologized.
"Wulin wants you to move to Qiliu Court tonight itself. You're now free from Zhennan Court duties."
"Won't the second prince be furious?" I said.
"He's always furious over trivial matters," BaiFeng said. "How's your wound?"
"Not a deep one," I said. "The Physician said the arrow was small, and it did not hit any major arteries."
"You're lucky indeed. I know such arrows. If aimed properly, it can stop a beating heart in an instant. I do not believe this event to be a coincidence."
