Priestess of The Moon

Chapter 7

Once we reached the gardens, I looked around in disbelief. The garden was beautiful, empty with ponds and pavilions for moon-viewing and drinking. There were stone bridges and circular archways, but best of all were the plants. There were weeping willows, water lilies in the ponds, and the water reflected the beautiful, cloudless blue skies.

I was standing outside. Not outside, on my veranda, staring outside at the beautiful scenery I always longed to be in. Not outside, with the wind and light only on my face and upper body. No. My whole body was enveloped in it, the coolness and the warmth, all of it.

Once we were far enough, I parted the veil from my face with shaking fingers, and looked at Zhu Sha.

"I did it," I said, my voice cracking.

"You did it," she repeated, and her smile was warm, too. "There's nothing you can't do, if you set your mind on it. We will always be there to help you, like Rui said."

I pressed the back of my hand to my eyes, but the tears dropped out.

"Would you please not tell him—not tell Rui I cried?" I asked. She leaned back against the wall.

"I won't."

I laughed. "How strange. I'm so happy, and yet I'm shaking and crying."

"It's only natural," she said. "That proves you're truly happy."

I raised a hand, palm up, and looked at the light on my skin, like gold. My fingers curled and then I tightened my hand in a fist. I had caught the light, I thought. I have not only the Moon, but the Sun, too.

Some moments later Rui and Yang Jun appeared, strolling as casually as ever, as though they didn't just commit a national crime like sneaking a Priestess out of the grounds she was confined to. How could such a thing happen so easily? It made me wonder what I had been doing for the past nineteen years of my life.

"You're finally here," Zhu Hua said. I turned to them, and the two looked at me.

"Are you fine?" Yang Jun asked. I nodded.

"See? Didn't I tell you not to worry?" Rui walked over to me. I tightened my jaw. This boy!

"Do you you have any idea how scared I was?" I hissed, suddenly unable to suppress it. "I was so—"

"Li Xiang—you cried."

Rui suddenly touched my wet cheeks, making me draw back.

He must've been surprised, too, because then he looked away. I pulled back my veil, obscuring my face once more.

"You shouldn't go touching girls," Yang Jun murmured to him, as though I couldn't hear.

"Very tactless of you," Zhu Sha added. Rui simply turned.

"Let's go. We shouldn't waste any more time or the Chang'an fair will end." He headed to the stairs leading down and outside. Yang Jun looked at me and I nodded, and soon we headed down.

Once outside the stone entrance there were more guards, but thankfully the guards stationed there looked more like terra-cotta statues than anything, their thick leather armor and bronze spears intimidating, standing in a row to them, one hand on the spear and the other tucked behind them.

However, when they paid us a glance, both Zhu Hua and Yang Jun held up a wooden board with calligraphy facing the guards so I couldn't read it. The guards gave brief and quick nods, before addressing them politely.

"I bid you safety on your journey, Lady Zhu Hua, General Yang Jun," one of the guards said, and the rest followed. Yang Jun gave a nod but Zhu Hua only walked away, her red robe trailing behind her.