Blind and Bereft

Chapter 21 | Awaiting Her

Jingrui pushed herself to walk using the wall. It took every ounce of her strength to make each forced step. Blood dripped from her fingertips and forehead, trailing across the ground as she pushed herself forward.

In her life, she had been through far worse, this was nothing to her. Nothing.

It was always hard to pretend like it was nothing.

The sky had already turned dark by the time she had staggered back to the palace, and the guards didn't notice her bleeding as they let her in. She made her way into the inner courtyard and scanned over the compound. To her surprise, the God of War's quarters were still lit with light as if he were waiting for her to return.

But no one had ever wished Jingrui to return.

She didn't know why, but she smiled and quickly wiped her tears away. She glanced up at the sky, letting the soft light from the waning moon graced her face.

How she hated waning moons.

Jingrui stumbled as she entered Prince Zhanying's quarters. He was sitting there, like an arrogant god, sipping his tea and watching the incense sticks burn its last ashes.

"What took you so long?" he asked as he placed the teacup down. His figure seemed threatening within the soft candlelight.

Jingrui's throat hurt, but she squeezed her voice out as cheerfully as she could. "I . . . I got lost and couldn't find my way to the supply hall, Your Highness."

His brows arched up. "How incompetent."

Jingrui squeezed her hands on her hanfu, letting the blood from her fingers dye her clothes red. She looked up at him through her hazy vision. A soft smile formed on her lips. "Were you waiting for me?"

His dark eyes held their usual distance, but he nodded. "I was." He angled his head up at her as if he could sense that something was wrong or smelt the blood that dripped from her and onto the floor. "Come, pour me tea," he demanded, his attention was fixed on her movements.

Jingrui limped forward and crouched beside him. She hesitated before wrapping her fingers around the teapot. Sharp pain seared through her veins, dripping blood against the table. She gulped an held in her breath, refusing to let out any sound. The teapot lid clattered in her shaking hand, spilling the content over the tabletop as she poured it. Black dots began filling her vision, and in the end, a sob escaped her lips. The clay pot dropped from her hand, shattering it against the floor.

Darkness began creeping into her vision, but she blinked to stay awake. "S-Sorry, I'll clean it up." She scrambled to pick up the pieces of broken clay.

Prince Zhanying grabbed her wrist, making her let go of them. "Who hurt you?"

Jingrui looked up at him, and she thought she saw anger blasting within his cool eyes. She wasn't sure, she could not think straight. Darkness began devouring away at her consciousness until the Prince became just a blob of blur in her eyes.

"I'm not hurt. . ." she said as her sight grew black. Her body held no more strength, and she collapsed into the Prince's arms.

"Bao Bao," she heard him called, but she felt far too weak to answer him.

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