Yan Meilin took the letter and read it herself. Her fingers trembled as her eyes moved over the Emperor's handwriting. The letter was short. No reason was given. There was only a order asking her to come to the palace secretly at nightfall.
She couldn't believe it. After all this time, after rejecting her so harshly, he was calling her? Why? Did he change his mind? Was he going to accept her?
She didn't know what to think. Her heart wanted to leap in joy, but her mind held her back. She didn't want to build her hopes again, only to have them shattered once more. But no matter how much she tried to stop herself, that small voice inside her whispered:
Maybe… just maybe… he changed his mind.
She clutched the letter tightly against her chest. Meanwhile, her aunt's face grew serious. She walked to the window, closed her eyes, and tried to sense the future—something her people from the Lingzu tribe were gifted in.
But this time, all she saw was fog.
