---
The ride back to Skiiri was long, but the closer Shèng Lín drew to the palace gates, the more the tension in his shoulders eased.
He was not supposed to feel like this.
A kingdom, a prince, a past that still claimed him—
Yet the moment he crossed the gates, the guards saluted him, and the Prince was already there, waiting in the courtyard.
The Prince strode forward, eyes narrowing.
> "You're late," he said, but the relief in his voice betrayed him.
> "There were…discussions," Shèng Lín replied.
The Prince's eyes scanned him, as if checking for wounds or signs of betrayal. Finding none, he finally allowed himself to breathe.
> "Come with me," the Prince commanded, already turning on his heel.
Shèng Lín followed without protest.
---
Inside the Prince's private chamber, the door shut quietly.
> "Did they treat you well?" the Prince asked, turning to face him.
> "Yes."
> "And her brother?"
Shèng Lín hesitated.
> "He wishes to meet you formally. He also… asked when I would return."
The Prince's eyes darkened.
> "Return?"
Shèng Lín nodded. "He wants me back in their service."
> "And what did you say?"
Shèng Lín met his gaze evenly. "I said nothing."
---
Silence fell.
The Prince stepped closer, his expression unreadable, but the storm in his eyes clear.
> "Did he ask about us?"
> "No. But he knows."
The Prince's jaw tightened. He turned away, pacing to the window before speaking again.
> "I know him. I met him once during a border negotiation. He is a man who believes he can have anything he wants, and hates when someone chooses otherwise."
Shèng Lín said nothing, but his silence confirmed it.
> "He's jealous," the Prince continued, his lips curling into a cold smile. "Because you chose me."
Shèng Lín's breath caught for a moment.
> "It's not about choosing—"
> "Isn't it?" The Prince's voice was low. "He can give you a title, lands, power. But you came back to me."
Shèng Lín lowered his gaze. "I came back because it was my duty."
The Prince stepped forward, tipping Shèng Lín's chin up with his fingers, forcing him to look into those fierce eyes.
> "No. You came back because you wanted to."
---
For a moment, they stood there, close enough to feel each other's breath.
The Prince's thumb brushed Shèng Lín's lower lip.
> "Did he try to keep you there?" the Prince asked softly.
Shèng Lín swallowed. "He asked."
> "And if he tries again?"
Shèng Lín met his gaze, the memory of Lù Zhāo's brother's sharp eyes flickering in his mind—how the man's jaw had tightened, how his polite words had hidden bitterness when Shèng Lín refused to promise to return.
> "I will still come back here," Shèng Lín whispered.
The Prince's lips finally curved into a satisfied, almost dangerous smile.
> "Good."
---
That night, the Prince did not let Shèng Lín leave.
They sat together on the balcony, drinking tea beneath the stars, the Prince's hand resting lightly on Shèng Lín's, claiming him in quiet ways the world could not see.
Shèng Lín's heart was heavy, but as the Prince leaned on his shoulder, breathing softly against his neck, a strange warmth replaced the weight for a moment.
> "I will protect this peace," Shèng Lín thought.
Even if it meant defying kingdoms. Even if it meant standing between two worlds.
---