The bamboo forest whispered like a living thing, its tall green stalks swaying as if warning her to turn back.
Leena's sandals sank into the damp soil as she followed the narrow path toward the stream.
"Maya, stay close, we will soon arrive at the river..." she murmured, eyes darting to the sunlit gaps in the leaves.
Then—
Maya screamed.
A man lay sprawled in the shadows, half‑hidden among the bamboo.
His pale silk robes were soaked in blood, the crimson pooling beneath him like a silent river.
Leena's heart lurched.
She dropped to her knees, pressing trembling fingers to his neck.
…A weak pulse.
Fading.
He was young and striking, even drenched in dirt and death:
Tall, broad‑shouldered, a frame that radiated power even in ruin
Sharp brows, long lashes, a face like chiseled jade
Hair black as midnight, tangled with bamboo leaves
"Who are you…?" she whispered.
"Maya! Run—bring the handcart! Now!"
As her maid fled, Leena snapped open her wooden medicine box.
Vials glinted like tiny stars.
She poured clear liquid onto the wound—
The man groaned, fingers twitching in pain.
"Shh…" Leena leaned close, her veil brushing his cheek, her voice soft but fierce.
"I know it burns… but I will not let you die here."
She crushed herbs into a green paste, the bitter scent mingling with the metallic tang of blood.
His eyes fluttered open—dark, unfocused—and for a single, fragile heartbeat, met hers.
"…An… angel…?" he rasped.
Leena froze. Her heart skipped.
But then his eyes rolled back, and he went limp.
Finally, Maya returned with the cart. Together they heaved his long body onto it.
As they lifted him, a round golden seal slipped from his robes and hit the ground with a metallic clink.
Leena picked it up, frowning.
A dragon coiled in flames glinted in the sunlight.
She didn't recognize it…
But anyone from the Tang court would know.
The Imperial Seal.
Snap.
A branch broke somewhere in the shadows.
Leena's blood ran cold.
We're not alone.