Princess Zhi woke slowly, as if dragged back from deep water.
For a moment, she did not know where she was. The curtains above her bed were unfamiliar, pale blue instead of the warm colors she liked. The air smelled of bitter medicine and blood, sharp enough to sting her nose.
Her throat felt dry.
She shifted slightly—
and pain exploded through her lower body.
A broken gasp escaped her lips.
"Ah…!"
Her hand flew instinctively to her stomach.
Flat.
Too flat.
Her heart skipped violently.
"No…" she whispered.
The door creaked open at the sound of movement. Her personal maid rushed in, eyes swollen and red, clearly having cried for a long time.
"Your Highness!" the maid exclaimed, hurrying to her bedside. "Please don't move, please—"
Princess Zhi grabbed her wrist weakly. "What… happened?" Her voice trembled. "I was walking… and then…"
Her fingers pressed harder against her abdomen, panic rising like a tide. "The baby—why can't I feel him?"
The maid's lips quivered.
