A moment later, he lifted his head and spoke to the men who had rushed up behind him. "Take it back," he said, his voice deep and calm, yet suffused with an unquestionable authority, as if those three simple words contained infinite power.
"Yes, Your Majesty!" his men replied in unison, their voices crisp and loud as they echoed through the night sky. They moved forward swiftly, expertly binding the unconscious Nine-tailed Red Fox with specially made ropes and carrying it away with utmost care, their actions precise and without a hint of slack.
...
Augustine slipped back into the Imperial Palace. By now, the moon was high in the sky, and the entire palace was steeped in a profound silence.
He gently pushed open the door to Su Yaoyao's chambers. The room was filled with soft moonlight; Su Yaoyao was already asleep.
However, she was not sleeping soundly. Her brow was tightly furrowed, as if she were trapped in a painful nightmare.
