Rui and her companions walked through the garden path leading away from Madam Meng's pavilion.
The tension between the three men remained thick.
Rui's shoulders slumped as they walked, her steps dragging with no trace of their usual bounce.
The revelations at Madam Meng's pavilion weighed on her like stones.
Keekee, perched on her shoulder, noticed her shallow breathing and the slight trembling in her hands.
He glanced at the three men walking alongside them—Zou's protective hover, Shen's watchful gaze, and Ran's thoughtful distance—and rolled his tiny eyes.
"You look like hell warmed over, Princess," Kee Kee announced, loud enough for everyone to hear.
"And that's saying something, considering we're literally in hell."
Rui shot him a glare, but Kee Kee continued undeterred. "Too many roosters in one coop makes for noisy mornings."
"That's not even a real saying," Rui muttered.
"It is now," Kee Kee replied.
The three men exchanged uncomfortable glances.
