The black faded, chased away by sterile light. The fog of her mind thinned just enough to see them, two silhouettes beyond the bars.
One stood tall and still, clad in shadow and a long, charcoal coat. A silver mask covered half his face, etched with delicate swirling patterns that shimmered under the dim light. His presence radiated something ancient and cold, but not cruel.
The other...
Shen Xiao.
Even through the haze of pain, Yueyao recognized him.
Those broad shoulders, the sharply defined face that had once made her feel safe, and then destroyed her. How could she not know this person?
His presence was unmistakable. The way he stood, rigid and silent, and those eyes... once they held her entire world. Now, they were a reminder of everything she'd lost.
Her pulse quickened.
A cold wave of dread washed over her, her wrists instinctively pulling against the padded restraints beneath the sheets.
