Chapter 11 – This Cannot Be Him
Shen Yifan stood frozen.
Her heart stopped — her breath, her steps — everything.
That face.
That gaze.
Those eyes that once softened when they found hers.
> "No… no, no, no, this cannot be Tariq. It cannot be him."
Her pulse hammered violently in her ears. She took a step back, shaking her head.
> "I crossed into another world… He shouldn't be here. What is he doing here?"
Her vision blurred. The sounds of the courtyard faded into a dull hum. Every memory of Mira's life — the blood, the betrayal, the death — flashed before her.
She clenched her fist tightly against her chest.
> "No. I'm imagining things. I must be."
She turned sharply, robes whispering as she hurried away. Behind her, the sunlight cast her shadow long across the ground — and for a fleeting moment, the shadow rippled like black smoke, stretching thin, whispering.
> "You cannot run from us…"
But she didn't hear it.
Not yet.
---
When she returned home, silence greeted her. The maids hurried forward, but one look at her face made them step back. Without a word, she slipped into her chambers and let the heavy robes fall from her shoulders.
The water in the bath was steaming, mist curling through the air. She sank into it slowly, eyes half-lidded, hands trembling under the surface.
Ripples distorted her reflection — for an instant, the face in the water wasn't hers. It was Raven — the assassin from her past life — staring back with cold, sharp eyes.
Yifan blinked and the image vanished, replaced by her own weary face.
> "Forget it," she whispered. "Forget him. Forget everything."
Her voice trembled, but the water didn't still. It stirred, faintly darkening at the edges. A wisp of black mist slid along the floor, curling around the corner — unseen, silent, waiting.
A soft knock came from the door.
> "Young Miss," a maid's voice said gently, "Old Madam requests your presence."
Yifan exhaled, letting the warmth soak into her bones a moment longer. "Tell her I'll be there soon."
When she finally rose, her gaze caught the faint outline of her shadow upon the wall — it flickered, like a heartbeat.
---
Under the golden light of the lanterns, her grandmother sat in the courtyard, embroidering in silence. Her hands moved gracefully, threading calm through chaos.
"Come, Yifan," she said softly. "Sit."
Yifan obeyed, kneeling beside her.
"You look pale, child. Has something troubled you?"
Yifan hesitated. Her lips parted, then closed again. "It's nothing, Grandmother. Just… thoughts."
The old woman nodded, her eyes wise, old as time.
"Some storms don't rage outside of us, child. Some live within. If you do not face them, they'll only grow."
Yifan bowed her head, the words sinking deeper than she wanted to admit.
"Yes, Grandmother."
"Good." Her grandmother smiled faintly. "Remember, Yifan — some shadows can only follow you if you keep looking back."
A chill swept through the air. Yifan shivered slightly, though the lantern flames didn't move.
Far behind them, unseen by both, a pair of faint red eyes blinked once in the dark… and vanished.
---
Yifan rose, bowing lightly before turning to leave. But as she stepped into the corridor, a familiar voice cut through the night.
> "Announcing His Highness, the Third Prince!"
Her breath hitched. She didn't need to turn to know who it was.
Prince Li Wei entered the courtyard, draped in royal colors, every step deliberate. Beside him walked Shen Luo, her sister, gentle smile painted perfectly upon her lips — the kind that could wound without leaving a scar.
Li Wei's gaze landed on Yifan immediately. His smirk was sharp.
"Still walking freely, Shen Yifan? How bold of you… though some might call it shameless, after all the rumors."
Yifan stiffened. Slowly, she turned, her eyes calm. "Your Highness."
Shen Luo gave a soft, delicate laugh. "Sister has always been… courageous. Perhaps too much. It's her way."
Li Wei chuckled, though there was no warmth in it. "Courage? Is that what we call reckless desire now?"
The servants froze. Even the air seemed to hesitate.
Yifan's lips curved slightly, but it wasn't a smile. Her voice was steady — cold silk.
> "A reckless heart breaks easily, Your Highness. Perhaps that's why you cling to grudges so tightly — like a child clutching broken toys."
Li Wei's expression faltered, eyes narrowing.
Before he could respond, Yifan turned to Shen Luo.
> "And Sister," she said softly, sweetly, "sugar hides poison only until it melts. Be careful your kindness doesn't stain your hands."
The words hung in the air — sharp, elegant, impossible to challenge. Shen Luo's smile wavered, though her eyes glistened with false innocence.
Yifan inclined her head lightly. "Now, if you'll excuse me, Grandmother is waiting."
Without another glance, she glided past them, each step graceful, unhurried. Behind her, the shadows at her feet curled inward, silent witnesses to her restraint.
---
In her room, the candle burned low, its light flickering across the walls. Her shadow danced — but not like hers. It shifted, stretched, whispering faintly.
> "You cannot sever what binds you, Raven."
Yifan closed her eyes, steadying her breath.
> "Demons, princes, or ghosts from my past… none of you will break me."
Outside, the wind moaned softly. Inside, she drifted into uneasy sleep — where shadows and faces blurred together, and a man with Tariq's eyes waited in the dark.
---
Morning came pale and quiet. Sunlight filtered through her curtains, but Yifan didn't rise immediately.
> "Not today," she whispered, turning her face into her pillow. "I need peace."
But peace was a luxury the heavens never gave her.
By noon, she wrapped her cloak and slipped out quietly. The streets were alive — merchants calling, children laughing. Red and white pinwheels spun in the breeze, their motion soft and endless, like the turning wheel of fate.
She paused to watch one spin, eyes distant.
> "Even the wind moves in circles… always returning to where it began."
A voice behind her made her heart still.
> "Second Miss Shen."
She turned sharply. The Crown Prince stood there — tall, composed, hands clasped behind his back. His gaze was calm, but sharp enough to cut through pretense.
> "You walk alone often," he said quietly. "Come. Let's walk. I've questions only you can answer."
For a moment, Yifan hesitated. Her shadow stretched beside her, motionless — for now.
She nodded slowly. "Very well, Your Highness."
As they walked together into the crowd, unseen eyes watched from every dark corner — the shadows shifting, whispering faintly.
> "The wheel turns again, Raven."