"She Whispered My Name, Then Faded..."
Mei's Pov
I slowly opened my eyes, and my head was pounding. The light in the room was dim, and everything felt hazy as if I was floating just outside my own body. Time had lost its shape. Minutes, hours, maybe even a day or more had passed, I couldn't tell, it all blurred together.
When I tried to sit up, my body gave out and dropped back down. A wave of nausea hit me, and I gasped for air as I sank into the rough bedding.
"Why am I so weak?" I thought, panicking as I gripped the edge of the thin blanket.
That was when I noticed the stick of incense burning in the corner. The air was thick with its sweet, strange smell. I had not paid much attention to it before, but now, with my body feeling like it was made of lead, I realized what was going on.
It wasn't just incense. It was drugged, and I had been breathing it in the whole time.
My lips started to shake as it hit me, Li Ming had set this up. The smoke was part of his plan. Whatever he put in it had made me weak, dizzy, and completely out of it.
I turned my head, searching for an exit, or anything sharp, anything at all, but the blur swallowed every detail.
I blinked hard, willing the fog to lift. My limbs felt disconnected. When I tried to move, I felt a sharp pain. Silk ropes were tied so tightly around my wrists and ankles that they were digging into my skin.
Then I saw the food tray on the floor. It must have fallen over during a struggle. Food was scattered everywhere, but my eyes focused on one thing: a single chopstick, lying just past the bed. The other one had rolled halfway underneath, barely within reach.
My mind was foggy, but I focused on that one chopstick. Just one small thing. One shot.
I closed my eyes. Took a breath and tried to stay calm.
The Qi within me was scattered, chaotic and useless in this state but I still had some fight in me.
With a low groan, I bent my knees, slow and shaky, dragging my legs closer to my hands. Every part of me hurt, but I kept going. I twisted and turned, inching my body until I finally rolled to the edge of the bed.
There it was. The chopstick caught the light. So close.
I still had a chance.
Carefully, I reached out, with my hand hanging off the side. My fingers brushed past it and missed. I reached again. This time, I grabbed it.
I held it tight, like it was a life line, and twisted my wrist to press the tip against the knot. It was not easy. I fumbled a lot. My hands were slick with sweat, and arms trembling, but I did not stop.
Grinding my teeth, I snapped the stick in half. The sharp edge jabbed into my skin as I started sawing at the rope. Bit by bit, the threads started to tear.
The broken chopstick was cutting into me just as much as it was cutting the rope.
I hissed, trying not to cry out. The silk cords, soaked in sweat and blood, only seemed to tighten the more I moved.
A sudden sting stopped me. I felt warm blood ran down my fingers. I lolled my head to the side for a moment, feeling so tired, but clenched my jaw and forced myself to keep going.
You survived training.. and fire... and loss… you will not die tied to a bed like a lamb for slaughter.
The chopstick snapped again, leaving her with a jagged splinter.
She twisted the shard, wedging it into the frayed knot, and with one final surge of effort, jerked her arm outward.
Snap!
The cord gave.
Mei collapsed against the bedding, panting, the broken rope dangling from her wrist like a wounded snake. Her hand was still shaking, slick with blood, but free. She didn't wait, she reached for the cords binding her legs, working through the pain as the dull pounding in her head grew louder.
Then she heard faint footsteps, but it felt louder with each step.
Her fingers slipped once, twice, then caught. The knots were looser here, and with one hard tug, her legs spilled free.
She slid off the bed just as the door creaked open.
Mei landed in a crouch, half-dizzy, and barely steady. She still had the broken chopstick clutched like a dagger.
"Leaving already, my dear?" Li Ming asked with a low chuckle.
Mei didn't say anything, but just watched him. He responded with a cold, twisted smile.
"It seems like the incense is working," he said, sounding almost bored. "You're not moving as fast today, are you?"
He laughed again, clearly amused by her struggle. "You did not really think I would be that careless, did you? I lit that incense on purpose, just in case you tried to run. It messes with your body, fogs up your mind. Makes things easier for me."
He took a slow step toward her. "It will make you weaker. But I would not have to keep doing this forever. Once you stop fighting and accept what we have, it would not be necessary anymore."
Mei's Pov
Anger cut through the fog in my head as I watched him walk toward me, with his arms outstretched like he expected an embrace. I shoved both hands hard against his chest. It almost knocked me over, but I stayed on my feet.
He stumbled, then let out that awful laugh again, the kind that made my skin crawl.
"You can not fight what we have, sweetheart," he said.
He reached for me again. I yanked my hand back and swung the stick at him. His yelp of pain was brief, but it gave me a bit of satisfaction.
"I am so sick of your stubbornness," he growled.
Before I could back away, his hand clamped down on my arm, tightly. I fought back, jabbing the stick into his shoulder.
He screamed and let go just enough for me to pull free. I stumbled back, gripping the bloody stick like my life depended on it. Li ming clutched his shoulder, blood already soaking his sleeve.
"Come... any closer... and I will do... it again," I warned, my voice shaking. "I am not yours. I never was. I would rather die than be owned."
He gave a pained smile. "You have left me no choice," he said through clenched teeth. "I did not want it to be like this."
He dragged himself to the door and slammed it shut. I heard the lock click, and my stomach dropped.
Then he turned, slowly. "You just could not stop fighting. Always had to push back."
I leaned against the wall, lightheaded from the incense in the air. My head was spinning wildly, but I never took my eyes off him. He stood in front of the only way out, so I had to stay calm and think fast.
If I could just keep him talking a little longer, maybe I could buy some time, just enough to catch my breath, figure out a plan, and fight back.
But before I could even finish the thought, he charged at me. I tried to dodge, but my body gave out. My legs buckled. I hit the floor hard, the cold crawling into my bones.
Li Ming stood over me. "You are losing."
"Had enough yet?" he sneered, stepping closer. I rolled to the side and kicked the back of his knee. He stumbled but caught himself quickly.
His smile disappeared. "No more games."
He charged, faster this time. I barely took a step before his hand closed around my neck. He slammed me into the wall and my stick slipped from my fingers, clattering to the ground. I clawed at his grip, but it was like iron.
"Let me go!" I yelled, staring him straight in the eye.
He just smiled and grabbed my waist tightly.
"You are strong, I will give you that. But it is useless to fight me. Even fate says we belong together."
"You say you love me, but all you do is hurt me," i said bitterly. "Is this what love looks like to you?"
His smile faded for a moment, and I realized my words had hit a nerve. If i could keep throwing him off, maybe I would find a way out.
"You do not understand," he replied, his grip loosened a bit. "I am trying to help you see that we are meant to be. If you would just stop fighting, you would realize it too."
"I see exactly who you are,"
"Now let me go before you do something you can not take back."
He paused for just a moment, and that was all I needed. I slammed my forehead into his and broke free from his grip.
Li Ming stumbled back, rubbing his head. "Smart girl," he said with a sneer. But before I could even regain my balance, he charged at me again.
I swung at his throat, but I missed. His kick slammed into my stomach, knocking the air out of me. I hit the ground hard, gasping.
Everything was blurry. I could barely see him, but he was pacing around like a predator. My body felt too heavy and weak.
"You are tougher than I expected," he said. "But it does not matter. You would not hold out much longer."
I lay there shaking on the floor.
"Give up now," his voice was low and mocking. "And I will take it easy on that pretty little body."
His words made me furious. I growled and forced myself to get up.
He came closer, and I spotted the stick nearby. I grabbed it and barely dodged his hand. Then I swung it as hard as I could into his thigh.
Li Ming screamed in pain and stumbled backward. That was my chance.
I charged and drove my knee into his injured leg. He collapsed, yelling in agony.
I hit the ground again, cheek pressed to the cold, wet stone. I could feel blood and sweat beneath me.
Behind me, Li Ming was sobbing, holding his leg. His voice cracked and he mumbled things I could not understand.
I saw the chance and began crawling toward the door.
Then something latched onto my ankle.
"No," he said in a hoarse voice. "You are not leaving me."
I kicked and clawed and tried to crawl away, but he held on tight. Then he threw himself on top of me, pinning me down, and I could not breathe.
His face was right above mine. "I have been waiting for this," his hands shaking as they reached for the sash around my waist. "They said I could not have you… but they do not matter now."
I shoved my palms into his wound again. He screamed and rolled away, twisting in pain.
I crawled faster but he came again. This time, he grabbed my hair and wrenched my head back. Pain shot through me like fire as my head slammed into the floor.
I screamed, or maybe I did not. I could not tell anymore. My body had stopped responding.
"Don't cry," he whispered over my face. "It... it will ruin your pretty face. Smile,... Mei.... Smi... Smile for me."
I could not see straight anymore. I could only feel his hands, fumbling, pulling at my clothes and hear his voice unraveling.
"You... you look so pretty now. That is how I know you are ready."
"I watched... you sleep for nights. So perfect... So still. So..."
"I will make a home inside you… then you will never leave."
A sob escaped me as my body shook with rage, terror, and helplessness. My limbs would not obey. My strength was slipping through my fingers like water.
It was not death that frightened me, not really. I had seen it, felt its shadow breathing down my neck before. Death was clean, Quiet, Final.
But this?
This was worse.
To be alive, and not in control. To feel your body sinking while your spirit screamed. That was the true terror. That was the cage i feared the most.
I stared at him as he roughly dragged his mouth along my neck, desperate and out of control. His kisses hit my collarbone hard; there was nothing gentle about them.
He really was sick.
And I… I had not wanted to admit it. All the creepy smiles, the strange looks in his eyes, I ignored every warning sign. But now, in this moment, it was clear. That look had always been there, I had just been blind.
"Just wait… wait, you will see… I will show you," he muttered, fumbling with his trousers, while his hands shook.
In a sudden crash, the door slammed open and light flooded in. I slowly turned my head, it was too bright to see clearly but through it, I made out a tall figure.
I blinked, trying to focus. The light behind framed him like a dream. Was this actually happening? Or was my mind playing tricks on me again? I didn't know what to believe.
Then I caught a familiar scent.
Sandalwood, with a bit of something sweet like jasmine after the rain. I breathed it in weakly. For a moment, the pain faded.
It was him.
Cheng burst into the room, taking everything in with one look.
Mei was pinned under Li Ming, who was all over her. She looked barely conscious, like she was half gone.
Furious, Cheng ran forward, grabbing Li Ming by the collar, and threw him across the room. Li Ming hit the floor hard, stunned and bleeding.
Cheng hurried to Mei and pulled her into his arms. He began to panic when he saw the blood on her dress.
He quickly started checking her over, hoping she wasn't severely hurt. "Mei, can you hear me? Mei?" his voice trembled as he searched her pale face.
He looked up at Li Ming, who was sitting on the ground, holding up his pants with both hands. His fear quickly turned to anger. "What did you do?!" Cheng snapped. Li Ming just stared back, too scared to answer.
Trying to stay calm, Cheng took a deep breath and gently picked Mei up. He held her tight. "Mei? Please, say something," he said quietly.
Her eyes opened for a moment and met his. "Cheng… you came," she whispered weakly.
"I'm sorry I was late… You are safe now," he whispered back.
She shifted slightly in his arms, then passed out again. Cheng took off his outer robe and wrapped it around her barely clothed form.
While Cheng focused on Mei, Li Ming took the chance to slip out of the room and darted into the woods.
Yizé had just arrived and saw him fleeing, then immediately gave chase, but Li Ming knew the forest well and was starting to get away, weaving through the trees.
Yizé kept up as best he could, following the signs Li Ming left behind. After several minutes, he reached a small clearing and stopped.
Li Ming was already on the ground, with someone's foot pressing down on his neck.
Yizé rushed over, panting. "Your Highness, how did you find him?" he bowed low.
Yizong looked up. "I have been tracking this rat for a while."
Then Yizong's bodyguard, Li Jing, stepped out from the trees, holding Li Ming tied up and gagged. "He is not going anywhere this time," he said. "You should check on Lady Meiying, Your Highness."
Yizong nodded and headed back to the manor. There, he found Cheng sitting with Mei in his arms, her head resting on his chest.
"How is she?" Yizong asked, concerned.
"She will be okay," Cheng said. "She is safe now. I won't let her out of my sight again."
"She needs a healer. I'll take her to the palace right away."
Cheng carefully stood and handed Mei to Yizong. Then he walked toward Yizé and Li Ming outside. He brought his horse over to help carry Mei, but then, out of nowhere, he drew his sword and slashed Li Ming across the chest.
Li Ming screamed and dropped to the ground, blood pouring out.
"Tell me," Cheng began, his voice low and dangerous, "how long do you think you will last after I break every bone in your body?"
He took a step forward, wiping the blood off his sword.
But Yizong stepped in. "Focus on Meiying. She comes first."
Cheng paused, his whole body trembling with anger. Then he heard Mei cough faintly, and that pulled him back.
He turned, climbed onto his horse, and Yizong gently handed Mei back to him. Cheng held her securely in his arms.
Yizong put a hand on Cheng's leg. "Go. Take care of her. I will deal with him."
"Yizé," Cheng called out. "Ride ahead, tell the healers to get to the palace before I do."
Yizé took off right away, disappearing into the trees.
Cheng followed close behind, riding fast but carefully. He held Mei close and whispered softly to her as they rode.