Dillon cursed under his breath, blood dripping from his wounded arm as Lucien snapped his fingers at Whisper to follow, then half-carried me toward the gnarly tree where Auntie Mei and Uncle Wen huddled beside Lanlan’s body.
“Don’t go with them,” Dillon hissed, his eyes tracking us. “You can’t.”
Lucien flat out ignored him as he gave a quick smile to his head steward and housekeeper—two people he’d known since birth. “Send someone to get a doctor the moment we’ve gone, alright?”
Auntie Mei sniffed back her constantly pouring tears. “You can’t leave, Xiao Lu. You can’t. We’ll never see you again.”
“Never is a long time.” Lucien shrugged. “We’ll see you before then.”
Uncle Wen’s face was grey with pain, but his eyes met Lucien’s with fatherly pride. “You’ll come back. I know you will. We’ll be here waiting for you, just like before.”
Lucien just nodded, let me go, and headed straight for the tree.
The bullet graze on my hip stung with wildfire.
“I’m getting bored, Ashfall,” the leader taunted from the wall. “You’re walking but not in the direction I want.”
Lucien threw him the finger and reached for the large red ribbon wrapped around the trunk of the tree—a splash of red for prosperity and protection. With a savage jerk, he ripped the ribbon off. The weathered satin fluttered in his hands—a quiet ward against misfortune that had clearly failed today.
Fisting it tight, he turned and made eye contact with Whisper where the panther sulked beside me. “Come here, you stupid beast.”
I choked on a sob at the pet name. At how much feeling and love echoed behind such derogatory words.
Whisper limped a little as if he’d been injured when Lucien shoved him out of the bullet’s path with unseen power. Lucien’semotions poured down the bond as the barrier between his heart and mine blew wide open. Guilt crushed him for hurting his beloved cat. Violent hate for having to do it. Blistering rage for these men threatening everything.
Silent tears poured down my cheeks as the panther stopped before his master and raised his massive head.
Lucien’s jaw clenched so hard, my teeth ached along with his. Dropping to one knee, he scratched the sleek predator behind his velveteen ears and whispered something I couldn’t hear.
Whisper leaned forward and licked Lucien’s cheek.
The ache in my heart matched the ache in his, all wrapped up with terrible, tangible fury.
With shaking hands, Lucien carefully tied the red ribbon around the cat’s neck. Pressing his forehead to Whisper’s, he murmured, “You have to stay.”
Whisper hissed and tried to pull back but Lucien held him tight. “You will not follow me or go against my command.”
The bond flooded with emotions so sharp and painful, it stole what little breath I had left.
“I’m sorry,” Lucien whispered. “Stay safe and protect them. Wait for me.”
Whisper rumbled low, half a growl, half a whimper, bumping his head against Lucien’s chest.
Lucien’s throat worked. He pressed one last kiss between Whisper’s ears, then rose.
Turning, he offered up the other end of the ribbon to Auntie Mei’s blood-stained hands. “Please take good care of him.”
Auntie Mei burst into fresh tears, refusing to accept. “Xiao Lu...you can’t.”
Lucien grabbed her bloody hand, smacked the leash binding Whisper into it, and curled her fingers tight around it. “Take him.”
She shook her head. “You can’t go with them, Luxin. Youcan’t.”
Whisper struggled to get free. Dillon stepped toward us, and Uncle Wen shifted in a puddle of his blood.
Lucien balled his hands and glowered at everyone. “You will all stay and behave. We’re leaving, and you’re not going to do a damn thing to jeopardise that, got it?”
Whisper spat.
