Wei Xiang immediately pressed his lips together, using his free hand to pretend to lock his mouth shut. Despite the crushing exhaustion weighing down her limbs, a tiny, genuine smile touched the corners of Lin Wan's lips.
A few steps away, Cassian stood near the far wall. His tall, imposing figure remained perfectly still, his glowing golden eyes fixed entirely on Lin Wan's small frame on the bed. His inner thoughts were a chaotic storm of fierce protectiveness and silent helplessness. He was a ruler who could command armies and reshape valleys with a flick of his wrist, yet in this warm, birth-scented room, his great power meant absolutely nothing.
Outside the grand chamber, the situation was rapidly falling apart.
Another violent tremor rolled through the foundation of the Supreme Citadel. The stone walls groaned under immense pressure, and the hanging crystal lamps swung wildly from the carved wooden ceiling, casting chaotic shadows across the floor.
