Chapter 27

*Hollow*
Bai Shuzhou was exhausted—breath heavy as stone.
Zhu Yu would not close her eyes—lingering on curled lashes—breathing light—afraid to disturb fragile arc.
Only faint red at nose from desire or illness gave color to paper-pale cheeks—after feather kiss she woke from old scroll—blue eyes misty—Zhu Yu’s small anxious shadow.
Next kisses gentler—Bai Shuzhou rare yield—let girl explore slow—indulgent patience.
Fingers in cold gaps—clumsy—ten fingers locked—scraping warmth from palm.
Dragon blood ran cold—tonight she felt like jade that would not warm.
She did not know what torment—what pain under calm—words stuck—deeper silent comfort in lips.
First time Zhu Yu felt—even knowing Bai Shuzhou from the book—she was still a stranger.
Like history from afar—joy and sorrow small in time.
She would grow strong—then what—old wounds ache at night?
She only saw bright future—not past—not how moon rose—not what she thought now.
Sensing drop—Bai Shuzhou bit lower lip—no threat—cat paw pad tap—
Hoarse at ear—“Focus.”
Kiss me—focus.
Moon voice lazy nose—almost coquettish for cold Bai Shuzhou—
Blink—flash satisfied smile—liked the kiss—
Soft—cup face—lighter peck—
Plots and empires far—only skin and breath anchor—hearts close—not just heat night hormones—
Bai Shuzhou touched hair—eyes opened again—tired clear—warned no reply to Federation—positive today sword tomorrow—
Army on bugs—nobles arrogant—enemy always Federation—
Worse—some want war—loot—accumulate—consume—
Eyes closed—sigh—pity—“Empire is sick.”
Finger circles in Zhu Yu palm—cold schemes unpacked—heavy trust—
World layers clear—Zhu Yu felt retainer below queen—wait order—
But queen pale glass—Zhu Yu stepped near whisper—“Body… okay?”
“Small issue—” pinch nose—weather tone—“Because I’m strong—” pride in pillow silver hair soft—rare fluffy fragile—
—
“Spirit too strong—body can’t hold—overflow—chaos—rest fixes.”
Unease remained—wrong but unnamed—
Before tail would coil honest—tonight still—
Pulse faint—blue eyes dim—down—
Rest time.
“Massage?” Soft at cool ear—“Sleep well—”
“No.” Stared.
“Not that—” Academy danger—nuzzle—“Just comfort—okay?”
Soft bump—bright eyes—haze cleared—
Reason said send her away—
Bai Shuzhou brow—wicked pinky poke waist—“Which—which one?”
Unspeakable—only they knew—
Zhu Yu caught hand—air changed—
Ice official face—private question—tingle finger to finger—
Want kiss again—not enough—
Thin lips looked sharp—yet colored wet—swallow—
So pretty…
Red face pleased—cold hand on cheek slow—“Fever?”
Ice traced face—crisp voice—lean back—fuller lip—eyes: don’t kiss—
Don’t think pink elephant—
Don’t melt in pillows—
Don’t—
Shouldn’t come—shouldn’t indulge—
Forbidden—flame wild—
Hand hooked—half kneel—devout—not crush her—
Not gods—only desire—
Soft arm stiff then adjust—slow breath—rose heat—
Pain and tingle—bit lip—brief sink—
Escape pain—lover touch wounded soul—
She played elegant only—
Neck—Zhu Yu stopped restrained—
Wet drops—
Bai Shuzhou open—rain in eyes—
Zhu Yu crying—
Summer rain sudden—bitter drops—
“Does it hurt?”
Not kiss—touch needle hole—blood bead—
Ruby sewn in skin—
Must hurt—why silent—
Pity became pain—
Hair back—more marks—
Needles near gland—hair hid medical tracks into sheets—
Snow can’t hide—casual strong act—
Sensitive skin—Omega senses amplified—joy and pain both—
Paradis one needle unbearable—soul leaking—
Now lying—kiss only raft—
Touch lip—throat tremble—eyes closed feel—
Dark—kiss eases even without power—
Empire talk neutral—now all feeling in kiss—
Release—sink—silent throb—
All caught—
Tears for her pain—and own slowness—
Fish crying in her bitter sea—
Her tears—pain in bone blurred—
Relaxed pain—tap lip—“Fine—continue.”
Vulnerable wants warmth—
Zhu Yu knew nothing—
Like morning she vanished—always alone—
“Show wounds—call doctor?”
“We’re lovers—share—don’t silence—”
Silence—Bai Shuzhou laughed—
Tried kiss—blood on neck—stopped—“No—don’t talk this.”
Not silence—“Don’t want this topic”—tired pleading—
Zhu Yu missed compromise—pulled blanket like shack—
Boundary blurred—massage care—no blanket better—
Blanket pull—offense—
“Don’t move!”
Cold air—wounds exposed—
Pupils sharp vertical—stiff—hoarse cub roar—“Don’t look at me.”
Sand voice—room cold—
Too big reaction—heart wild—could pull again—weak can’t refuse—
Red eyes shame—won’t be seen—
Defense no strength—white knuckles sheet—spasm—
Wrong—staring shaking hands—
Aware—lips part—syllables lost in fog—
Awful—
“Sorry—” helpless—
Face up sweat—“Out!”
Absolute push—
Bell—knights ghost Zhu Yu out—
Distance—disinfectant—island bed—
No shoes—no wheelchair—no freedom—
Tears—touch still burn—pain blade heart—
Hate late knowing—alone so long—
Struggle knights—
Door—sea scent crush—
Knees soft—held—blue eyes down—
Bai Qianze—
Waiting!
“Your Majesty”—bow—
Melnor behind—
Ice contempt—spirit worse than Yzelia—suffocate—
—Waste—
“You can do what right?” Jade metal voice—
Kill easy—
Hand up—saw ring on fist—
Her gift on Zhu Yu—
Tsk—“Plaything.”—turned in—
Follow—Melnor—“Want death?”
Door open—low cry—“Sister…”
Alarm—burst in—
Not fight—emperor cradling Shuzhou—water—pills one by one—
Guardian not blade—
Fear anyway—
Shuzhou looked—empty cold—
Shrunk deeper in sister—
Kill intent—“Out—hurt her again?”
Breath ragged—
Kiss moments ago—now initial ice—
Worse—no hate—only hollow.