Mingxi placed a warm hand on her back. “You should rest.”
“I’m fine.”
“No,” he said gently, “you’re very much not fine.”
She cracked the smallest smile. “You’re sweet.”
Minghua gasped. “He isnotsweet; he is tortured and broody—”
Mingxi shot her a murderous look.
“See,” she said, pointing at his facial expression. “Not sweet.”
Xu Yunlian cupped Poppy’s face. “You’re safe here, darling. We’ll take care of you.”
Poppy’s throat tightened. She nodded.
Lysandra suddenly sat bolt upright like a puppet on crackling strings. “Oh.Oh.Something’s bubbling.”
Caelan groaned. “Ancestors, please no—”
Her voice deepened. “The moon’s shadow stretches. The path is chosen. The bond—”
Mingxi froze.
Lysandra blinked and then said cheerfully, “Never mind! False alarm. I was just hungry.”
Caelan covered his face.
Mingzhao muttered, “I hate prophecy.”
Chapter 82
Later, Mingxi guided Poppy to a quieter room lit by foxfire candles. She sank onto a cushion, and he knelt in front of her, taking her hand with a tenderness that steadied her heartbeat.
“You endured too much today,” he murmured. “You shouldn’t have had to.”
“You did too,” Poppy said.
He shook his head. “I would do it again. A thousand times.”
The words came out fierce. Raw. Unhidden. She reached to brush a strand of hair from his cheek, and his breath caught. His ears lowered. His shoulders eased.
Poppy realized that all the power he possessed, all the tails and foxfire and fury—none of it compared to the gentle way he touched her. He leaned in until their foreheads brushed.
“I’m not letting anything harm you,” he whispered.
She whispered back, “Then I’m not going anywhere.”
Family Interruption #47… Minghua kicked the door open.
“You two are beingso cuteit’s physically painful.”
Mingxi groaned. “Get out!”
“Nope!” She flopped beside Poppy. “We’re having girl time.”
Poppy blinked. “Girl time?”
