“Panther,” Lucien cut in. “Actually.”
“Panther,” the woman repeated in a daze. Cocking her head, she smiled a little wistfully. “Even your voice sounds like—”
She choked as comprehension finally clicked into place.
Her knees buckled.
The old man caught her just in time, wrapping his arm around her as if protecting her from us.
But then she started to cry. “Xiao Lu?”
A skin-sizzling burst of fire escaped Lucien, arrowing into me as if I was the containment of his pain. Frost answered. Snow howled. I gasped with agony.
But Lucien just clutched me hard as he nodded and said, “Hello, Uncle Wen, Auntie Mei.”
Absolute chaos broke out....
Chapter Thirty-Three
EVERYTHING HAPPENED IN A FEVER DREAM.
I was awake but not.
Conscious but burning.
Uncle Wen joined his wife in tears and Auntie Mei tried to kowtow at my feet, only to jerk upright as Whisper stalked forward and hissed.
They tried to touch me; Rook stepped in and shielded me.
They jabbered about so many things; my ears rang too loudly to hear.
They beckoned me to go home...I followed.
However, I didn’t remember moving as we left the cliff and stepped through the black and gold gates of Ashfall Cliff.
I didn’t know how I operated my hands and feet when I could no longer feel such things.
All I could feel was fire.
Burning.
Burning.
People came from all directions, disgruntled and peeved until Uncle Wen flung out his arms and presented me like I was a long-lost prince.
I locked down every muscle as Uncle Wen gathered everyone into the central courtyard, introducing me to every gardener, cook, maid, and handyman, reeling off far too many names.
I braced myself as they touched me for good luck.
I gritted my teeth as hands—far,fartoo many hands worshipped me and welcomed me, making my insides roar with flames.
“You’re alive!” someone said.
“How is this possible?” another cried.
“Why did you not come home sooner?”
“Where have you been?!”
