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The courtyard was a masterpiece of silence, bathed in the eternal, haunting glow of the sapphire moon. But the tranquility was a lie. The air between the two princes crackled with the kind of tension that precedes a lightning strike.
The Stand-off
Leo's silver sword was a steady line of lethal light, the tip hovering just a fraction of a millimeter from Justin's throat. Leo's eyes, usually as calm as a still lake, were now turbulent with a protective fury. He could feel the chaotic, fiery energy radiating from the man before him—an energy that didn't belong in the cool, rhythmic harmony of the BlueMoon Kingdom.
"You have a great deal of arrogance to stand in my home and breathe our air," Leo said, his voice a low, dangerous rumble. "The barrier is ancient. The spells are absolute. Tell me, Fox Prince—how did you crawl inside my kingdom?"
Justin didn't flinch. He didn't even blink. He leaned his neck slightly forward, almost inviting the blade to draw blood, a dark, mocking chuckle vibrating in his chest. "You speak of barriers as if they are walls," Justin replied, his golden eyes burning with a primal light. "To me, they are merely suggestions. There is no realm—Heaven, Earth, or the pits of the Demon World—that can keep me from what is mine."
The mention of what is mine made Leo's grip tighten on his hilt. He knew Justin was referring to Jade, the girl who had arrived with a heart full of terror and a scent that stirred the ancient spirits of his palace.
"She is a guest of the BlueMoon," Leo hissed, his eyes narrowing into slits. "She is under my protection. You are nothing here but a shadow that stayed too long."
Leo's arm tensed, the silver blade beginning to move in a swift, decisive arc meant to pin the intruder to the marble pillar. But before the steel could make contact, the air shimmered. A sudden gust of wind, smelling of autumn leaves and foxfire, whipped through the courtyard.
In the blink of an eye, the space where Justin had been standing was empty. The blade sliced through nothing but moonlight.
Leo stood alone in the center of the courtyard, his chest heaving as he scanned the shadows of the high arches. He could still feel the lingering heat of Justin's presence, like a smudge of soot on a white silk sheet. The Fox Prince hadn't left the kingdom; he had simply merged back into the darkness, playing a game of cat and mouse in a palace he should not have been able to enter.
"Coward," Leo whispered to the wind.
He sheathed his sword with a sharp, metallic clack that echoed off the pearl walls. He turned to the guards who were now pouring into the courtyard, their armor clanking in the silence.
"He is here!" Leo commanded, his voice ringing out with royal authority. "The Nine-Tailed Prince has breached our sanctum. Search every corridor, every garden, and every shadow. Seal the exits and double the guard at the guest wing. Capture him immediately. If he resists, do not hesitate. He thinks he is a hunter... let us show him what it feels like to be the prey."
As the guards scattered, Leo looked toward Jade's window, his heart heavy with a new, terrifying realization. The war wasn't just at the borders anymore; it was inside his home, and the prize was the girl with the mystery in her blood.
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The Shadow of the Fox and the Grandpa's Gambit
The air in the BlueMoon guest wing was thick with the scent of lunar jasmine, but the tranquility was a fragile mask. Jade sat by the window, her fingers trembling against the silk of her skirts, sensing the shift in the palace's pulse long before the door burst open.
Leo entered the room with the force of a sudden storm. His eyes, usually cool and reflective like the moon, were sharp, darting into every shadowed corner and behind every hanging tapestry. His hand remained white-knuckled on the hilt of his sword.
Jade stood abruptly, her heart hammering against her ribs. "Leo? What happened? Do you need something?"
Leo paused, his gaze finally landing on her. He saw her pale face and the way she gripped the back of a chair. I cannot tell her Justin is here, he thought, his protective instincts warring with his duty. If she knows he has breached these walls, her fear will consume her.
"Jade," he said, forcing his voice to soften, though the metallic edge of a warrior remained. "Have you seen an intruder? Anyone who doesn't belong?"
Jade's stomach did a slow, painful flip. The memory of Justin's husky voice and his scent—foxfire and cold mountain air—was still fresh on her skin. She felt the lie stick in her throat. "No," she whispered, her eyes wide. "I... I haven't seen anyone. Is something wrong?"
Leo offered a tight, reassuring smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Don't panic. We are just conducting a routine sweep. We will catch whoever is lurking in the shadows. Stay inside and lock the door."
As he turned and strode out, Jade watched his retreating back, a heavy sense of dread settling in her chest.
The moment the latch clicked shut, the temperature in the room plummeted. A familiar weight pressed against her back, and a chin rested firmly on her shoulder. Jade swallowed hard, her body stiffening as the scent of the Fox Prince filled her senses.
"I didn't expect you to be so good at lying, Jade," Justin's voice purred in her ear, dark and amused. "Are you actually protecting your husband from the big, bad moon prince?"
Jade spun around in his grip, her face flushing with heat. "Who? You? No! You aren't my husband, Justin!"
Justin's smirk vanished, replaced by an expression so intense it felt like a physical brand. He lunged forward, his hands locking around her waist and pulling her flush against his chest. Jade's heart beat so wildly she thought he might feel it through his robes.
"I may not be your husband now," he said, his voice dropping to a cold, possessive whisper as he locked his golden gaze onto her eyes. "But make no mistake. No one else will ever claim you. You are mine, Jade. Whether in this realm or the next."
He released her as suddenly as he had grabbed her, leaving her swaying and breathless. He shimmered and vanished back into the shadows of the room, leaving her alone with her thoughts.
Why is he so obsessed with me? Jade whispered to the empty air. Is there not another girl in all the realms? She looked toward the door, her mind racing. If Leo finds him, Justin will tear this kingdom to pieces. I can't let them be destroyed because they tried to protect me. I have to get back to the human realm before the blood starts to flow.
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The Secret Message from Heaven
High above the clouds, where the light was blindingly white and the air was thin with purity, the Great Demon Zerath moved through the halls of the Heaven Realm. He was a creature of darkness working within the light, a master of secrets on a mission of cosmic importance.
A shimmering bubble of light floated toward him—a messenger spell. Zerath reached out, his gnarled fingers popping the bubble. Leo's voice echoed in the silent hall.
"Grandpa... as you instructed, I have brought the mortal girl to the BlueMoon Kingdom. I cannot bring her to the Heaven Realm yet. She is still filled with a terrifying rage toward Ryan... I don't know what he did to her. Also, Justin has arrived. I encountered him, but he slipped through my fingers like smoke. Grandpa, I don't understand... why do you all want her so badly? What is she?"
The message dissolved into sparkles. Zerath's face darkened, his eyes reflecting an ancient worry.
"Oh no," he whispered, his voice trembling with the weight of centuries. "What I feared most is gonna happen.But I won't let that happen as long as I'm here."
He paced the marble floor, his robes swishing. "If the Fox King claims her before she reaches us, the balance will break. I must bring Jade to the Heaven Realm immediately."
He stopped, a slow, calculated look crossing his face. "There is only one person who can navigate her anger and the Fox's fury..... Ryan."
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The Weaver of Cards
The BlueMoon Kingdom was a place of eternal, shimmering peace, but for Emily, it was a playground of infinite wonder. Emily had found a different way to pass the time: she had become the palace's unofficial oracle.
The Game of Fate
In a secluded courtyard paved with moonstone, Emily sat cross-legged on a silk cushion, surrounded by a group of wide-eyed guards and giggling servant girls. She flipped a card onto the small table—a weathered deck she had carried from the human realm.
"The card says... it is truth!" Emily announced with theatrical gravity, pointing to a girl's palm. "You will find a hidden treasure in the royal gardens before the moon reaches its zenith!"
The servant girl gasped, her face lighting up with hope. Emily watched them, a small, skeptical thought drifting through her mind. Why do these immortals believe everything I say? They have lived for centuries, yet they hang onto the words of a mortal girl with a deck of cardboard. Can't they see their own futures?
"What exactly is happening here?"
The voice was like a sudden frost. The servants and guards scrambled to their feet, bowing so low their foreheads nearly touched the ground before they bolted toward their duties in a blur of panicked motion.
Emily turned slowly, her heart skipping a beat. Prince Leo stood there, his silver robes catching the lunar light. His face was a mask of cold, regal indifference.
"So," Leo said, stepping closer. "You are the one who has brought my palace to a standstill. Do you know the punishment for distracting the royal guard from their posts?"
Emily gave a weak, awkward smile, her hands trembling as she gathered her cards. "I... I was just... sorry, Your Highness."
Leo leaned in, his shadow falling over her. "In this realm, such disobedience is often met with a stay in the Dark Lake," he said, his voice dropping to a terrifying whisper. "The waters are freezing, and the crocodiles that inhabit the depths haven't been fed in a week."
Emily's eyes went wide. She stepped back, her heel catching on the edge of the silk cushion. As she began to fall backward, a strong hand shot out, catching her by the waist and pulling her steady.
For a heartbeat, the world stopped. Emily could feel the steady throb of Leo's pulse against her arm; Leo, for his part, found himself momentarily distracted by the genuine, mortal warmth radiating from her. He cleared his throat, his eyes darting away as he helped her stand straight.
To break the suffocating awkwardness, Leo gestured to the deck. "Can you actually see the threads of time with those? Or is it just a mortal trick?"
Emily nodded quickly, eager to change the subject. "I can try. Do you want me to see your future, Prince Leo?"
"Not mine," Leo said, his expression turning solemn. "Look at my father, King Dylan. Tell me of the prosperity of our realm."
Emily drew a card, her brow furrowing as she studied the intricate ink. "Your realm is blessed, Prince. Your people are safe because they have a King as strong as the mountain. No enemy can touch these walls as long as your father sits upon the throne."
Leo's lips curled into a rare, genuine smile. But Emily didn't stop. She drew a second card, and her face went pale. She hesitated, her fingers hovering over the paper.
"Continue," Leo commanded.
"If I say it... you won't punish me? People usually get angry when I speak of misfortune," Emily whispered, her voice trembling.
"I am not like most people," Leo replied. "Speak."
"The card says... your father will soon face a critical trial. A moment of great peril that could threaten his very life."
Leo stood up abruptly, his eyes flashing with a sudden, protective anger. "What?"
Emily scrambled up, nearly tripping over her skirts. "I said it! I said you'd get pissed! Don't punish me! It's the card talking, not me!" She squeezed her eyes shut, ready for the dungeon.
Leo looked at her, his anger slowly dissolving into a heavy, thoughtful silence. He let out a long breath. "Leave it. It is just a piece of paper. How can a mortal object see the fate of an Immortal King?"
Emily felt a wave of relief wash over her. She wiped a stray tear from her eye and looked at Leo with genuine curiosity. "You are all so powerful... can't you see the future yourselves? With magic?"
Leo looked at her, his gaze devoid of its earlier hardness, replaced by a haunting depth. "No. No one—neither Immortal nor Mortal—can see what has not yet happened. The future is a river that changes its course with every breath."
He turned his gaze toward the distant spires of the palace. "But... we can see the Past. We can see the truth of every life ever lived."
"Really?" Emily breathed. "How?"
"The Truth Pond," Leo whispered. "It is a sacred place, hidden deep within the fold of the realms. No one can reach it easily. It is said that long ago, only the Heaven King Ren and his Queen Lia were able to stand before its waters and see the echoes of the beginning."
Emily's mind raced. The Truth Pond. If she could get Jade there, maybe they could find out who Jade really was. Maybe they could find out why a Fox Prince and a Moon Kingdom were both willing to bleed for a girl who thought she was just a human.
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To be Continued.....
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