Yibo's pov~

"Commander!"

Adrian called out to me as he ran towards me with other soldiers. He was injured but he was not dead. I was happy to see that they had spared him.

However, he looked horrified when he saw me, as I was covered in blood.

"Commander, are you alright?! We have been looking for you the entire day, you just disappeared... did the rebels took you?"

I looked at Adrian and the others before I said, "let's go to the emperor."

"But commander, shouldn't we take you to the doctor first?"

"No need Adrian I am fine." I said, but my voice came out as weak, my walk was slow and once I reached the palace, even the emperor and the crown prince looked shocked when they saw me.

"Oh dear." The emperor spoke, "Are you alright Yibo? You are covered in blood. Are you injured?"

I was dead from inside but I did not say that.

I bowed before the emperor and said, "I am sorry, I couldn't bring Azrael's head and..."

The emperor sighed he was disappointed, "Indeed that's disappointed, not just you failed to bring Azrael's head in, you were not able to save Hazel."

I looked at the emperor shocked, " a dead body of a woman was discovered near the temple, she was stabbed and bitten by snakes, the Hargreve family confirmed that it was their daughter Hazel.

They are going to conduct a funeral for him."

I sighed, knowing that it was probably a show, and that Hargreve family was lying, but I said nothing and looked down at the floor, "My apologies, your majesty."

"This is the first time you have failed me Yibo, what happened?"

"I underestimated the rebels." I said, "I should have been more prepared."

"I heard that the rebels took you, and seeing all the blood on you, it seems that you are badly injured...go to the doctor and get checked and you can take a few days off."

"Yes your majesty."

"And Yibo... such things should not happen again." The emperor warned.

"Yes, your majesty." With that I got up and walked out. My heart was hammering against my chest, I should have told the emperor about Zhan, I should have told him that I let Azrael go, I let my emotions get the best of me.

I was betraying the crown, I was going against my principle, but I cannot bring myself to put Zhan in danger.

"Yibo." I stopped when I heard someone call my name, I turned back and saw Gideon, he came running towards me, "are you alright? Come let me take you to the royal doctor."

He reached his hand towards me but I stepped back, "I want to go home crown prince."

"But Yibo..."

I coughed and kept my hand over my chest, interrupting him. He sighed and said, "okay, but let me drop you home. I will call my carriage."

I was too weak to resist him and so I let him do whatever he wanted.

"These rebels really need to die." Gideon said as he sat beside me, while I leaned against the window, "I swear to god once I find these rebels I will skin them alive, I will torture them so much that they will regret being born."

I felt bile rise up in my throat, "STOP THE CARRIAGE." I yelled and jumped out of the carriage and vomited by guts out.

"Oh god Yibo." Gideon said, "Are you sure you are alright?"

I said nothing, I just climbed back in the carriage. This time crown prince was quiet all the way till we reached my home.

"Take care Yibo." Gideon said and I thanked him before I walked in.

Once I reached my home, I collapsed on my bed. Azure came and sat on the bed as well, I smiled once I saw him, he was the bird I and Zhan had rescued long time back.

Suddenly my eyes were filled with tears once again, I looked at the ring at my finger and my heart ached even more. I had no idea what will happen from here.

"Yibo."

I looked up and saw Zhan standing in my room, I sat up on my bed and glared at him, "get out.".

"I came to check on you... you are not well."

"And you are the reason for it." I said, "why have you come here? Are you here to finish your job? Are you worried that I might have told everyone about you, so you are to kill me, go ahead, finish your job. I am too weak to fight you anyways!"

I was breathing heavily by the time I finished speaking.

Zhan just looked at me with that hurt expression and wet eye, I couldn't see him in pain, so I looked away. Despite everything.

"Yibo..."

"Stop calling my name and get lost Zhan, I don't want to see your face."

"What are you going to do from here?" he asked.

"I don't know!" I said a little louder, "I don't know what to do anymore... despite everything I don't want you to die, or get hurt.... I don't want your family to be killed or executed, but at the same time I don't want to go against my family and my principles... I feel so pathetic that I still love you."

"I love you too."

"If you loved me then you would stop all this and come to my side."

"If you loved me then you would join me too."

"But you are wrong!"

"And for me you are wrong Yibo." Zhan said.

I grabbed my hair and pulled then a little, "get out Zhan... there is no use in talking to you! Fuck off!"

"You are hurting yourself Yibo."

"GET LOST!" I said as I sat back on the bed and sighed.

There was silence for sometime before Zhan spoke, "there was something that I wanted to ask you as well."

I said nothing and he continued.

"Is your family cursed?"

I looked up and blinked and Zhan said, "today you suddenly coughed up blood..."

"Have you completely lost your mind Zhan?" I said as I got up, "you could not brainwash me so now you are bringing up curses? Witchcraft? You know that it is banned in the capital, right?

What are you going to say next? That I am mad as well? What the hell is going on with you. Why did you bring up curses out of nowhere! What are you trying to get out of this! If you want to make me mad then you already succeeded."

"Yibo I..."

"Leave Zhan." I said, "and don't show me your face again."

"Yibo..."

"GO!" I yelled, and Zhan finally left before not before saying, "I will be back."