Get Out Of My Way

Tianshi Xue was back in her room, already in her night clothes. She had managed to borrow Prince Xiaodan's Linker (hologram bracelet that functions as a cellphone). She knew she shouldn't try to look for what happened to her body. But after hearing about her death, about a thousand questions piled on top of the millions that she already have.

She took a deep breath and finally typed in the air: Tianshi Xue. In a split second, there was about a thousand results that surfaced. They all included her face and the news that said that she already died. Her body was with the forensics team, trying to determine if there was another cause of death. The old women at the party were not lying.

She read through and found a statement released by the management and team of Ace of Hearts, the drama that she starred in as the villainess. "We are deeply saddened to hear this news. It is heartbreaking…"

Tianshi Xue scrolled past it angrily. "Fake people," she muttered under her breath. They only ever cared about her co-star, the lead actress, they thought that she was the one who was carrying the show, but in fact, if it weren't for Tianshi Xue's skill as the antagonist, they wouldn't have made it that far.

The last paragraph made her stop. "We are still waiting to hear from Tianshi Xue's family."

Tianshi Xue pressed a hand over her lips. Right, she was so caught up trying to return to her body that she forgot that her family was still out there. Just how did her sister react? Tianshi Xue's heart squeezed at the thought and tears brimmed her eyes.

I'm not going to cry, she told herself.

She immediately turned off the Linker when she heard someone. She already plastered a smile on her face, thinking it would be Prince Xiaodan. But when the door was burst open, it was Prince Qui. The smile vanished as quickly as it came.

All the other emotions in her body was replaced by fear. She clutched the blanket. "W-what are you doing here?"

The Prince's blank eyes were filled with an emotion she did not recognize. He didn't answer her question and instead opened the closet and started rummaging through it. He tossed her a black garment.

"Put it on," he said.

Tianshi Xue could not move.

Haste, she thought. It was haste. There was sharpness in his movements and angriness--angriness that he could not move fast enough.

Prince Qui sighed and grabbed her ankle. He pulled her to the side of the bed. Tianshi Xue yelped. "I said put it on!"

Shaken, Tianshi Xue pushed her arms throught the sleeves of the jacket. "What's going on?"

"There's an invasion," he said and there were rushed footsteps. A second later, Howin (Princess Yingyue's handmaiden) was at the door. "Princess, here's your emergency bag."

"What?!" she asked, looking horrified. "What is going on?!"

"I told you already, there's an invasion!" Prince Qui grabbed her wrist and pulled her up the bed. "We have to leave."

"But wha—"

"I have no time for questions." He yanked her to the hallway. Tiansi Xue was not even wearing shoes! And where was he taking her? Relief flooded her when at the end of the hallway, there was Prince Xiaodan.

He walked to his brother. "Where do you think you're going?"

Prince Qui pulled Tianshi Xue behind him. Standing close to each other, she noticed that they were almost the same height. "That's none of your business."

"I need to know. She's my fiancee."

"And I'm the General. The Empire is under attack. What I say goes. Now move."

"No."

Prince Qui scoffed. "You want her to die, then? I don't want to have to babysit her. We might as well just do it now, right?" Prince Qui pulled a dagger from his waist and pressed it against Tianshi Xue's wrist.

She let out a whimper.

"Get out of my way!" said Prince Qui.

Prince Xiaodan's face was hard—almost as hard as his younger brother's now. Tianshi Xue never thought his face could harness that much negative emotion. "If you touch my bride—"

"Oh, please. I'm not interested. Instead of threatening me, shouldn't you start praying that I don't feed her to the wolves?"

Wolves?! Tianshi Xue's mind screamed. There were no wolves inside the Empire! Were they going out of the walls?!

Prince Qui pushed past his brother and Tianshi Xue looked back at Prince Xiaodan while being pulled away. She had never felt more powerless as this monster dragged her.

Do something! She wanted to tell Prince Xiaodan. But it was The Emperor's orders. They had to obey.

"Don't worry," Prince Qui raised his voice so his brother could hear. "I'll bring her back in one piece… or at least I'll try to."

Tianshi Xue was suddenly wishing she didn't hesitate to jump from the ledge earlier.