Chapter 157: Trust Me

The room was small, dimly lit by a single lantern that cast shadows against the walls. Inside it was quiet, which came with its own relief.

Ru Yi stepped in first, her movements steady and deliberate. The entire day had been a little close to disaster and she was ready to call it a day.

None of the sisters had come down to eat or spoken to her. It made her feel uneasy, that she might’ve made everything worse.

Han Shuying followed closely, sliding the door shut behind them with a soft click. Neither of them spoke.

Ru Yi crossed the room without hesitation, her eyes moving briefly to the bed before moving past it entirely. She reached for the folded blankets set aside near the wall, picked them up and shook it once before laying them carefully on the ground.

Han Shuying watched her the entire time. "What are you doing?" she asked, her voice calm. Though there was a faint edge of genuine curiosity beneath it.

Ru Yi didn’t look at her. "Sleeping, you should try it too."

Han Shuying’s gaze dropped to the blankets on the floor, then back to Ru Yi. "Why are you sleeping on the cold hard ground when there’s a bed?"

"I don’t see how that’s your concern."

Han Shuying let out a quiet breath, something between amusement and irritation, as she stepped further into the room.

"Get on the bed," her tone was direct, losing its earlier lightness. "I won’t ask you again."

Ru Yi held her gaze for a moment, as if considering the command. Then instead of moving to the bed she laid on the ground.

She wasn’t about to make herself prey to the vicious woman standing in front of her.

"Does Empress Lihua truly know everything the princesses are doing?" Ru Yi asked.

The shift in topic was abrupt and intentional.

Han Shuying went still for a couple of seconds, her eyes narrowing just a fraction. "That’s what you want to ask?"

"Yes."

"They’ve lived this long since their exile because the Empress allowed it." She sounded almost conversational. "As long as the princesses are alive, they’ll always remain a threat to the throne."

"And you?" Ru Yi gulped as she took in the hard planes of Han Shuying’s face. "Are you a threat to the throne?"

Han Shuying knew what she was really asking. If she could trust her to keep her word about not hurting the princesses during the duration of their journey. Because in Ru Yi’s eyes, the throne could only rightly belong to them.

"Why are you so worried about them?" Han Shuying asked, settling down on the bed. "You’re going out of your way to help them when they won’t do the same for you."

They would.

Ru Yi knew that much.

But if it was her standing between them and the throne— they’d so easily cast her aside. She wasn’t delusional enough to think otherwise. Not when she’d heard Yexue say those exact words.

"What’s your history with Yexue?" Ru Yi turned so she was lying on her back. "You two seem to be former lovers."

Han Shuying’s lips curved slightly as she laid down. "Why? Are you jealous?"

The question hung in the air, soft but pointed, carrying more weight than the tone suggested. Ru Yi said nothing in response to it.

"Our deal still stands," Ru Yi reminded her.

"Of course. I’m not some lowlife that’ll easily go back on their word." For the first time Han Shuying felt offended that her integrity was being questioned. Even while knowing she’d given every reason for it to be in the past.

Ru Yi’s fingers tightened against the edge of the blanket under her, the fabric grounding her thoughts.

She’d given up her freedom for the triplets...had chosen to go back with Han Shuying in exchange.

The fallout between the sisters had only served as a reminder to the fortune tellers warning—that she would bring doom to those around her.

All she could do was help them get to the fortress, help them get on the right path...and then ultimately disappear from their lives.

That way Yexue and Qingyue would never have to fight again because of her.

Ru Yi touched the ring on her finger.

The effects of its magic would not affect any of them if they remained apart. Leaving was honestly the only solution to everything. It was the only path that wasn’t damning to the princesses.

If anything they needed to remain as one, they needed to have each other’s back. Ru Yi would hate herself if she took that from them.

"What are you thinking so hard about?" Han Shuying asked, turning her head to the side. "Are you worried that I have a trick up my sleeve?"

Ru Yi shook her head. "No."

Han Shuying immediately caught the deep melancholy buried in her voice. "Is it the princesses? There’s no need to be sad that you’re leaving them. It’s for the best."

"You say that like you know something I don’t."

Han Shuying closed her eyes briefly. "There are many things that you do not know, Ru Yi. Many things I wish I could tell you."

Ru Yi bolted up. "Say it."

Han Shuying shook her head. "It will do you no good. Stop worrying your little head and go to bed. We have a long journey ahead of us."

How could Ru Yi sleep?

The only thing that raced through her mind was how everything had begun to fracture the moment she stepped into their lives. It settled heavily in her chest, impossible to ignore any longer.

Her grip on the fabric tightened.

"Aren’t you afraid that the princesses won’t let you leave with me so easily?" Ru Yi tried to distract herself with other scenarios in her head.

Han Shuying scoffed. "The problem is you overestimate your importance in their eyes. I know them better than you do, that’s why I’m saving you the heartache on time."

"What do you mean?" Ru Yi asked in a confused voice.

"Sometimes you choose to see the good in people so much that you forget the parts of them that can hurt you."