Solstice Souls Book 2: Black Fire, White Flame

The Truth in Masquerade

Song Lan opened the door and became alarmed as soon as he saw Lan Zhan.

*What's wrong?" He asked, worriedly.

His tone woke the other man, and if Lan Zhan had any doubts about the nature of their relationship before now, they were obliterated like morning fog by the sun now, because a very naked Xiao XingChen quickly threw on a robe and pulled him into the room.

"Nothing is wrong...exactly..." But Lan Zhan couldn't explain it away, this nagging feeling like a tapeworm in his stomach.

He looked at his warm bracelet resting on his pulse and thought of Wei Ying again. The temperature had increased yesterday and stayed like this through the night, a constant reminder that all was not well with Wei Ying and its twin piece of jewelry.

"Then why are you here?" Xiao XingChen asked him, sympathy in this voice.

Lan Zhan hated that. The sympathy part.

Now that they knew who his soulmate was, they did not believe Lan Zhan would be able to rescue him. Not from where the Wens were currently keeping him. The Arena was built like a fortress despite its eight gates. It was a formidable structure anyway, even with so many entrances, but it was the getting out part which would prove the most difficult.

Forty thousand people knew what Wei Ying looked like...anonymity was a lost cause. And if it came to fighting?

They were only three...against hundreds and thousands of Wen soldiers.

Instead, he focused on cold, hard facts.

They were the sisters of rules, twins even, going everywhere hand in hand.

"I am going to the Arena now. There is a small chance we may not meet again unless the winds of Fate make it so. I am only telling you now because I did not want you to worry if you found me gone." Lan Zhan bowed deeply.

From a young age it had been drilled deeply into him that the level of bowing showed how much the person being bowed to was respected. Lan Zhan had a deep respect for these cultivators, who had bravely gone rogue.

With no affiliation to any sect, major or otherwise, they had cut themselves off from aid and the many benefits...and many problems that were associated with the political nature of belonging to one.

Lan Zhan couldn't even imagine not having the benefit of the whole clan standing behind himself. It had not even been a full week and he was already missing Uncle Qiren. And more than him or his Elders, Lan Zhan missed his brother.

Always a steady presence in his life, his XiongZhang was the wall he could lean against in any situation.

But there was no point in thinking about the impossible.

"We know Xue Yang is going to fight today. Let us worry about him." They promised.

"Thank you for everything you have done for me." Lan Zhan straightened his back and turned towards the door.

"It was indeed a fortuitous meeting." Song Lan said, smiling at him.

Lan Zhan was going to call that a win.

The walk to the Arena was quiet, this early in the morning. The sun had not even risen yet, and there was a peaceful chill in the air. If Lan Zhan closed his eyes, he could even imagine being back in Cloud Recesses walking from the Jingshi to the Great Hall and it wouldn't be a stretch.

Early traders were here, setting up stalls and cooking utensils, amicably chatting about mundane things between them.

He thought about the ordinary people who were caught up in the soon to be declared war, if Wen Rouhan had his way.