An Unexpected Reunion

Nine days until the planet exploded.

The night passed in the blink of an eye. The brilliant stars vanished into the first light of dawn.

Clear birdsong drifted through the gauze curtains into the room where the fire had gone out. Rhythmic footsteps sounded in the corridor.

Xia Lun raised his head slightly and looked toward the door. The footsteps stopped, and Feilier's voice rang out.

"Holy and great Lord Xia Lun, everything is ready. You may leave whenever you wish!"

"All right."

Xia Lun rose from the chair before the fireplace and gently nudged Renee, who was fast asleep.

"Mmm?"

Renee opened her bleary eyes, her lashes damp with tears like morning dew. She stretched comfortably, looked dazed for a moment, then sprang up like a startled squirrel.

She stared warily at the door, a blade formed from Holy Flame hanging low in her hand. Heat warped the threads of the russet carpet beneath it, releasing a faint stench of scorched protein.

"They turned on us after all!" she whispered. "Good thing you kept watch! Do we fight our way out?"

Xia Lun fell silent for a moment. "They haven't turned on us. There's no need to be so tense. Get ready—we should leave." Renee blinked, then glanced aside sheepishly and dismissed her weapon.

"Can we have breakfast first?" She paused, as though searching for an excuse. "We'll travel better on a full stomach."

A little over ten minutes later, Xia Lun and Renee finished a quick breakfast and followed Feilier, dressed in hunting clothes, into the courtyard. The downpour had stopped overnight. A fresh breeze carried the scent of flowers and the earthy smell that followed rain. "Neigh!"

At the familiar, cheerful whinny, several attendants carefully led Delis out of the stable.

In the warm sunlight, Delis's mane