Hua Ren’s strength waned and his legs gave out beneath him. He slumped to the cold, damp floor, his back pressed against the wall. His eyes burned and all he could think of was the Emperor—his unwavering gaze, his commanding presence, the warmth Hua Ren had always felt in his presence, even if it was one-sided. And now, that image was being torn apart by the lies of these spies.
He didn't know what to do.
Then, suddenly, the faint sound of keys jingling reached his ears, cutting through the suffocating silence. After a few tense moments, the heavy metal door to the dungeon slid open with a loud creak, and Hua Ren raised his head, blinking against the dim light that filtered into the room.
Sheng Fei stood by the entrance, his tall frame casting a shadow over Hua Ren. He stared down at the Ivory Warlord with an unreadable expression. When he saw his mate’s reddened eyes, a flicker of concern crossed his face but it vanished just as fast as it came.
He had been in the middle of his dinner when a guard informed him that the Ivory Warlord was frantically banging on the door, demanding to see him. For a brief, moment, his heart had skipped a beat, thinking that perhaps Hua Ren was finally ready to speak to him as his mate. But as he looked into Hua Ren's reddened, desperate eyes, he knew that wasn’t the case.
“What is it?” Sheng Fei demanded, his voice cold and distant.
Hua Ren quickly scrambled to his feet, a spark of hope igniting in his chest. He stood before Sheng Fei, trying to steady his trembling hands as he spoke. “I need to speak with you,” he said urgently. He then cast a wary glance at the spies who were watching them intently, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and contempt. “In private,” Hua Ren added, his voice dropping to a near whisper.
Hua Ren felt ashamed of his situation but this was a matter of his love. His Emperor. He couldn't waste time. He had to find a way to trick the Rebel leader and escape. He just needed to get his hands on a sword and get rid of the ropes around his hands.
Sheng Fei narrowed his eyes, his gaze flicking between Hua Ren and the spies. He could sense the tension in the room. He didn’t trust Hua Ren. How could he, after the way Hua Ren had tried to kill him but seeing Hua Ren's eyes, wet with tears and hearing the way his voice had trembled when he asked for privacy, piqued Sheng Fei’s curiosity.
What could possibly be so important that the Ivory Warlord would set aside his pride and show a weak side of himself ? The Hua Ren now was so different from the one he fought with some hours ago. Sheng Fei’s heart itched and he couldn't help but find Hua Ren cute.
After a long, tense moment, Sheng Fei gave a curt nod. “Very well,” he said, his voice still cold, though a hint of intrigue coloured his tone. What could possibly happen anyway? He could easily subdue Hua Ren using his pheromones.
With that, he directly grabbed Hua Ren's arm and pulled him out of the cell. He didn't stop until they got to his room. He released Hua Ren and crossed his arms over his chest. “Well?” he asked, his tone impatient. “What’s so important that you needed to see me right now?”
Hua Ren took a deep breath, trying to steady the whirlwind of emotions inside him. On their way to the room, he had already counted the number of guards around and was thinking of a way to escape.
Well, escaping was easy. The only thing stopping him was the person in front of him. If Sheng Fei decided to use his pheromones, there was no wah he would be able to leave. He gritted his teeth, cursing the deities above. Why did they have to make the Rebel leader his Alpha? Couldn't they make the Emperor his Alpha?
"I'm waiting." Sheng Fei said, observing Hua Ren intently. He hadn't missed a single expression in those beautiful white eyes. He could already tell that Hua Ren was thinking of escaping but he was also wary of the fact that he could easily be stopped by his pheromones. In way, Sheng Fei was amused. His mate just never gives up.
"You managed to capture the spies but they had already dispatched a messanger bird to the Emperor." Hua Ren said. "The village is in danger. You have to get everyone out of here."
Well, it wasn't the real reason but it wasn't a lie either. The Emperor would surely send people to the Eternal Grain Valley to wipe out the Rebels. If Sheng Fei believes his words, he'd be able to use the chance to escape.
Sheng Fei gazed at Hua Ren silently for a while then tilted his head, gazing at Hua Ren with a blatant look of disbelief. "And you're telling me this why? Shouldn't you of all people be happy? Don't tell me you've developed a soft spot for us."
He took some steps closer to Hua Ren, the distance between them almost non-existent now. His golden eyes gleamed with amusement. "Or have you developed a soft spot for me?"
He hoped that was it. Maybe Hua Ren was not able to resist their bond too. Maybe all that talk earlier was just him denying his feelings. After all, they were mates. It wasn't a trivial matter.
Hua Ren stiffened, his heart pounding in his chest. He forced himself to maintain eye contact, refusing to let Sheng Fei see the turmoil within him. “I’m warning you because I don’t want unnecessary bloodshed,” he replied, his voice strained. “That’s all.”
Sheng Fei’s smile widened, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Really?” he asked, his tone dripping with disbelief. “You expect me to believe that the Ivory Warlord, the Emperor’s prized general, cares about sparing the lives of a few rebels? You know that I am your mate, your Alpha, but you were ready to kill me. If I had let my guard down for even a second, I would be in a cage before your beloved Emperor.”
Actually, he already knew about the bird. He could have killed it if he wanted but what was the use? Killing the bird would not benefit him in any way. To get his mate by his side and make him see the Emperor's true colours, he had to first make them enemies.
He felt a little angry over being rejected by his mate but he couldn't deny the bond. The unexplainable magnetic pull he felt towards his mate. He lifted a hand and brushed a stray lock of hair away from Hua Ren’s face, the gesture surprisingly gentle.
“So tell me the truth, Hua Ren. Why would you, the Emperor’s most loyal hound, warn us of danger?” Sheng Fei murmured, his voice low and almost tender. “Unless... you want to use the opportunity to escape."