Prince Lei Yǔlín's fingers closed on the hilt of the sword with an urgent strength, his cold metal edge against Su Shu's neck. The sword was almost touching her skin and drew blood in a thin line of red where it brushed against her.
"Who hired the assassins to murder my father?" Yǔlín's voice was low and menacing, his golden eyes slitted, the storm brewing behind them.
Su Shu gasped in short, nervous breaths. "I-I don't know what you're talking about."
Yǔlín's jaw was tightly closed as his voice turned cold. "Don't lie to me. You're fixated on killing him. Obviously, whoever sent you assumed you were dead. So, being pragmatic as ever, they sent another team of assassins to do what you were unable to."
Su Shu's eyes leapt about in desperation but did not find an out. She swallowed hard as words stuck in her throat while Yǔlín drew his sword, the metal flashing threateningly in the dark.
As he was about to knock it down, Commander Wuji entered the room. "Yǔlín," he said authoritatively. "Is that not enough? I believe she is innocent."
Yǔlín's eyes stayed glued on Su Shu, dark with rage. "Wuji, what are you doing? She may be lying. She might be still manipulating us."
Wuji moved closer to him, his voice steady but resolute. "I have to compliment you, Your Highness. You're an excellent performer."
Su Shu's brows creased and confusion crossed her face. "What... what's happening?"
Wuji folded his arms and leaned against the door. "Prince Yǔlín had an idea. He believed the only means of verifying it was to test you."
Yǔlín at last lowered his sword, relaxing his shoulders. He stepped back from her, his face icy. "You passed."
Su Shu blinked in response, not yet fully aware of what had transpired. Yǔlín placed on the table beside her a small vial of ointment. "For your neck."
She paused, her mind fixed on the vial. Was it another deception? Another trap?
Yǔlín's brows shot up in incredulity, his mouth twisting into a sour smile in his mask."What? You don't need it?"
Su Shu finally extended her hand for the ointment, her trembling fingers accepting it. Wuji's eyes sparkled with a naughty glint in them, his small smug smile twitching on his face.
"You know it," Wuji drawled back at him. "The one who was always saying rules are made to be broken just broke one. Playing the hero now, are we?"
Yǔlín glared at him. "I don't know what you're referring to."
Wuji chuckled quietly, his glance flicking to Su Shu. "You never cared about anyone's life, Your Highness. And yet here you are distributing medicine to your prisoner."
Yǔlín's jaw locked in anger, his eyes blazing in irritation. Without saying another word, he strode out of the room, the heavy doors thudding shut on his departure.
Wuji observed him leave, his knowing smile still in place as he caught Su Shu's eye. "What a performance."
Su Shu was silent, her hand clasping the vial fiercely as her heart pulsed through her ears. What had just occurred? And why did Yǔlín's anger feel so unnervingly familiar?