Chapter 40. I do everything in my power to support her!
AT THE SAME TIME
EMPEROR LIANWEI POINT OF VIEW:
The moment I saw her on the other side of the courtyard, my stomach dropped like a stone. Mei Shen stood at the stable doors, her cloak whipping around her in the wind, one hand already gripping her mare’s reins. The storm lashed at her like it was trying to pull her away from me. For one heartbeat, I couldn’t move then my body took over.
"Mei Shen!"I shouted as loudly as I could to get her attention.
She turned just slightly at the sound of my voice, too slightly. Her face was pale, shadowed beneath her hood, but her eyes... her eyes were fixed on something far beyond me. Behind me, the palace door slammed open.
"Mommy!"I heard Huan’s voice.
Huan’s feet pounded on the wet stone as he raced past my mother, hair plastered to his forehead, cheeks flushed from the cold. He didn’t even seem to notice the storm soaking him through, he just ran straight for her, hands outstretched.
"Don’t go, mommy!" He shouted, his little voice breaking. "Don’t leave us!"
That, gods that made my chest twist so hard it hurt. I ran after him, catching up just as Mei Shen stepped back toward the horse. I grabbed the reins out of her hands before she could mount, planting myself between her and the horse. She looked at me then, really looked. Rain streamed down her cheeks, but her expression was unreadable, too calm and too desperate all at once.
"Lianwei." She said quietly, like she was afraid to raise her voice. "Please. Let me go."
"No." My voice came out sharper than I meant, almost a growl. "Not tonight. Not like this."
Her hands trembled at her sides.