The victory felt hollow. In the days following her presentation to the Emperor, Wei Yingluo moved through the palace like a ghost. The raven's feather hairpin was a constant, cool weight against her scalp, a reminder of the pact she had made. She had successfully diverted the court's attention, crafting a villain out of thin air and earning the Empress's fragile trust. Yet, with each passing hour, the feeling of being watched intensified. It was a prickle on the back of her neck, a sudden silence in a bustling corridor, the way eyes would slide away from hers just a moment too quickly.
She was the Queen's Shadow, but a shadow cannot exist without a light to cast it. And now, she was attracting the attention of the suns and the moons of the Forbidden City.
