He turned his steps toward a hidden path that cut deep into the western crags, his tall figure disappearing into the thick white mist, leaving the golden lights of the palace far behind them in the dark.
The cave was small, damp, and buried deep beneath a thick layer of twisting black vines.
Wei Xiang moved carefully through the narrow opening, keeping his upper body bent low to avoid striking his head against the sharp stone ceiling.
He carried Lin Wan tightly in his arms, his large boots making no sound as he stepped onto the cold, sandy floor of the cavern. He walked toward the furthest corner, away from the freezing mountain draft, and gently lowered her onto a thick pile of dried ferns and soft green moss he had prepared earlier.
