The Beast Within His Eyes

Bang!

Gu Yi’s fist slammed into the tree behind me. His eyes blazed red, his breath ragged.
“Say that again,” he snarled.

For a moment, I was frightened—he looked less like a man than a wild beast cornered and bleeding.

But then I remembered—he had come here to kill me, to please Jin Xiu.
What reason did I have to be afraid?

So I lifted my chin and said, “My husband and I are bound by love. Today is our wedding day. You barged in without cause, and now you think you can dictate my life as well? You may be the Crown Prince of Dongyi, but do you also rule over us humble people of Xihan—deciding when we eat, when we sleep, and who we marry? You have your princess, and I have my husband.”

I bit down on the last words. “Gu Yi, whatever once existed between us—it’s over. If there’s even a shred of our past left in your heart, then let me go.”

He froze.
Slowly, his clenched fist loosened, crimson dripping down his knuckles. His eyes filled with pain.
“I don’t remember you,” he whispered. “And yet… why do you feel so familiar? Why does seeing you with him make me so angry I could kill?”

My heart skipped a beat.

Then, with a trembling hand, he reached out again. His fingers, still slick with blood, brushed my lips—and before I could react, he pulled me toward him and crushed his mouth against mine.

The kiss was furious, desperate—like the collapse of a dam.

“Gu Yi—let go!”

I struggled, pinned against the tree, but it was useless. His strength was monstrous. The air vanished from my lungs; blackness crept into the corners of my vision. At last, my hands went slack, surrendering to the weight of him and that drowning heat.

When he finally released me, I collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath.

I wiped my mouth hard, as if erasing a dog’s bite. But my body betrayed me—trembling, tears falling without permission.

Gu Yi stared at me, horrified, as though he were the one violated. He stumbled back two steps, panic flashing across his face.

“Gu Yi, you bastard—!”

He flinched. Then, after a long silence, he said in a voice gone cold again, “I’m sorry.”

The apology was hollow, mechanical.

He stared at me for a long time, then drew a dagger from within his robe.

“What are you doing?” I shouted, backing away. “You—you’re not planning to kill me after defiling me, are you?”

His face went crimson. “The Princess only wants your eyes. I’m here to take them for her.”

Cold sweat trickled down my spine.

I had forgotten—he was under Jin Xiu’s control.

Yet when he kissed me just now, the warmth, the madness—it had felt real.

There was still a flicker of the old Gu Yi inside him.

That fragile hope sparked in me. “Gu Yi, don’t you recognize me?”

He hesitated.

“I’m Qiao Qiao,” I said quickly. “Qiao Qiao!”

“Qiao Qiao?” he repeated, tilting his head, confusion deepening.

I clenched my fists. “Yes! Qiao Qiao—your lover, the woman you said you would marry!”

For an instant, his expression wavered. Then anger erupted like a volcano.

“Lies!” he shouted. “My heart belongs to Princess Jin Xiu alone! How could I ever love a woman like you?”

He began pacing, voice rising.
Suddenly, he seized my shoulders. “If you truly were my lover, then why did you marry another man?”

It was as if I had betrayed him.

Fury burned through me. I slapped him, hard.

“If you love your princess so much,” I spat, “then why did you kiss me?”

He froze. The dagger trembled in his grip.

“I… I don’t know,” he whispered. His voice broke, torn with anguish.

I could feel it too—his pain, his confusion. But I had no time to soothe him. I had to escape.

“Gu Yi,” I said firmly, “you don’t love Jin Xiu. You’re being controlled by her.”

His hand shook violently. A red gleam flickered in his pupils, and something like a scarlet serpent slithered through them.
He dropped to his knees, clutching his head, screaming, “My head—it hurts! It hurts!”

I froze, horrified.

Then Bai Xi’s voice echoed in my skull: What are you waiting for? Run!

I bolted—but after only two steps, I looked back. He was writhing in agony, blood dripping from his temples.

I couldn’t leave him like that.

Damn it all—so be it. I’d owe him this one.

I turned back, grabbed him under the arms, and dragged him up. He was hot as fire, sweat soaking through his clothes.

“Gu Yi, hang on! I’ll get you out. Just—don’t wave that dagger near me.”

He stirred faintly, eyes half-lidded.

Bai Xi laughed in my mind.
Can’t bear to leave him, can you? A moment ago you swore you’d kill him even if he came back. What a liar you are.

I ignored her, half carrying, half dragging him forward. His face twisted with pain, his body shaking violently. I wasn’t much better—my arm and thigh were bleeding freely, every step ripping the wounds wider.

After only a few dozen paces, my legs gave out. We both fell.

He landed squarely on my chest, nearly knocking the soul out of me.

He blinked open his eyes, dazed. “I think… I believe you now. I must have known you. This scene—it feels familiar.”

“I’ve saved your life twice,” I muttered through gritted teeth.

He said nothing, just stared. Then something wriggled inside his sleeve—a small, furry creature poked its head out.

“A-Bao!” I cried.

The little mouse squeaked, leapt down, and scurried into my arms.

Gu Yi looked stunned. “A-Bao… never goes near strangers.”

“Strangers? Hah! I’ve known A-Bao for ages. You told him to follow me once, remember? I lived with him for over a month.”

“That’s impossible,” Gu Yi said sharply, his face turning red. “I’d never give A-Bao to anyone. Unless… unless she was—”

“Was what?”

He turned away, his ears bright pink.

Seeing A-Bao again filled me with a fragile warmth, almost enough to make me forget the blood and pain.

I crushed a few herbs the little mouse brought me and spread them on my wounds. The bleeding slowed. Gu Yi sulked nearby, sneaking glances at me when he thought I wasn’t looking. Every time I turned my head, he’d jerk his gaze away and pretend to study his fingers.

The moment almost felt… peaceful.

Then a shadow fell across us.

“Well, well,” came a cold, silken voice. “The Crown Prince seems awfully relaxed. I only asked for one eye, yet here you are napping in the grass. Have you decided my orders mean nothing to you?”

Gu Yi jolted upright, trembling. Jin Xiu stepped out from the trees, her gown gleaming like violet frost.

Behind her walked a man—short, delicate, with a face like a young boy’s and hair as white as snow.

Gu Yi dropped to one knee. “Your Highness, I have failed in my duty. Please punish me.”

Then he looked back at me, jaw tight.
“But I cannot harm this woman.”

“Oh?” Jin Xiu raised an eyebrow. “And why not?”

“Because I know her. I… I must have known her very well.”

For a heartbeat, something unreadable flickered across Jin Xiu’s face. Then she clapped her hands twice and turned to the pale-haired man.
“Jun Ye, your illusion has worn off.”

The boy sighed, bowing. “Forgive me, Your Highness. I’ll fix it immediately.”

“No!” I screamed.

But it was too late.

Red light burst from Jun Ye’s fingertips, twisting through the air like serpents. It wrapped around Gu Yi, seeping into his body.

He screamed—an animal sound—rolling on the ground, veins bulging, sweat pouring from him like rain. The red light sank deeper, his pain fading little by little… until at last he lay still.

I shook him. “Gu Yi! Gu Yi!”
No response.

Jun Ye straightened, bowing again.
“Rest assured, Your Highness. The illusion has been reinforced. No matter what she does, he’ll never break free again.”

“See that he doesn’t,” Jin Xiu said coldly. “If there’s another failure, you’ll answer with your head.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Bai Xi said something faint in my mind, but I barely heard. My eyes were locked on Gu Yi’s motionless body. His last expression—pain, confusion, regret—burned in my skull.

“Jin Xiu—!”

I snatched up the dagger and lunged.

Jin Xiu merely watched me come, amusement curling her lips.

Before I could strike, there was a sharp thud—the sound of an arrow sinking into flesh.

A crushing weight hit my shoulder, driving me to my knees.

Slowly, I turned my head.

Gu Yi stood a few paces away, bow still quivering in his hands.

His eyes softened when they met mine—gentle, almost sorrowful.

“Gu… Gu Yi…”

He ignored me, dropping to one knee before Jin Xiu.
“Your Highness! Are you unharmed? Did she hurt you?”

Jin Xiu shook her head lightly.

My vision swam. Power drained from my limbs like water through sand. I collapsed, choking on the taste of blood.

Through the haze, I heard Bai Xi’s voice—cold, amused, relentless:

“Qiao Qiao, I won’t let you die so easily.”