Chapter 18 Home?
The Celestial Palace is even dreamier than I imagined.
Everything is luminous, made of what seems like.
Everything is luminous and I swear that it feels like this place is made of moonstone or opals.
The pillars stretch upwards, covered with night blooming jasmine that glistens in shades of silver and lavender.
I keep my head respectfully low as Jian guides us deeper into the Palace. His blue cap flutters in the night breeze and I'm grateful for the quiet confidence he has. If he weren't here, I can't imagine how nervous I would be.
"Thank you," I murmur as I follow him to where the Moon Emperor awaits. "For everything."
No response.
Jian doesn't turn, doesn't slow his pace. I don't even know if he heard me, but something about his silence feels deliberate. Heavy. The words hang awkwardly between us, unanswered, and I press my lips together to keep from saying anything more.
As we move deeper into the palace, the grandiosity only grows.
Starlight spills through crystalline windows, painting patterns of constellations on the floor.
Everything about this place feels alive, timeless, yet it's Jian who draws my focus.
His broad shoulders, the way his dark hair catches the ethereal glow, and the determined set of his jaw—all of it makes me feel both safe and painfully distant at the same time.
We finally reach a grand set of doors, carved with intricate patterns of moon phases and blooming lotuses. Jian pauses, his hand resting on the handle. For a fleeting moment, I think he might say something, but when he turns to glance at me, his expression is unreadable.
And then, with a small push, the doors swing open, revealing the Moon Emperor seated on his radiant throne. The room is awash with light so bright it nearly blinds me.
We enter a vast hall where the Moon Emperor and his advisors await us. Jian and I bow respectfully, standing side by side. Silence surrounds us as the Emperor gazes at us. His silver hair is the color of starlight and his aura shines the brightest out of everyone in the hall.
"Come closer so that I may see you," the Moon Emperor beckons.
Gingerly, I make my way toward him. Around me, I can hear the gods and goddesses whisper amongst themselves. My heart pounds in my chest as I get closer and closer to the most powerful being in this world.
Up close he doesn't look so intimidating. He gives me a knowing look as if he can see right through Lady Sora and into who I truly am. Warmth blooms in my chest.
After hiding for so long, it feels nice to know that someone here can see the real me.
"You may return home," he informs me.
I raise an eyebrow. That was surprisingly easy. This whispers in the room stop. I get the sense that everyone is just as surprised as I am though no one cares to voice it.
"I can see your soul, the essence of who you are," he continues. "As long as you go where you say you'll go, all will go back to normal."
I bow deeply, my heart thudding against my chest. All eyes are on me now. But it's his gaze that I feel the most acutely, piercing and unyielding.
Jian steps forward, his blue cape sweeping behind him. My breath catches as he pauses in front of me. His gaze softens as he begins to untie the lotus pendant.
I wonder if circumstances were different and if I were truly Lady Sora if we could be happy. His fingers brush against mine as he places it in my hand.
For a second, I'm worried that nothing is going to happen. That isn't until the pendant begins to glow in my hands. It's the same brilliance I saw when I first arrived in this strange world. It's blinding, too bright for my eyes, and I squeeze them shut.
In the white void, I hear his voice, faint and distant but unmistakably his.
"Perhaps in another life..."
The words trail off, carried away by the light, but they pierce me in more ways than I could have imagined. Regret washes over me, sharp and relenting. I want to reach out to him, to tell him how grateful I was for his protection and that I didn't mean to leave things like this.
But when the light takes over everything, I realize I'll never get to say any of it.
When I open my eyes again, I'm back in bed.