For an instant, upon waking up, Lian forgot that she did not go to bed alone. The shift of the mattress sent a jolt of fear down her spine and she turned in haste to see Bi-Han rising from the bed.

She sighed in relief.

That's right. I'm married now.

This statement felt odd. Lian was not convinced that it would ever feel right on her tongue. Lying on her back, she stretched her tense muscles, and then reluctantly left the warm confines of the bed.

She had no idea what time it was but if Bi-Han was awake, then it must have been early in the morning. He looked like the type to have an internal clock. Whether that turned out to be a hindrance or not later was uncertain. A few more hours of sleep would be nice though.

Sauntering over to the vanity, Lian sat down to get ready. Bi-Han, in the meantime, disappeared behind the divider to redress; the innocent action elicited the memory of his bare chest.

I have never seen a man so big. Is that all muscle?

Ignoring the desire to touch him and find out, Lian continued with the task at hand. Yet, the silence felt more awkward to her than it should. She knew that she should talk to him, but she did not know about what.

"What is Arctika like?" She asked hesitantly. It was the first question that came to mind.

"Cold," Bi-Han merely stated.

Lian hummed, already aware. It reminded her though that she needed to dress suitably for the trip.

"Is it that bad?"

At this point, all she wanted was to continue a conversation with him to avoid the awkward silence. It honestly felt like the morning after a heated tryst that both of you wanted to forget.

"You will not find solace in Arctika if you are not fond of the cold," Bi-Han stated.

Lian sighed. The same could be said about their marriage. Deciding that she looked fine enough, she sauntered over to the closet for a warm outfit. In her hunt, a makeup kit sitting on the top shelf that her mother had gifted her suddenly caught her attention.

"You had best get used to this. Men are fickle. A beautiful woman will keep their interest. You do not want your soon-to-be husband to drag in strays, do you?"

Lian frowned. Was this the sort of thing that mattered to her husband? A woman dolled up to his liking. She supposed a little makeup could not hurt. Taking the kit down, she carried it and the outfit back to her vanity.

"I'm changing," she stated. While it was true that she was married, she did not want to expose herself to Bi-Han, at least not if she could help it.

Quickly, Lian changed, and then she sat down to put on the makeup.

Out of respect for her, or so she assumed, Bi-Han cleared his throat. A moment later, he emerged from behind the divider, dressed in his twilight blue tabard and silver-lined mask. Tied to his sash was a jewelry bag, embellished with the double happiness symbol. The only reason she acknowledged it was because during the ceremony it was used to store the red line that connected her hair with his.

Why was he wearing it though?

Lian felt her face heat up, and to make matters worse, Bi-Han was observing her as she painted her lips, as though she were showing off her magic to him again. It was uncomfortable. But it reminded her that she needed to tie her amulet onto her person before she left.

Once done, Lian stood and sauntered over to him.

"If you are hungry, breakfast should be about ready. I will join you later in the courtyard when your brothers arrive."

She stepped toward the door, but a hand on her arm halted her; the grip was rather rough. Turning, she glanced at Bi-Han in confusion.

"The route to Arctika is arduous. I suggest you eat."

Lian understood his concerns, if they were concerns that he was expressing. Wincing at his grip, she removed his hand from her arm.

"I need to oversee some things first, then I will eat."

Bi-Han narrowed his eyes but he did not remark. Instead, he pushed past Lian and left the room. She sighed. At least she could relax for a moment. His presence made her feel a bit uneasy.

Right. Well–

Lian glanced around the room. Since it was last minute, there was a lot she had to leave behind. For the next hour, she and a handful of servants carefully went through her room, selecting what must go.

When she was satisfied, she allowed them to pack the items as she excused herself. Walking to the dining room, a retainer emerged, rushing toward the front door. Lian raised a brow but as her parents and Bi-Han walked out, her curiosity was sated.

They must have arrived.

An air of unease surrounded Lian, but she followed quietly behind Bi-Han to the inner courtyard where a group of Lin Kuei trudged in, toting chests. Two men wearing masks, dressed in similar attire to the Grandmaster led them; one wore dark grayish-blue while the other wore dark orange with brown tones. The latter looked more like Bi-Han, Lian noted.

Approaching, they both bowed.

"My brothers," Bi-Han pointed out. "Kuai Liang and Tomas."

The brother with a tattoo of a scorpion on his bicep stood first, motioning to the crates.

"These gifts are from our clan to yours in honor of the union."

"The Lin Kuei hope you appreciate them," Tomas finished.

Guan grinned.

"Indeed we do."

Lian nearly turned up her eyes. Not even a thank you for their efforts, even if the bridal gifts were expected. She stepped out from behind Bi-Han and offered a smile.

"Thank you for the gifts."

Kuai Liang nodded briefly in gratitude, while Tomas lifted his brows. She was not sure she was what they had expected, but in the end, it did not matter.

With the pleasantries aside, the Lin Kuei hauled the chests into the main house, overseen by the retainers. Bi-Han left Lian's side to talk with his brothers, giving her the chance to say goodbye. Her heart raced as she faced her parents.

"I hope this union is what you truly want."

Guan frowned.

"You are doing our clan a tremendous honor. Do not choose now to act like a brat."

Was he serious? She glanced at her mother, who despite appearing sympathetic, did not come to her defense. Tears burned her eyes.

"This is no longer my clan. You both are to blame for that."

I hope the money is put to good use because it will not last forever, she opted not to mention. She was sure that they already knew this, however.

Turning her back to them, Lian stood straight, trying not to show them her sorrow. As much as she wanted to go off on them, she knew it would not matter. Their minds had been made. She belonged to Bi-Han and the Lin Kuei now.

Speaking of the Lin Kuei, Kuai Liang approached her and bowed.

"If your affairs are in order, Madam, I will escort you to the carriage."

Her face heated up. He did not need to call her madam, but Lian understood why he must.

"My belongings–"

"Tomas will see to them," Kuai Liang interjected.

Lian was grateful.

"I'm done here."

The tattooed man nodded and motioned for her to follow him. He led her from the courtyard to the gate where a horse-drawn carriage sat. Lian hummed. Was this how she would make it to Arctika?

"Your belongings will be loaded momentarily, then we will depart," Kuai Liang mentioned.

Lian nodded. In the meantime, she hesitantly approached the chestnut-colored Heihe and patted it on the chest. It was a gorgeous breed of horse. It did not take her mind off the confrontation with her parents but it was a welcomed distraction.

Kuai Liang waited silently by Lian's side for the remainder of the time until the carriage was loaded, then once the Grandmaster and the newly recruited fighters emerged, he left to attend to other matters.

Lian was shocked to see her master, Bai walk out with them. She gave her a sincere smile as she approached.

"You should not stress yourself–"

"Hush child," Bai interrupted. "I am not so feeble that I can not come to wish you a safe journey."

Lian smiled, then out of respect, she gave her one last bow.

"Thank you for everything. I will not forget what you have taught me."

Bai laughed.

"Be sure that you do not." She paused to reach into the sash around her waist, taking out a book. "Take this with you. It will provide some entertainment for you on your way to your new home."

Lian frowned. Why did she feel uneasy? Perhaps it was because of the reality of the situation.

My new home.

Taking the book from her, Lian faked a smile.

"Thank you."

The sound of footsteps directed her attention to Bi-Han. He spared Bai a look, then pressed something wrapped in a cloth into Lian's hands. It looked like a dining cloth from the table and something warm resonated from inside. She raised a curious brow, but he did not clarify.

"We are departing. The carriage is ready," Bi-Han stated.

Lian peeked around him to see the door to the carriage open. Did he want her to get inside?

"I don't mind walking."

Bi-Han knitted his brows.

"Go. We are expected at the temple before sundown."

Was this his way of saying 'Don't argue with me'? She sighed. Smiling at her master, Lian sauntered towards the carriage and slid inside near the window; the door closed behind her, and moments later, the small vehicle started to move. She spared her former home no second glance, but her stomach twisted at the thought of leaving it behind.

To take her mind off it, Lian opened the cloth that Bi-Han gave her. Inside were three lukewarm stuffed buns.

He was serious about me eating.

Her face heated up. She was not sure how to feel about this. Regardless, when she got the chance, she supposed that she should thank him.

At noon, despite the sun being at its highest, the temperature was cold, though not enough that she could not tolerate it. The rocky terrain soon vanished beneath a snow-covered landscape within a vast forest. It was stunning.

Lian wanted to get out and have a look, but it was not long ago that Bi-Han had stopped the group for a rest. The next stop would be hours from now so for the time being, while the weather was nice, she chose to open the window and read.

The crunch of snow drew her attention to Tomas, who trekked alongside the carriage. He looked focused, so Lian returned to her book, slowly being drawn into the story.

"What are you reading?" His youthful voice suddenly asked a few pages in. "I don't mean to interrupt."

"Erotic romance. Are you a fan?" Lian teased, grinning.

He laughed. Even though he was wearing a mask, she could tell that he was smiling.

"I can not say I have read erotic romance."

"Some of the plots are terribly cliche but humorously so," she stated.

Tomas hummed.

"Humorously? I am interested."

Even if he was not, it was nice to have a conversation with someone where she could easily joke and laugh. The last few days had been stressful. Looking him over, Lian noted how unique his mask was compared to the simple and elegant design of the ones his brothers had on.

"I like your mask."

Tomas widened his eyes.

"You do?"

Lian nodded.

"It reminds me of a gas mask from a fantasy or horror novel."

"It does," Tomas agreed. He paused as if he was debating something, then he hummed. "It suits my character."

Lian raised a curious brow. How so? Before she could ask, the carriage suddenly jerked with such force that she was nearly tossed to the floor like a ragdoll.

"Are you unharmed?" Tomas asked in concern, peeking through the window.

Lian situated herself in the seat and nodded, despite the prickle of fear surging through her body. The sound of snow crunching in all directions seemed to indicate that something was wrong.

"What happened?"

"Something alarmed the horse," Tomas answered. "Stay here."

He left her side; the crunch of the snow beneath his feet gradually faded away until there was nothing but silence. Lian peered out the window but she could not see anyone or anything. It was too quiet. The whistle of the wind in her ears was all she could hear.

Then all at once, an inhuman scream echoed out, sending chills down her spine. What was that? The carriage jerked again, but this time it tilted straight back, tossing Lian into the seat. She groaned in discomfort, then eased her way to the door, tossing it open.

What met her was a bloodbath. Her eyes widened in shock. Assassins in white tabards emerged from the snow, attacking the Lin Kuei. It was an ambush.

Lian stepped out into the snow, turning to check on the state of the carriage but the horse was missing. Someone must have cut it loose. This was not good.

Searching for someone familiar amongst the cluster of people, she located Tomas first. He seemed to be faring well on his own against three foes, but what surprised Lian more was the plume of black smoke that surrounded him. It worked as a screen as he quickly weaved in and out, slashing them with a karambit.

Did he know magic?

The echo of her name reaching above the sound of combat diverted Lian's attention. She recognized the voice as Kuai Liangs', but before she could turn to him, a chain weapon coiled around her neck, cutting off her airway. She grabbed at the chain, struggling to breathe, but it only tightened; the opposite end was held by an assassin in white, slowly pulling her forward. Panic settled in.

I don't–

It was live or die, she realized. The men in white had no issue killing. At least two of her clansmen, from what she could tell, were dead; two men Lian was sure she once trained with.

Stay alive.

Lian shakily raised her hand, drawing a circle with her finger. A portal opened above the man and then sank when prompted to, devouring his body from the waist up. Then she closed it off. A jet of blood shot from his severed torso and painted the snow around him red; his lower half along the chain fell.

Once she was free, Lian took a moment to catch her breath. That could have been much worse. No sooner than she stood, though, another man charged at her, swinging a jian at her throat. She managed to dodge, but the blade caught her shirt, slicing a long but shallow gash across her upper chest. It stung terribly; Lian tightened her jaw in pain.

When the man in white struck at her again, she grabbed his wrist and used his momentum to yank him to the ground, disarming him. With the jian in tow, she raised it above his head, in an attempt to stab him, but someone grabbed her and tossed her off him and into the snow. Lian glared at the second man.

At least they supported one another.

She dropped into a portal beneath her, coming out behind the second attacker. Leaping onto his back, Lian stabbed him in the throat, and then, before he went down, she jumped into another portal, linking it to one in front of the other man. She emerged with a spinning kick and struck him in the head. He thankfully went down.

That was exhausting.

Lian figured it would do her some good to have a weapon on hand, so she trekked over to the man she struck down with the jian, yanking it from his neck with a wet squelch. She curled her nose in disgust; his blood was all over her hands.

Lost in her thoughts, she did not hear the soft footsteps closing in until it was too late. The man that she thought she had knocked out grabbed her upper arm and yanked her around. But before either of them could react, a projectile pierced him in the temple, spraying Lian with blood.

In horror, she stared at the spear of ice that killed him. What the hell? Lian diverted her eyes, noticing Bi-Han not far away. His arms from his gauntlet up were covered in ice.

Can he too–

A high-pitched whistle echoed across the mountains and the few assassins who were still alive quickly fled. This was not a good sign. It meant that they were merely testing the Lin Kuei. But why? Lian sighed. What sort of feud did she get thrown into?

Shoving the jian in her sash, she gauged the damages. It appeared that five of the fifteen fighters from her clan were slain, along with three of the Lin Kuei. And to make matters worse, the carriage was now without a horse. Walking over to the nearest deceased clansman, Lian leaned down beside them, ignoring the chill of the snow as it seeped into her clothes.

"I'm sorry…I–"

She paused, not sure what to say. Honestly, what could she do? Vow to avenge them? Hunt down every last assassin in white until there are none left.

This feud is not ours.

She honestly wished this was true. The moment she married Bi-Han, her clan waged war with his enemies. But what could she do?

"Are you unharmed?" The voice of Kuai Liang asked.

Lian faced him, humming.

"I am alive."

He knitted his brows and leaned down beside her, looking her over.

"That cut requires bandaging."

It did not hurt much anymore, but that was not saying much. She could hardly feel her fingers. Bringing her hands together, Lian rubbed them in an attempt to warm them.

"Allow me," Kuai Liang stated.

Lian raised a brow, watching as he lifted his hand. Suddenly, it ignited, and a warm flame danced across his skin.

"All of you can do magic," she pointed out.

Why did her parents not tell her? Or Bi-Han for that matter.

"I'm awed that you know magic," Kuai Liang stated.

Lian had no doubt. This fact seemed to shock Bi-Han as well. Bringing her hands up to the flame, she sighed.

"Those men who attacked us. Did you recognize them?"

Kuai Liang knitted his brows.

"I am–"

Before he could answer, Bi-Han stormed over.

"We are regrouping and tracking those responsible."

"Brother, the weather will only worsen," Kuai Liang mentioned. "We have injured people who need medical attention."

Bi-Han raised his hand, pointing at him.

"You would deny this opportunity to avenge our fallen."

"We are not prepared," Kuai Liang simply stated.

He turned his eyes to Lian and so too did Bi-Han. With his anger in check, she assumed he noticed the cut. His brows knitted and he leaned down to examine it further.

"Join Tomas and those capable of walking in gathering the injured. We haven't the force to pull the carriage, so it remains with the dead."

Lian frowned. All of her things were lost to the snow. A part of her wanted to rebuke but she understood. They were minor needs after all. She could always buy more.

Kuai Liang extinguished his fire, much to her dismay, and quietly stood, rushing off to do as told. Lian remained seated in the snow; her eyes drifted down to the lifeless body beside her. It was not until she felt Bi-Han's cold fingers on her neck, did she look at him.

"Your awareness needs practice," he chided.

Lian frowned. Was this his way of showing concern?

"I have never had to kill a person before until I met you."

It was not an attack, she just felt as if Bi-Han should know.

His eyes narrowed, but he did not remark on her statement. Standing, he looked around as though he was trying to avoid looking at her.

"Can you walk?" Bi-Han asked. "It would be irksome to have to tote you up the mountain."

"I'm sure those big muscles can handle it, but to answer your question, I can walk just fine," Lian answered.

Bi-Han raised his brow, glancing at her.

"You have the energy to jest."

She nearly snorted. No, but it took her mind off the unnecessary deaths for a moment. It did not take long for the reality of the situation to sink back in, however.

"Do you think they will attack again?"

"Not today," Bi-Han answered honestly. "But whatever frightened the horse just might. The birds are far too quiet."

That inhuman scream did not come from the assassins? Her eyes widened in fear. What could have caused it? Standing, Lian glanced around. It was true, there were no birds in the area.

"Let us not remain here longer than we have to," Bi-Han ordered.

Lian agreed. Whatever was out there, she hoped it did not make itself known.

For the rest of the journey, she could not shake the eerie feeling that something was on the hunt. If only she knew how right she was.