burning touch

She was quickly dragged inside the palace and into the foyer while a woman in elaborate clothing rushed to the door, chanting prayers in tongues that no one could understand. A shaman. Wang Jian hired a shaman to barricade the entire palace from demons.

The woman sang waving her arms while she held feathers and incense spreading the veil of smoke at the door. The tang of her magic burned Fei Hung's nostrils, working down to her bloodstream.

She felt it, the stale air cooled as the magic summoned by the shaman worked its way from the ground up sealing the palace from uninvited demons.

"That's it!" Murmured Wang Jian in between his heavy breathes. That demon shouldn't be able to come in unless he breaks though the barrier.

Prince Jungjae nodded, while Lord Chua made a worried twist of his forehead. He has his work cut out for him.

Going up against demonic entities called for separate set of skills.

"Lord Chua!'' Prince Jungjae whirred his thoughts to him. "Make sure your men are guarding every inch of the castle."

"Yes, prince Jungjae. I'm right on it." His gaze flicked to Fei Hung momentary overwhelmed with relief and aching longing to wrap his arms around her.

She's safe and that's all that matters. Right now, he has a lot on his plate and he can come back later for a better conversation.

Wang Jian whipped his head to her, he had not been able to get a better look at her since he came and rescued Fei Hung from the dark palace.

"Ying Yue?" His brisk steps ate away the distance between them. Worry and panic laced his voice. "Did he hurt you?!... Tell me if he hurt you! I will kill him if he did!"

His arms flew around her for a longing embrace and a sizzle of magic exploded causing him to yank them back away quickly.

He stumbled a few steps back snarling, "what the hell was that?!"

Fei Hung wore a face of shock, lost at what at happened. "Jian!"

"What the heck was that?" He held his burning arms wincing at the pain, Wang Jian examined them searching for burn marks, seeing none. He closed back in, wide spread arm ready to engulf her only for the same sizzle of magic to attack him. "Ouch!"

She felt it, her hair rose as the magic leaves her skin. "Jian!"

He stumbles a few steps back again, hissing in pain. "What the heck did he do to you?" He snarled, "tell me what did he do to you!" Something very deadly in him came alive, Wang Jian writhed in anger. Not for her, but for Banye. "What the fuck did he do to you?!"

"I don't know!" She rasped, uncertain what to tell him. "I don't know what's going on."

"It burns, Ying Yue! You're scorching hot!"

Prince Jungjae walked closer, his attention was on her eyes that Wang Jian failed to notice. Her pupils are large, strangely large for a regular human, they haven't eaten away all the caramel in her eyes, but they're taking over like an eclipse of the eyes.

"Look at that brother," Prince Jungjae murmured with a mezmerized awe, watching her eyes closely. "Her eyes, they were like a demon's."

She blinked, she hasn't exactly looked at herself in a while. Fei Hung noticed her skin, her hair, but never her eyes. Prince Wang Jian, stepped closer, eyes gliding with emptiness and heartbreaking heartache.

"Oh, Ying Yue." His voice quivered. "What did he do to you?"

The shaman approached them, thick blanket on her hand, she handed it to prince Wang Jian. She wore a grim look along with disgust on her face. "Wrap that blanket over her, it should prevent you from getting burned."

He draped the blanket over her, finally resting his arms around, overwhelmed with grief. "I've missed you. I'm sorry I took so long." He breathes sick at what happened to her. "Don't worry, Ying Yue, we'll find a way to free you from him." He murmured with dreadful tenderness. "I'll find a way to free you, I promise."

He planted quick smooth chaste kisses on her, all scorching his lips, he wished he would have been able to give her better kisses, but the intense heat prevented him as much as a quick peck on her cheeks.

"Such a damn shame, brother." Hummed Prince Jungjae tucking his arms to his chest. Even he was amazed at Banye's wittiness. "He must have known something like this was going to happen and placed a precautionary hex on her. You risked all that to rescue your wife, only for that demon to outsmart you. You couldn't even touch your own wife." He almost laughed in disbelief.

He extended his finger and reached to poke at her nose, letting his finger linger over the round tip of it, feeling for any abnormality. "Hmmm...nope. I don't feel the burn."

He went ahead and welcome himself for a touchy-feely hug. "SISTER!" He grinned delightedly. "Welcome home." Enwrapping her in to tight hug that linger a little too long for Wang Jian's tolerance.

He twisted so he may savor his brother's reaction. "Look brother, it would seem the hex only applied to you." He further squeezed his sister in law. "I'm allowed to touch, but you're not." He spoke as though he was still a child mocking his older brother.

"You have two seconds to get off her or be prepared to taste my wrath." Wang Jian murmured in dangerous calmness.

"Calm down." Jungjae crooned releasing Fei Hung for his hug. "Just a hug."

Wang Jian loosened at sharp breath and stared at her nearly demotic eyes in sorrow. "Come, Ying Yue. Let's head upstairs so you may get some rest."

She nodded. "Yes, husband."