If safety meant being immobilised and unable to use your abilities to defend yourself in case kidnappers or lechers came your way, then he must have the incorrect idea of safety.
Jade gnashed her teeth angrily.Fortunately, she disguised herself as a man. Even if she met with a villainous company, they might not see through her disguise and do something immoral to her.She closed her eyes and prayed. But her anger didn’t diminish, and praying under that effect turned out strangely. She felt a spark of energy rippling through her veins. It was like the wild energies that empowered her when she saw a vision.Jade found her strength, and after letting out a curdling scream, she realised she could move again. The ropes binding her snapped and fell to the ground. Picking up the bundle on the floor beside her, she slung it over her arm once more and resumed her journey. The problem was, Chad had left with the compass, so with no sense of direction, sheChad had walked for some distance away before realising his blunder, but when he got back to the spot he left Jade at, she was gone.He knew he had to be captured, because no ordinary person, be it a layman or an expert, could undo the magic ropes he had used to bind Jade with. That person would need to excel over his level. And such a master couldn’t have appeared in such a short time.He reflected on what had happened earlier in the forest. It was extraordinary how Jade’s pulse was gone, as if her soul had left her body. The magic jade pendant belonging to Sky had proved to work wonders, when placing it on her chest had brought her back to life. But she still seemed in a daze, and unable to respond to him, so he had cuddled her close and called out her name repeatedly.Fortunately, she responded.It dawned upon him he was jealous. He was displeased with how Jade had placed so much importance on getting to Sky that she neglected her own injuries. While he was just her toy, someone to
Jade watched over the sleeping Sky Yale, cowering in the tatters of her belly binder. She had struggled to defend her modesty to the very last of it.Fortunately, it ended with a few flogs from the guard. She fainted for a few moments, but she woke up after she was carried to her cell. The marks of the cruel whip marred her white flesh, and her back still stung from the pain.She gathered herself together and shivered in the cold. Sky Yale, on the other hand, did not seem to have any visible marks on his body, and was sleeping soundly. She knew that something seemed off, but she had no strength to move over to him to take a look.Instead, she forced herself into a half-lotus meditation style and closed her eyes, allowing her mind to flow naturally. In this state, instead of restricting her thoughts, she allowed them to run wild. She soon found herself in a strange place. It was a beautiful waterfall.Jade fathomed this was a sacred spot that her mind had created by itself, despite sh
“So, that’s it? You let her die out there?”Sky chided his brother. Chad could see how mad he was, but since losing his powers, he was a lot weaker. He eventually had to carry him on his back out of the camp, since he couldn’t use his martial arts to run anymore.The worst thing was that Sky had no memory of how they had taken his art from him.“Did we have any choice?” he replied silently.Chad saw Sky sitting angrily on the ground of the forest. Even though they were out of the bandit’s turf, it was surprising that the army never gave chase to them. Chad knew it was because their target was Jade. Even if their leader couldn’t have any intimacy with Jade, he had humiliated her and ordered her a beating. It pained his heart that he had to leave her in their hands, just because she wanted them to be safe.This would have all not happened had he taken proper measures to ensure their safety at the cottage. Instead, he was bothered with finding ways to tease Jade and make her submit to h
It was a cold bleak morning on the island of Tribute when the king of the island, Greyson, summoned Jade to his presence.Tribute, unlike the other islands on the map, was off a wayfarer’s charts – it was even said that if a person’s heart was sincere enough, his prayers alone would take him to the island. However, half a century ago, a curse befell the island. It was said to be the result of a controversy between the late king, Greyson’s grandfather, and his concubine Xima, who turned out to be a witch.With her dark powers, Xima cursed Tribute, vowing that as long as she lived, the island and its citizens would suffer. Her minions were a pestilence, aggravating and instilling fear in travellers if they passed the darkest spots of Tribute, Xima's territories. Eighteen-year-old Greyson rose to the throne after his father abdicated. He swore to his citizens to restore peace to the island and eradicate evil. Two years have passed since Greyson assembled his forces, waiting for the righ
Roc Chadwick walked slowly, holding the scroll in his hand, towards the venue mentioned in the scroll. Without realising, it had been one year since their stay on the island. He remembered vividly how he and the young man, his best buddy and brother Sky Yale, had found their ways to each other.With his dark hair, slim and fair with a dignified appearance, who would have thought he was a prince from a faraway state? It was a long story. First, he was born to a mother of lowly status. He stomached the fate of being despised and ridiculed by his half-siblings. Second, was the overbearing rules of the palace. Of course, there were other reasons as well, but these two reasons dominated his decision. After the last straw, he finally succeeded in his many attempts to flee the palace.He changed his name from Roc Chadstone to Roc Chadwick, taking with him his life savings and a boat he loved very much, the ‘Explorer’. Then, he had come across and rescued Sky Yale while the young man was floa
Jade Gold observed the man who had just entered her office. Noticing how his lips were contorted into a startled expression, she glowered at him queerly.It wasn’t the first time a man would stare at her, and he wouldn’t be the last. She was used to it ever since she set foot in the capital. Every man, and even some women, would gaze unendingly at her.She gave up on knocking sense into them and considered it a form of appreciation. After all, she was the future Imperial Advisor! What were a few stares compared to the glory and reverence she would receive from the civilians?However, this man’s expression was a little different. It was that of shock, and he seemed genuine. What was so appalling about the sight of her?She tossed her hair back arrogantly and walked to him, chest up. Regardless of class, he was a potential mercenary for her to use in a mission, and never failed to treat any civilian, no matter commoner or noble, with due respect. That was one of the principles she had l
Chad watched the lady as she got into position. A question bugged him in his mind.Had she totally no recollection of the past? Or how they had met before?First, it was not one, but two times they had met. Second, the relationship they had was too complex!But he hadn’t asked her directly. Instead, he had done what she asked of him until she had asked for a spar between them.That just confirmed his doubts about her, that she had indeed forgotten about him! He knew clearly that if she remembered what happened between them half a year ago, she wouldn’t have asked for a spar so authoritatively!It was because she had lost to him so terribly, that she detested him and never wanted to see him ever again! No matter how long it had passed, he would always remember how she had said those words “I hate you to the core of my heart”. Though he had many consorts during the time he was in the palace, he had paid no attention to them. The girl had captured his attention so deeply that he couldn’t
Jade paced up and down in the office, her mind fixated on the actions of the mercenary earlier. She was still fuming from what had happened, yet her mind was in turmoil.What in the world just happened?She rubbed her temple and stared up at the rafters above her. “Senior Jade, are you fine?” A junior officer passing by inquired. She faced him for a bit, smiling pretentiously. Her cherry lips and rosy cheeks distracted him for a moment. “I’m okay. I just need a break from things.”He appeared concerned. “Was it that man earlier? I heard things were getting out of hand.”She felt a blush coming over her cheeks. It was the first time a man had come so close to touching her, but she detested the man with all her heart! Still, he was the only one who had defeated her, though it made her embarrassed, and she had such use for his skills. The mission they would head out on wasn’t a normal one.“I don’t wish to talk about it,” she turned away so that her junior wouldn’t notice the flush on