The morning light filters through the window as I wake, but something feels different. Instead of the rough texture of the mat beneath me, my head rests on something soft—warm and solid. My eyes snap open.

An arm. A man's arm, pale as snow against the darkness of his sleeve.

My heart drops into my stomach. How did someone get into this humble village home? I shoot upright, scrambling backward, my hand closing around the golden dragon crest I found yesterday—it still feels warm against my palm, almost alive.

"Who are you?! What are you doing here?" I hiss, keeping my voice low to avoid waking XiaoMei and her mother in the next room.

The stranger opens his eyes slowly, and I gasp. They glow like embers in the dim light, striking against his pale skin. He sits up languidly, regarding me with an unnerving confidence that makes my skin prickle.

"You talk too much," he says, his voice smooth as silk with a husky undertone that sends an unexpected shiver down my spine, "for someone who dared call me."

My breath falters. "I didn't call anyone. I found this crest yesterday, but—"

Before I can finish, he moves with inhuman speed, and suddenly my back hits the mat. He looms above me, pinning both my wrists above my head with one effortless hand. His eyes rake over my face, lingering on my lips, and I can feel the heat of his body inches above mine.

"Perhaps they weren't lying after all," he murmurs, clicking his tongue in apparent amusement, "though I expected... something different."

Rage and something else—something I don't dare name—flare within me. This arrogant stranger invades my temporary home, pins me down, and dares to judge me? I bring my knee up sharply, striking his stomach, but he barely flinches. Desperation gives me courage, and I sink my teeth into his hand.

He releases me with a hiss of pain, and I scramble away, clutching the crest to my chest like a shield.

"What do you want from me?" I demand, my voice trembling despite my best efforts to sound strong.

He smirks, rubbing his hand where I bit him, his ember eyes glowing brighter. "What any creature wants when freed from captivity, little one. Vengeance... and perhaps... entertainment."

Before I can respond, a cheerful voice calls from outside our door.

"Uncle? Are you awake yet? I made us some delicious breakfast!"

Panic surges through me. I can't let XiaoMei see him—can't explain this dangerous stranger in our home. The man watches me with obvious amusement as I struggle to think of a solution, my heart pounding in my chest.