He wasn't sure why Lee Shaan had reacted the way he had, but as Qi rested, sitting up in Huang's bed, he couldn't help but think that something had changed.

Staring down at his wrist, he could just-barely feel the man's curse dancing along his skin.

A distance tether.

It was beyond disheartening. There was no way he could return to his Zen with such a shackle on, nor could he remove it because his energy had been sealed after he'd been brought back. He would also not dare bring Lee Shaan to Zen, because he had no doubt that the man wouldn't hesitate to try and remove him from the picture completely once he figured out how to break the curse.

He was just about to wake the other prince, hoping to receive more insight on the shackle around his wrist, when he heard Lee Shaan's heavy footsteps enter their room.

He looks exhausted...

The man walked over to them, stopping right next to Huang before kneeling down. Qi tensed in response, his hand inching toward the blade he'd somehow been allowed to keep.

"Do not waste your energy," Lee Shaan said as he carefully slid his hands beneath the prince sleeping against the side of the bed.

Once he got Huang into his arms, he easily stood, then stared down at him with a raised brow.

"Why was he not sleeping in the bed with you? It is plenty large enough."

He almost sounds upset.

"He would not hear of it. I tried to pull him up here once I awoke a few hours ago, but he shrugged off my help and went back to sleep," Qi said, honestly still feeling bad about it.

Lee Shaan grunted out a sigh and sat down on the edge of the bed, easily settling the man in his arms against his chest.

"How soon do you think you can travel?" he asked after a few moments of silence.

Travel?

Qi immediately scowled, earning a quiet bit of laughter from Lee Shaan before he turned and kicked his booted feet up on the bed, then leaned back against the pillows next to him.

Prince Yuen awoke as he was tugged down with him, but his struggles to get free were fruitless. Frustrated and tired, he turned his head against Lee Shaan's chest and met Qi's eyes.

Qi offered him a calm, yet-awkward smile before returning his attention to the larger man.

"I am ready to travel now, but where are we going?"

Lee Shaan smirked as he leaned his head back against the pillows, then turned it to look at him.

"You know the answer to your question."

He did, but if that was the case...

"I'm afraid that I'm not up to traveling," he said as Huang squirmed in Lee Shaan's arms again, trying to escape for a second time.

The man finally decided to let him go, allowing Huang to scramble off of him and sit down next to Qi.

"We won't lead you to Zen," he said, his voice firm, even though it still sounded tired, too.

Closing his eyes, Lee Shaan took several deep, calming breaths before pushing himself up, then turning and opening them again.

"You both know that I am quite capable of pulling his location out of your skulls. Please, do yourselves a favor and take me to him without forcing my hand."

Qi swallowed his growing nerves as he looked to his left at the same time Huang looked at him. They did not doubt his abilities as a curse master.

When neither of them replied quickly enough, though, Lee Shaan sighed.

"I will not attack him. I know that he is connected to you two. Harming him will do none of us any good."

Qi didn't quite understand how the man had been convinced so easily, but he was grateful to hear that he at least understood the situation.

"If you hurt him or kill him, that will be my pain and my death," Qi said, trying to make sure that the man truly understood.

Lee Shaan pursed his lips and nodded.

"I understand. It will also likely affect Yuen Huang negatively, as well, and that is not something I wish to happen."

Not something he wishes to happen?

Turning his attention back to Huang, Qi couldn't hide the disbelief he was likely expressing through his eyes. He expected Huang to argue the man's words, but when he simply looked down at his lap and said nothing, Qi was quite taken aback.

"Anyways, we need to find him before the false emperor of Han does," Lee Shaan said as he stood from the bed, then turned to face them again.

"The man has been hounding me for days ever since you escaped the ambush he'd used me for. He is actually planning on coming here, himself, in two days, so I'd like to leave now before his scouts arrive tonight."

They had no choice, then. It was either go find Zen and possibly figure out some way to escape from Lee Shaan before he could do anything to them, or risk staying and waiting for certain death.

Qi watched as Huang carefully scooted to the edge of the bed, then accepted Lee Shaan's assistance in rising back to his feet.

Your father will likely punish you for what you have done, too. Possibly even kill you...

Making up his mind right then, Qi hurried to the edge of the bed, too, standing on his own as Lee Shaan helped Huang finish dressing in a clean bland cloak.

Once they were finished, Lee Shaan returned to him and offered him a similar garment that Qi quickly donned.

"Your tethers will remain intact until I decide to break them, so please be aware of your actions," he said, earning a nod from Qi as he moved to stand beside Huang.

The man looked like he was about to pass out again, but that was no surprise. He'd refused to sleep on the bed, even after being hurt earlier while still recovering from his previous severe injuries. It was a wonder he could even walk at all.

In fact, Qi turned and reached out right as the man began to teeter, but Lee Shaan caught him first, then easily lifted him back up into his arms.

"Do not tire yourself out anymore than you already are. I can handle him," Lee Shaan said as he got Huang situated against his chest with one arm, then ducked out into the cool afternoon air. Without a word, Qi followed.

It was drizzling lightly outside, the rain cooling the desert around them nicely. A slightly strong breeze rustled his hair as he followed Lee Shaan, watching curiously as prince Yuen slept peacefully with his head tucked near the man's neck.

He still did not understand how things had changed so dramatically, and how prince Yuen was even still alive, but he was grateful that the Didui tribe leader had become, at least, a little more amicable.

They walked for a short time before coming upon a large field with several well-maintained horses grazing about. Lee Shaan looked as if he were about to whistle for a certain one to come over, but then caught himself before glancing down at prince Yuen sleeping against his chest.

Seemingly annoyed for a moment, Lee Shaan walked over to the gate and stepped inside. The sound of the bolts creaking easily drew the horse's attention, then he simply signaled two of them to come to him.

Very well trained...

Lee Shaan lead the two animals over to a young lad who quickly got them saddled up for him. He handed the boy a few extra coins, then carefully got himself and Huang up onto a medium brown mare.

Qi remembered that the man had boasted often about his amazing black stallion whenever he'd come to visit, and yet he'd decided to leave it in the stable.

Instead of heading toward the horse Lee Shaan had called for him, the one Qi had borrowed on his journey south appeared from the edge of the tree line, trotting over to him with excitement. It likely expected more apples, since that was what he'd had to steal in order to bribe the horse to come with him.

I apologize, but I do not have anymore treats for you.

That didn't stop him from grabbing its reigns and carefully swinging up onto its back, though.

"I promise I will find you something good to eat on our trip," he said as he patted the snorting horse before nudging it forward until it was walking right beside the other.

"We will ride until dusk, then stop at the small town just past the border," Lee Shaan said as he tugged his own hood up, then kicked his horse into a gentle trot.

Qi didn't even need to give his horse a command as it hurried to follow. Since it seemed perfectly fine keeping pace on its own, he decided to just try to relax and enjoy as much of the trip as possible.

Perhaps this situation isn't as bad as I first thought, but only time will tell... and we are quickly running out of that.