The midnight air hung thick with tension as another tremor rippled through the palace grounds. Prince Xin's eyes snapped open, his small frame jolting upright in bed. The silk sheets rustled as he turned to check on his brothers - only to find their beds empty.
"Not again," he muttered, swinging his legs over the edge of his bed.
Yu and Jia used to do this, sneaking off on their midnight adventures without him. At twelve years old, Xin was tired of being left behind because he was "too young." He could already picture Yu's gentle but firm expression: "When you're older, Xin."
The young prince crept from his chambers, bare feet silent against the cold stone floors. The palace corridors stretched before him like a maze of shadows and moonlight. Another tremor shook the ground, making the lanterns sway gently.
