Lan Zhan

His voice sounded steadier than he felt.

"'May I request a few moments in private with Lan Zhan?' A faint stir rippled through the seated elders.

The air tightened, expectation skimming the surface without quite showing its hand.

Lan Sicheng regarded him for a beat, long enough to make the moment stretch thin, then inclined his hand.

But it is astonishing.

A ripple of unsettled agreement followed.

Lan Zhang He's gaze returned to Wei Wuxian, steady now with a different weight behind it.

Speaking only for myself, this is already proof enough that your claim is not fabrication.

''We will return to that.

First we will complete the casual sequence.'' Elder Lan Zhanghe, you have confirmed the formation failure.

Do you contest Wei Gong's assessment of inevitability? Lan Zhanghe did

not look at Wei Wuxian as he spoke.

No, he said.

Lan Chiran said calmly, "'That separation has been recorded.' Wei Wuxian felt a tiny internal recalibration.

Huh.

Lan Zhanghe was actually playing this straight and so, it seemed, was Lan Qiren.

"'Move his things.' "'Here.' To the jingsha.

With Lan Zhan? As in, actually living together, not just, oops, I fell asleep here after a mind-blowing orgasm living together.

Lan Wangji took half a step closer, worry edging his voice.

Wee-ing.

Ha! His mind flicked sharp and involuntary to the dream, the courtyard, the crack of the whip, the stone biting into his knees, the way he had smiled later, too wide, too bright, pretending the pain wasn't still burning down his spine.

He forced the words out.

It's just, during the trial, it showed us past memories, and Lan Zhan may have seen one of the times Madame Yu whipped me.

Zheng Femi went still.

And Chang Chang sort of teases him and says, in your state, who could you even beat? Because he is a little tore up from the cave.

And then he stops and Wei Ying asks if Lan Zhan... like where Lan Zhan

went.

Because, you know, we're preoccupied with our boyfriend.

Yeah.

Jing Chang, it says, it looks like some sort of creature helped them accomplish their mission tonight.

And Lan Zhan notices that the talismans have been altered.

Yeah, so there's talismans hanging up all over the temple that are supposed to offer protection.

The sect needed an heir.

She must have understood her duty.' "'But then why little Lan Zhan?' It reflects poorly on Ching Hon Chung.

Perhaps I shouldn't

say it, but I'm glad his brother leads the sect now.

Then Dreamway was seen smiled, the smallest lift of his mouth brittle and wrong.

"'Then perhaps this is kinder,' he said softly.

"'No one sees, no one judges, only us.' Wei Wuxian wanted to reach for him to say, Lan Zhan, no, this can't be you.

But the dream held him fixed in place, a witness the scene had not accounted for.