the devil king and fox queen

The night wind carried the scent of pine and distant rain as Way'Lee stood on the palace balcony, her hands resting lightly over her abdomen. Below, the river reflected the moon, a silver ribbon winding through the valley like the uncertain path ahead.

Wang Jo's arms wrapped around her from behind, his warmth a steady contrast to the cool night. "You're thinking again," he murmured.

She tilted her head against his chest. "I always think."

He chuckled, pressing a kiss to her hair. "I know. But tonight, your thoughts feel heavier."

Way'Lee sighed, gripping the railing. "This child… they will be different. No matter what blood runs stronger, fox or human, they will never truly belong to either world."

Wang Jo's hold tightened. "They will belong to our world."

She closed her eyes, savoring his certainty. But doubt gnawed at her. The fox clans would see the child as tainted, neither pure spirit nor true beast. The human court would whisper of sorcery, of unnatural unions. Could she protect them?

A rustling behind them made her turn.

From the shadows of the chamber, an aged figure stepped forward—Lady Mei, Way'Lee's oldest confidante and one of the few fox spirits she still trusted. Her silver-streaked hair was pinned with delicate jade combs, and her robes shimmered faintly in the dim light.

"You knew before I spoke it aloud, didn't you?" Way'Lee asked.

Lady Mei inclined her head. "A mother's spirit shifts the moment life

takes root within her. I have felt it in you for weeks."

Way'Lee exhaled softly. "Then you know why I hesitate."

Lady Mei stepped forward, her gaze steady. "Because you fear the choice will not be yours to make."

Wang Jo's arms tightened protectively around Way'Lee. "She is the Fox Queen. No one can take her choice from her."

Lady Mei's expression was unreadable. "Perhaps not by force. But a choice delayed is often a choice made by others."

Way'Lee's grip on the balcony railing tightened. "What would you have me do, Lady Mei? Declare my child's fate before they even take their first breath?"

"The clans will demand it," Lady Mei said evenly. "To them, there is no in-between. Fox or human. Spirit or mortal."

Way'Lee turned, her dark eyes flashing. "And if I refuse?"

"Then the child will be seen as a threat," Lady Mei said softly. "Neither side will claim them, yet both will fear them."

Wang Jo bristled. "Let them fear. We will protect our child."

Lady Mei studied him. "Even against an empire? Against the elders of the fox clans?"

Silence settled between them, thick as the mist rolling in from the valley. The distant howl of a fox echoed through the trees.

Way'Lee felt the weight of generations pressing down on her. She had spent her life walking between two worlds, never truly belonging to either. Could she ask her child to bear that same burden?

Her voice was quiet when she finally spoke. "There must be another way."

Lady Mei's gaze softened. "Perhaps. But the path you seek has never been walked before. You will have no allies but the ones you carve from fate itself."

Wang Jo turned Way'Lee gently in his arms. "Then we carve it together."

She searched his face, drawing strength from his certainty. Then she faced Lady Mei once more. "I will not let them decide for me."

Lady Mei inclined her head. "Then be ready, Fox Queen. The moment you defy them, they will come."

Way'Lee lifted her chin, her decision settling deep within her bones. "Let them."

A cold wind swept through the balcony, rustling the silk of her robes. The path ahead was uncertain, but one thing was clear.

The Fox Queen had made her choice. And no force—fox, human, or fate itself—would take it from her.