Wu Ling's question hung above Fang Lin's head like a sword poised to fall on his neck. It wasn't comfortable in the slightest but the young lord made himself answer it anyway.
"I abandoned you, didn't I?" Fang Lin said bitterly. "Why would I expect you to be different? You are though," he said with a heavy sigh.
"You ran out to rescue Sister Jin and you did even more to rescue me. You're not a Scholar, but I can see you're always trying to think a few steps ahead. You," Fang Ling hesitated, hating the bitter realization that sat in his stomach like he'd swallowed the pit of a peach.
"You thought my barrier would hold long enough for you to support Brother Xong, didn't you?" Fang Lin finally said, reaching the only conclusion that made sense when he examined everything that had happened. "That's why you helped him first. You didn't know I was about to fail."
