Page 101 of Empire's Curse

“You’re too …” Beautiful. A piece of art. A villain who embodied the idea of sweet poison. But she couldn’t say those words out loud, not without laughing and thinking she was being too honest. Instead, she shook her head and smiled. “You know what I mean, Muyang. You’ve likely been told your whole life how you look.”

The corner of Muyang’s lips rose and her stomach clenched even tighter. “Isn’t this the time formeto be tellingyouhow beautiful you are? Not the other way around?”

“You told me that we can take things at my pace,” she said with a light, playful tap to his forehead. Unlike him, she didn’t have experience in these matters, so she had no idea what she wassupposed to say or do, but she didn’t want to say that out loud for fear of marring this moment between them. Instead, she took the reins again and inched closer to him. “You should surrender yourself better, Your Majesty.”

“Surrender myself? To you?” His tone was playful.

“To your empress, yes.” Before she could second-guess herself, or feel too embarrassed, she climbed atop of him and straddled her thighs against his waist. Her hands splayed against his chest and she quivered with an astonishing sense of nervousness, desire, and most surprising of all,power.

Muyang’s gaze darkened with obvious need and he grasped a strand of her hair. “What do you want me to do with you, Your Highness?” he murmured, kissing the lock of her hair.

A thrill ran down her spine.

She felt like the most beautiful woman in the empire—in the whole world.

“For tonight, I want to feel like you’ve never loved anything more than you love me, and that you’ve never coveted something more than me.” She cupped his face in her hands and leaned closer to him. “And I want you to beg for me, Your Majesty. I want you completely as you are.”

“As you wish, my empress.”

Their lips locked with one another and a pulse of electric desire ran through her body like a wildfire, coursing through her veins and lighting up every piece of her. She moved against him, her hands exploring his body, her nerves disappearing as their bodies collided with each other. She had never felt so empowered in her life. She was the most important person in that moment and he was so much more than just Drakkon Muyang—the usurper and villainous emperor.

He was her lover, her husband—but mostly, he washers.

35

The Autumn Festivalin the capital was like nothing Daiyu had experienced. The teeming streets were decorated with rich vermillion banners at every corner, with the royal dragon insignia plastered across them. Vendors selling sticky rice snacks, candied fruits, colorful masks, savory foods, and all types of festivities cluttered the roads packed with people from all types of backgrounds. The aromatic smells overpowered the usually pervasive woodsmoke, and the lights—oh, the lights. The city was alive by the evening, with bright lanterns strung together on every street, blazing firelight like she was in a different world altogether.

Daiyu watched—transfixed by the glittering lights—the sprawling, dazzling city below her. She leaned against the balcony railing, the crisp, cool air against her skin and the starlit midnight sky canopying above her. It was the second day of the festival and she already wished it would last all year long. At least then she could marvel at it forever and partake in the giddy delight everyone seemed to be stuck in.

“It’s a shame my family left so soon after the wedding,” Daiyu murmured, turning to Muyang, who was similarly leaning on the railing with his unreadable gaze set on the capital. Feiyu had warped her family back home the day after thewedding, since her parents wanted to celebrate the Autumn Festival at their village since it would be their last time living there. But now that she had witnessed the beauty and extravagance of this festival, she didn’t want to go back to the now-dull festival that occurred in her hometown. “They’re missing out,” she continued with a sigh. “I told them it would be better to stay.”

“They’ll be able to witness next year’s festival.”

“I know, but that’s a long time from now.” Daiyu breathed in the smoky, fragrant smells permeating from the city. She had been at awe at the festivities yesterday and had walked through the streets, marveling at everything she saw—fire-breathing dancers, actors dressed in dragon costumes that looked far too realistic, and singers with rich sons—and even today, the second day, after all feasting and dancing, she was just as excited, albeit a bit exhausted.

“What a beautiful sight,” she whispered at the twinkling lights.

“Indeed.”

She turned to find him staring at her, a grin curling over his soft mouth. All at once, her face flushed with warmth and she was reminded again of his gentle touch. Heat pooled in the pit of her belly. “Don’t look at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like you want to devour me.”

He chuckled faintly, leaning closer to her and wrapping an arm around her waist. He pulled her close to him and she gasped at the sudden motion. At the way her body reacted to him.

“Muyang, what are you doing?”

“Admiring my wife.” He dragged a finger down her spine and she shuddered.

“Well, maybe you can admire me later.” She turned to stare back at the capital, no longer able to focus on the glittering lights and the bustle through the streets. She leaned into his touch, her cheeks flaming. “Right now, I’d rather pay attention to thefestival.”

“Hmph.” Muyang followed her gaze to the rest of the city. “It’s the same as it always is.”

“Foryou.” Daiyu clucked her tongue. “Not everyone gets to witness this. I’ve never been to a festival as grand as this one.”

“It happens every year.”

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