Page 128 of Empire's Curse

“I can’t let you kill yourself like this.” She breathed out deeply. “You’ll have to continue your reign. I know you’re scared?—”

“I’mnotscared,” he snarled, even though he couldn’t rip his gaze away from Feiyu.

“You’re lost and scared and confused!” Daiyu exhaled. The other guards exchanged glances, all of them appearing baffled. Nobody spoke to the emperor this way. Not even a woman riding a fearsome dragon. She knew that, but she didn’t care what anyone thought at that moment. All she cared about was saving him. Saving the man she loved.

“Muyang, you have to accept this part of you,” she said, quieter this time. “Please. Let’s build a life together. Let’s be happy. Let’s have dozens of children. Let’slive—together.Please.”

He hesitated and she could see the emotions warring on his face. The desire to give in, but the stubbornness not to find out who he was. What his past was about. She could see the resignation on his face. The fear.

“I love you, Muyang.” The words came out before she could help herself. And it was so true, so true she wanted to shout it to the world. To let everyone know that she was deeply and madly in love with Drakkon Muyang.

His eyes widened.

She held her hand out to him. “Muyang, I want to be with you. Forever and ever, and I won’t let your stubborn pride hold you back. You can’t die here. Not when you have so much to do.”

He stared at her hand and then back at her face—searching,thinking.

He was so beautiful, with the early morning sun shining down on him. With the vulnerability across his face.

He stumbled forward, his hand stretching out to meet hers.

“I love you, MuRong Muyang,” she whispered just as their fingers touched.

A spark came to life and Muyang’s eyes grew even wider. All at once, light shone from Feiyu and darkness whirled around Muyang. Daiyu bit back a scream as she was thrown forward, off Feiyu’s back.

She crashed onto the floor, rolling as she went,the shock rattling her bones. Shadows and lights writhed from both Feiyu and Muyang, warping together like a storm. The sky cracked with magic and darkened in seconds, the air growing thicker and volatile. Daiyu scooted backward, the winds howling all around. The two bodies began to fuse together—one part dragon and the other part human.

“W-What’s happening?” Bohai shouted, coming to kneel beside her. He stared at the magic lashing out from Muyang.

“His souls are combining!” Daiyu said.

Understanding seemed to dawn on Bohai’s face.

In seconds, the blustering magic stopped altogether, but shadows continued to form around Muyang’s feet, swirling around him like banners of night. He slowly raised his head and turned to the crowd of terrified soldiers, his eyes appearing blacker than before. Finally, his gaze landed on Daiyu.

He didn’t look weak and sick anymore. In fact, he looked more powerful than ever. The shadows continued to whip at the ground, at the sky, and over his body protectively. She had never seen such a cold expression on his face. Such madness and anger and fury that played over his black, black eyes.

She clambered up to her feet shakily. Her vision tunneled so that everything else disappeared until it was just him and her. Her mouth tasted ashy and dry.

Their gazes locked on one another.

She held her breath.

Now that his fractured soul was together again, did that mean … he didn’t love her anymore? Did he hold resentment toward her for bringing him together? Would he hate her now?

He must have read her mind, he must have seen the fear on her face because his gaze softened, the shadows waning and a faint smile curling at the corner of his soft mouth. “Daiyu, I could never hate you.”

It was all she needed to run to him. She didn’t care about anything else anymore. She launched herself into his arms. He stumbled backward, embracing her even as she smacked his chestwith her hand. Even as the tears rolled down her face and she hugged him tighter and tighter.

“Y-You!” she cried, burying her face in his chest. “You frightened me so bad! I thought I wouldloseyou!”

“Forgive me,” he whispered, tucking his chin over her head.

“I thought you woulddie!” She wept against his chest, not caring that she likely appeared hideous—with her dusty and torn clothes, her windswept hair stuck with twigs and leaves, and grime and dirt clinging to her like a cloak. Even then, when she peeled back just enough to stare up at him, he was looking down at her like he had never seen someone so … beautiful.

He pushed a strand of her hair out of her face. “Did you realize that I loved you in both souls?”

She sniffled, blinking away the tears that adhered to her lashes. “You did?”

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