Page 27 of Empire's Curse

“Why? Because you did something heroic?”

“Saving a damsel in distress? Iama hero, aren’t I? I suppose I should bask in this feeling for longer. It appears you’re indebted to me once again.” There was a teasing quality in his voice and Daiyu wanted to laugh along with him, but she found she was bone-weary and unable to muster even a short giggle. So she only smiled, hoping he understood her sentiment.

Her limbs felt heavy and she could only lie there. “I don’t like being indebted to a mage.”

“I’m not going to steal your soul or anything.” His gaze suddenly became serious and his voice dropped an octave. “You know that, right?”

She wondered briefly if he was frowning beneath his mask, but she found she didn’t want to know. She didn’t want to face whatever expression he wore because she was certain it was a tender one. Daiyu coughed and asked instead, “Did Lanfen make it back safe? I’ve been wanting to ask you for so long and if I hadknown it was this easy to summon you, I would have called for you much earlier.”

“Always the caring sister,” he tutted, taking a step away from her to inspect his ruined clothes. “She’s safe and back home. I would have told you sooner, but I’ve been busy. There is an uprising, you know, so everyone here is swamped with work. And more so me, since I work directly under His Majesty.”

There had been quite a few revolts since Muyang took over the empire four years ago, and although he had quelled them, they kept recurring, and some people were calling for the MuRong princes to take their rightful place on the throne.

In the midst of her boring palace stay, it was easy to forget that Feiyu had other things to do than to cater to her plans of escape. Deep down, she knew that, but considering how she had nothing else to focus on but herself, it was hard to realize that she was likely just a small smidge of a thought to him. And for some reason, she didn’t like that.

Shaking her head from those thoughts, she rested a hand on her clammy forehead. “Do you think there’s a way to make the emperor forget all about me?”

Feiyu tilted his head. “You wish to erase yourself from his memory?”

“It’s the only way I can think of where he’ll leave me alone,” she said. “I’ve tried to think of how to escape, but even if I leave, it won’t change that he knows where to find me and my family. Who’s to say he won’t murder us all for denying him? He’s known to be bloodthirsty and insane—” Her lips curled into a sneer as she said those words, and the memory of Muyang’s dark eyes on her as he placed the dagger on her throat surfaced. She shivered and held her arms closer to herself. “It’s the only way I can leave without much of a trace.”

“Unfortunately, I can’t do that.”

She jerked her head up. “What?”

“I can’t do that.” He shook his head and took another step back, creating more distance between them. “I can help you withmany things, but treason isn’t one of them. I think you’ve forgotten that I workdirectlyunder His Majesty. Tampering with his memories is one of the greatest acts of betrayal and I refuse to take part in it.”

Daiyu’s chest tightened with his words and even though what he was saying wasn’t wrong, per se, it stung to hear his refusal. It was also another door shutting for her escape plan, and she felt even more confined than before. As if she were a small bird stuck in a gilded, beautiful cage.

“W-Well … that’s unfortunate.” The tremor in her voice betrayed her hurt and disappointment, and she stared at the streaks of red on his dragon-mask that appeared too much like blood. Too much like Muyang’s cursed reign. “Will you be reporting this to His Majesty?”

Feiyu clasped his hands behind his back and Daiyu held her breath as he paused to answer her. “Which part? The poisoning or the potential thoughts of treason?”

“Both.” Her throat felt tight once more, and it wasn’t because of the poison this time, but because she had foolishly thought to trust this man for a moment. She couldn’t forget that he worked under His Majesty, and for all she knew, would conspire against her if she did anything out of line. Like eventhinkingof tinkering with the emperor’s memories of her.

Feiyu was quiet for a moment too long. “I will inform him about your poisoning, as is my duty, but I won’t mention anything else.”

“And how will you explain how you came across me?” With how her last meeting with Muyang had gone, she was sure he still held some wariness toward her, and he would likely find itverysuspicious that she was in contact with his head mage.

“I’ll say I found you in the hallway outside your room nearly choking on your own vomit.”

“A wonderful picture that paints,” she grumbled. “Can’t you justnottell him?”

He canted his head. “Why would you not want him to know?”

“I don’t want him …” Daiyu laughed at where her thoughts were carrying her. Was she stupid enough to think that Muyang would be worried about her if he heard she was poisoned? She doubted it, especially after he had turned a blade on her. “I don’t want him to eventhinkabout me. I have no need for his attention and I’d rather be someone he quickly forgets.”

“Unfortunately, since there was a threat to your life, I must tell him.” He almost sounded apologetic.

Silence stretched between them until Daiyu motioned to the door. “I’d like to rest for a bit, if you don’t mind, and I’m sure you’d like to clean up.”

He placed a hand on his chest and lowered his head. “I understand. Good night, Daiyu.”

She opened her mouth to tell him the same, but before she could even blink, he vanished.

10

Daiyu traced circlesinto the rough, moss-ridden bench she sat on beneath a giant plum blossom tree that rained pink petals on her and the pond a few feet from her feet. The late afternoon light warmed her skin and she longed to be back home with her family, where times were simpler and she never had to look over her shoulder. Previously, she had been slightly annoyed at having a guard shadow her whenever she went in the gardens, but after the attempt on her life two days ago, she was grateful for her guard’s presence.

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