Page 31 of Empire's Curse

“I see.” Muyang continued to examine her coolly. “Is there anything else you’d like to tell me?”

Daiyu shook her head, the color draining from her face. “No, Your Majesty.”

“Very well.” He reached toward his waist and she jumped when he pulled out his dragon dagger—the same blade he had pinned to her neck—but instead of running her through, he held it out to her, hilt first.

Daiyu stared at the weapon dumbly.

“Take it.”

She wordlessly took it from him, her fingers wrapping around the metal handle. She placed it on her lap tentatively and watched him carefully, expecting him to do something sinister. When he did nothing, she murmured, “Thank you?”

“Keep it for now until I come back for you. It’s important to me, so don’t lose it.” Muyang drummed his fingers on the armrest of the bench. She still couldn’t get a read on him, and even though his words seemed safe, she was on high alert. “I’ll be gone to the north tomorrow and won’t be back for a few weeks. Months, if this rebellion isn’t quelled soon enough.”

“You will fight in the war?”

Something gleamed in his eyes as he laughed, and she inched back at the crudeness of it. “I have enemies to kill, and I’d hate for someone else to do that favor. So yes, little rabbit, I plan on fighting.”

Little rabbit.

She disliked the nickname and the way he said it—like she was a quivering, sniveling rabbit absolutely terrified out of her mind in his presence. And yet it seemed fitting, she thought bitterly as she lowered her gaze to the blade on her lap.

He grasped her chin and forced her to look up at him. His hands were cool to the touch and he didn’t seem to mind the dampness of her skin. “I wanted to see you before I left.”

It would’ve sounded romantic, if not for the humiliation he had caused her. If not for the fact that she was dripping wet, andthat the winds were making her even colder, and that the dropping temperature as the sun dipped along the horizon made her teeth clatter together. If not for the fact that he could kill her and nobody would bat an eyelash.

Muyang studied her face like he was searching for something and released her promptly. She didn’t know if he was satisfied with her or not, but she couldn’t turn away from him. Not when he could still attack her. She needed to see his every move, even if she couldn’t do anything about it.

“I … I pray that you will be victorious,” she said carefully.

“When I come back, we will marry,” he said noncommittally. The waning sunlight glinted off the gold crown keeping his hair together and Daiyu squinted against the glare. “I’m hoping to arrive before the Autumn Festival.”

Daiyu tried to hide the shudder that ran down her spine. He still wanted to marry her? She didn’t understandwhy. Especially when he had so many other beautiful, willing women in the palace ready for him. And yet he choseher.

She hated him for it.

“I hope your campaign goes well and that you return promptly.” The words left her mouth in a detached manner like someone else saying it and not her. “I pray that the Huo empire is successful in quelling these treasonous rebellions.”

Muyang’s eyes narrowed and another chill rattled her bones. Before she could surmise what he was thinking, he beckoned her forward with a single finger. “Come here.”

Daiyu rose to her feet, dagger in hand, and shuffled closer to him. Her ruined, dripping clothes stuck to her uncomfortably and she hated the squelching feeling of her water-wrinkled toes plodding the grass. She stopped a foot away from him, and his fingers grazed her stomach gently. She nearly tripped backward, but he grabbed her elbow as if anticipating it.

“W-What—” Her face flushed with unexpected warmth and embarrassment, but before she could say anything else, he drew his hand away, and a trail of grimy water suspended into the airbetween them. Daiyu watched, transfixed, as the pond water was extracted from her dress in thin streams, culminating into a ball in his open palm. It took less than ten seconds for all the water to be pulled from her dress and even her hair. He flicked a hand and the ball of muddied water splatted against the ground.

Daiyu’s mouth was still shaped like an O even after he finished. She shouldn’t have beenthatshocked, considering how rumors said he was part demon or part dragon, but seeing it happen with her own eyes made the stories even more true.

“You seem surprised,” Muyang said with a short chuckle. “Did you think I would be cruel enough to make you walk the palace halls looking like a drowned rat while the servants and nobles mocked you?”

Daiyu wouldn’t have put it past him to do exactly that, but she shook her head. “I didn’t think that low of you, Your Majesty.”

“Good.” He clambered to his feet, and Daiyu was once again taken aback by his impressive height. He towered over her and she felt even smaller to be so close to him.

“I will wait for your return.” She took a step back, wanting to put as much distance between them as possible. She thumbed the dragon’s face on the dagger distractedly. “I … I do have a request before you leave, Your Majesty.”

Muyang turned to leave but then paused and glanced down at her with raised eyebrows. “Oh?”

“I-I … I hope it isn’t too impudent of me to ask … but …” She lowered herself into a bow. Her heart wouldn’t stop racing and she held her breath in case he did anything to her for even making a request. “But I was hoping you could dismiss the rest of the women in the palace and allow them to go back to their homes.”

This time, she held her breath and didn’t dare look up at him. After her poisoning, there was no way she could peacefully stay in the palace whilst her potential murderer was waiting in the Lotus wing. It was possible that the women would grow bolder inMuyang’s absence, and Daiyu couldn’t risk another incident like before.

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