Page 49 of Empire's Curse

Daiyu couldn’t breathe as a mounting horror overwhelmed her thoughts. She was in His Majesty’s bedchambers.

18

From what she could see,Muyang wore a simple white, cross-collared tunic to bed, but the lapels of his shirt were undone—likely from tossing and turning—and revealed the smooth, hard planes of his toned chest. In the moonlight, his skin appeared silver, and Daiyu could only gawk at him, her gaze trailing over his exposed flesh, and then to his peaceful, sleeping face. Even asleep, he appeared like a beautiful, carved piece of work.

Her grip on the curtain tightened and her first instinct was to run out of this room, but something kept her rooted in place. For the first time since she had met him, she didn’t fear him—not when he appeared so peacefully at sleep, unaware of her presence.

“Muyang,” she whispered, tasting the forbidden name on her tongue. She could never call him that when he was awake and she could never look at him so unashamedly like she was now—or else she’d be killed for daring such a thing—but there was nobody around, and nobody would know.

He was so utterly … beautiful, and she hated that. Hated how his wicked beauty caused something to stir in her stomach. How he was so evil, but was somehow blessed with such a beautiful, beautiful face.

She stared at his chest and warmth flooded her cheeks—she shouldn’t have been here, and she especially shouldn’t be staring. It was too improper. Too inappropriate?—

“Are you here to seduce me?”

She bit back a stifled scream and released the curtain like it was made of fire. But even then, she could see Muyang gazing at her through the gaps. He sat upright, the blanket falling down to his hips, and pushed the curtain open further with the back of his hand. His long, silk-like hair fell over his shoulders, and she inhaled again at how wrong this was—for both of them to be in their undergarments, in the middle of the night, in his bedchambers.

“Hm,Daiyu?”

Her legs trembled and she suddenly felt weak in the knees. It was probably the effects of the night, with how indecent this was, that she felt something warm in the pit of her stomach. Or maybe it was the way he drawled her name.

She hated the effect it had on her.

Her mouth was dry, and she blinked at him like a gawping fish out of water. “I … I didn’t mean?—”

“You didn’t mean towhat?” His hand reached out and before she could say something, he snatched her wrist and yanked her forward. She yelped, her knees hitting the edge of the mattress as she tumbled forward. Her face smacked into his chest and she braced her hand on his thigh instinctively. Their faces were inches apart, and she could feel every pore in her body erupt in flames. He didn’t let go of her wrist and smiled down at her. “You didn’t mean to come into my bedchambers in the deep of night? It’s not often that women frequent a man’s bed withpureintentions.”

Her breath hitched, and she moved her hand away from his powerful, sturdy thigh, instead choosing to press the mattress. She wanted to pull away from him, but she couldn’t move, not with those tantalizing eyes grazing her face and body.

“Your Majesty, I didn’t come here—” She swallowed thethickness in her throat, her pulse fluttering in her neck. “I didn’t realize you would be sleeping here. I thought this was my room.”

Muyang’s breath warmed the delicate skin of her collarbones and bare throat. He was so close she could smell the sandalwood and jasmine on his skin.

“This is?—”

“Inappropriate?” he finished for her.

“Yes.”

He chuckled and finally released her wrist. She nearly fell over him but quickly scooted over to the edge of the mattress. He watched her with mounting amusement, his eyes seeming to meld into the darkness. She hugged her wrist to her chest, unsure of what to do. She felt cold without his touch, and she hated that she wanted to lean into him. But they weren’t married, and she didn’t want anything to do with him, she told herself.

Muyang eased onto the many pillows surrounding his bed and she could feel his gaze tracking over her body—at her soft curves that were usually hidden under her dresses. “You don’t have a room here,” he said. “You’ll be sharing these chambers with me.”

Her eyebrows came together, her face further flushing. “Excuse me?”

“All the bedchambers in this fortress are occupied by my men. You will be here in my room.”

“I … I am an unmarried woman,” she finally breathed. She hugged herself tightly, for fear that if she touched anything else, she’d be drawn to him. “I would like my own room, or my own bedchamber. Or … Or even a couch.”

“We’ll marry soon.” He lifted a shoulder but watched her carefully.

“And yet we are not married rightnow.” She curled her legs underneath her. He could do whatever he wanted with her and just her speaking her mind like this was punishable by death. If the emperor wanted her, he could have her. With or withoutmarrying her. She knew that, and yet … she wanted him to respect her wishes. A part of her hoped he would do that.

But he was the ruthless emperor with innocent blood staining his reign.

Muyang touched her chin and lifted her face. She found herself complying, staring deep into those dark, mesmerizing eyes that seemed to see right through her.

“You do not need to be so terrified in my presence. I would never force myself on a woman.” He searched her face as if asking her to believe him, and she nodded slowly. Something akin to relief momentarily flickered over his face and he let go of her.

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