Page 70 of Empire's Curse

Daiyu tilted her head to watch him better. She hadn’t heard this side of the story. She had assumed Muyang hadn’t really cared whether she was in the fortress or not, or she had assumed he would be full of rage at the prospect of her fleeing from him. But laughing? She wasn’t sure if his reaction had been from amusement or shock—or a mixture of both—but she found herself blushing, if only a tad bit, at the prospect of catching him off guard.

“He was probably just laughing at ways to end me.”

Atreus gave her a puzzling look. “Why would you think that?”

“Hm?” She shook her head, her smile slowly fading. She had been half-joking when she had said that, but truthfully, no matter how charming of a man he was, or how wickedly beautiful he was, there was no denying that he was lethal. And that he wouldn’t hesitate to cut off the short end of any stick that dragged him down. “Well, he’sEmperorDrakkon Muyang. Of course that’s what he would be thinking? You even said it yourself. You and everyone in that room assumed he might punish you all for me escaping.”

“Yes, but he wouldn’t actually hurt you. You’re the woman he chose as his bride.”

She remembered the way he had held a dagger to her throat,and she suddenly didn’t feel as warm and fuzzy as she had minutes ago. “Don’t tell me you believe that he wouldn’t hesitate to kill either of us if we disobeyed or displeased him?”

“I’m sure he’d at leasthesitate.”

Daiyu couldn’t help but burst into sardonic laughter. “Yes, yes, I’m sure that’s what he’ll do. Right before he?—”

“I’m joking,” Atreus said with a soft chuckle of his own. “I’m quite aware of His Majesty’s personality. Though I doubt he would actually kill us if we displeased him. Unless, of course, we committed treason.”

Daiyu wanted to laugh along with him, this time more cheerfully, but she found she couldn’t. Not when an image of Prince Yat-sen flashed in her mind. She curled her hands over the edge of the bench and peered down at her pointed silk slippers. Tiny bluish-purple lotuses were embroidered on the sides of the shoes, distracting her momentarily.

“Atreus,” she said quietly, her heart racing with sudden anxiety and guilt. “What happened to Yat-sen? I haven’t seen him since …”

The statement hung in the air for a few moments and Daiyu wasn’t keen on finishing it. Yat-sen had been punished because of her, and she feared the worst for the youth. Knowing what she did about Muyang, there was no way he would spare the boy.

“Since the incident,” Atreus finished with a nod. “Prince Yat-sen was sent back to the palace. He’s not dead, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“But … he’s not going to be executed for this, right?”

For a brief moment—so quickly that she almost thought she imagined it—something lit up on his face, like he knew something she didn’t. But it passed so quickly that she couldn’t decipher it or linger on it. He shook his head, his expression seeming to be made of stone. “His Majesty wouldn’t execute him for that.”

“Oh?” Daiyu sighed, but she couldn’t shake her unease. Lacing her fingers together tightly, almost like she was making a prayer, she whispered, “But how can you be so sure? I really don’tsee the season why he would keep him alive, if I’m being honest. Prince Yat-sen was supposed to be …”

“He was merely a useless prince before His Majesty took the throne, and he continues to be a useless prince.”

She didn’t miss the sharpness in his tone.

Sure, Yat-sen hadn’t been the crown prince, or even next in line for the throne—in fact, he was said to be the disfavored son of the late emperor Yan—but that wasbeforeall the other princes were murdered by Muyang. Now, he was the rightful heir to a dying dynasty, and she saw no reason for Muyang to keep him alive. Wouldn’t it have made more sense to cut off all ties to the past? To what could have been?

“His Majesty has graciously allowed Prince Yat-sen, Prince Daewon, Princess Liqin, and Princess Biyu to live. I personally don’t know why he allowed them to breathe when they are remnants of a failed empire, but there is still kindness in his heart that won’t allow him to kill mere children.” Atreus stared straight ahead at two soldiers dueling one another with spears, their cloaks streaking behind them with every quick jut and lunge. His unnaturally green eyes flicked in her direction. “But the more they disappoint him, the more they will learn of his wrath.”

Daiyu turned to watch the training men, her lips pressed together tightly. She would need to learn how to navigate life in the royal palace and how to keep her head low so as not to fall under that same wrath. Muyang might have favored her for now, but who knew when that favor would run out? She didn’t want to live a miserable life. And she would have to learn of ways to escape if it came down to it.

A gentle wind jangled the tiny chimes on Daiyu’s hairpins and she shivered. “I suppose I have much to learn.”

“About?”

“Court life.”

Their conversation came to an abrupt halt when a commotion in the center of the courtyard drew their attention. Soldiers began to crowd around a particular duo of fighters.From where she sat, she couldn’t make out the fighters, but the cheers and claps made it out to be entertaining.

“I wonder what’s happening there.” She pushed herself to her feet and stretched her arms just in time to catch Atreus giving her a strange look. “What?”

“What are you doing?”

“Investigating. Aren’t you curious?” She didn’t wait for him to answer as she moved toward the circle. The soldiers made room for her when she gently pushed her way through. It didn’t take long before she was in the front lines.

Two young men circled each other. One appeared like a normal soldier, with his uniform and his obviously Huo features, but the other soldier completely took her by surprise. With a shock of long, scarlet hair that shone in the sunlight like gleaming blood, which was held together by a single leather tie, and eyes so brightly blue they appeared demon-like, he stood out from the rest of the men.

He wore a wide grin on his face, even as he sported a small cut on his neck that was profusely bleeding and staining the collar of his mustard-colored tunic. Unlike the soldier he was facing, who fought with a long sword, he wielded two short daggers.

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