Page 96 of Empire's Curse

For the rest of the evening, she talked to them and it eased her mind, even as maidservants rushed in and out of the room with bundles of dresses and jewelry and pretty things to prepare her for the evening. When she was with her family, it was easy to forget that in a few short hours, she’d marry the wicked emperor. She’d marryMuyang.

She wasn’t sure if her heart was ready for that, but she kept it guarded like she promised herself she would because there was no way she was going to let him break it. There was an uneasiness deep in the pits of her belly, telling her that something would inevitably go wrong. That there was no way things could be smooth sailing. That she was making a mistake.

She prayed that wasn’t the case.

33

Her dress was prettierthan anything she’d ever seen before. With its heavily embroidered gold beads along the sleeves, the skirt, and the belt, Daiyu could barely walk without feeling like she was carrying the weight of the empire on her body. Scarlet silk covered everything that wasn’t doused in gleaming gold. Her hair was woven together into a high updo with a fancy gilded headdress to go with it and her makeup covered her face like she was a painted doll.

She should have felt beautiful when she entered the palace hall, with everyone gaping and gazing at her like she was a prize, but she felt out of place. Like a picturesque statue forcing itself to walk when its legs were too stiff. She didn’t belong among these nobles. Or at least, she felt like she didn’t.

They stared and sent their greetings when she was seated on the dais, but she couldn’t ignore the fakeness of their smiles. The way they seemed to laugh behind their bejeweled fans. Or the way the women sized her up like she didn’t belong.

And the women … Oh, thewomen.

They were dressed just as fancy as she was, even thoughshewas the bride. It was clear what they were trying to do. Theywanted to steal Muyang right from under Daiyu’s nose.At her own wedding to him.

It was bizarre. It was infuriating. And she hated them all for it.

“I thought you would look happy on your wedding day,” Muyang murmured into her ear, his warm breath tickling her neck and sending a shiver down her spine. “If you grind your teeth any longer, I’m sure people will think I’m holding you against your will.”

Daiyu barely glanced over at him but eased the iron-like grip she had of her own hands. She couldn’t look at him the entire evening. Not with the dancing people performing dragon dances, or the hum of the music weaving through the intricate vermillion-and-gold décor of the grand hall, or with the throngs of people dressed in clothes worth more than a brick of gold. She was on a battlefield of her own with all these luxuries surrounding her, and the last thing she needed was the distraction Muyang offered.

Because he was a grand, grand distraction that took the cake.

Dressed in deep maroon robes laced with gold, with his inky, midnight hair pulled together by a dragon-carved gold crown, he appeared like a famed dragon emperor. There was something hauntingly beautiful and terrifying about the smile he wore. Like he was a demon-general that had been victorious in battle. And Daiyu couldn’t meet his gaze, not when he took her very breath away.

Not when he was sitting inches away from her.

“Daiyu.” He grasped her hand and she inadvertently jolted at the small touch, her gaze flying over to meet his glittering, black eyes. “You’re not acting like yourself.”

Her throat was too tight, her hands curling together subconsciously, and her head was too heavy with the ornaments hanging into her hair. She couldn’t see past the sea of unfamiliar faces regarding her like she was a sheep sent to slaughter. Even Muyang’s words seemed to come out garbled, like she had a filter covering her eyes and ears that only honed in on the negativity geared her way.

“Daiyu?” He squeezed her hand.

“I’m well,” she finally managed, searching through the crowds for Wang Yanlin, who—she was sure—would inevitably cause a scene. She could have been any of the fancily dressed women crowding the dais, the tables, and trying to catch the emperor’s eye. She could have been waiting to sink her teeth into Daiyu when she wasn’t looking.

Muyang intertwined his fingers in hers, forcing her to rip her attention away from the hordes of people. He watched her with a grim expression. “What’s bothering you so much that you can’t even look at me?”

“I thought I wasn’t supposed to meet your gaze?”

“You are my wife today.” His voice was smooth and he brought her hand up to his soft mouth, planting a kiss against the back of her hand. “You should look at no one but me.”

“Your Majesty, what are you doing?” she whispered, feeling the stares being sent their way.

“Muyang.” He leaned closer as he murmured into her ear. As if they were sharing a lover’s secret. As if they were the only two people in this crowded room. “Call me by my name.”

“We’re not alone.”

“We could be.”

“If you desire it, Your Majesty, then I will oblige,” she said without thinking too hard about what she was saying. The response came automatically, just like the other phrases she had learned to say while at the palace. “But,” she included, glancing over at him with a raised brow, “I would prefer to stay at my own wedding.”

“Then we shall stay.” He kept her hand on his lap, his voice dropping an octave lower. “But I will keep this hand in mine until it’s time we leave.”

She could feel the flush of warmth scaling up her neck. With the amount of powders and makeup she had caked onto her face, she doubted anyone else could tell. “Why?”

“So you don’t flee at the first chance you get,” Muyangsaid with a touch of amusement. “You look like you either want to run as far away as possible, or that you want to skewer a few people alive. If it’s the latter, we can certainly change our plans for entertainment for the evening.”

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