Page 81 of Dynasty of the Wicked

“Sorry, I would have let you know where I was going, but you weren’t there this morning.” She rose up to her feet and dusted her hands on her thighs. Most mornings, Feng Mian was gone by the time she woke up.

“We had a meeting to discuss our next move.” He shifted on his feet, a few stray chicken bones cracking beneath his heavy boots. “We’ll be moving back to Chanming’s fortress tomorrow. We only staked out here this close to Kadian lands because Wyer was pushing back on us, but he seems to have backed off.”

“I mean, of course he backed off.” She lifted an eyebrow. “Wyer is dead. Didn’t the ghouls kill him?”

He shrugged. “Probably.”

“What do you mean probably?”

“I don’t know. He has magic, so it’s possible he was able to escape. Either way, the Kadians in this region have retreated for now.”

“What does this mean for us?”

A moment of silence dragged between them and Zhi Ruo wasn’t sure what was worse: the long pause, or the fact that guilt flashed over his face. She balled her hands together. She was getting really tired of Feng Mian’s wishy-washy feelings toward their relationship.

As if on cue, the dragon child narrowed his eyes, his mouth peeling back to show his teeth as he hissed.

She nearly jumped, and Feng Mian stiffened, silver eyes narrowing in the dragon’s direction.

“It’s all right,” she murmured.

He hissed once more.

“Does he … understand what you’re saying?”

“I’m not sure.” She glanced over at the dragon, who was now staring up at her. “It’s not like we said much.”

Feng Mian frowned at him, a look of unease passing over his face. “I’m not comfortable with you spending so much time with him. He’s a dragon, Pri—” He sighed, as if he still wasn’t used to calling her Zhi—and she had to admit, she was more used to him calling her Princess than anything else. “He might hurt you, and unlike with Lanying, there won’t be anyone to help you. In fact, most people won’t even realize you’re being eaten alive.”

“I wouldn’t?—”

“Have you seen Lanying?” he asked sharply. “He bit her down to the bone.”

She flinched. Truthfully, she was too nervous to see the young woman, for fear that she would be furious at her for picking the dragon’s side over hers. She was used to people being angry at her, and this was no exception—except this time, she felt guilty.

“It’s already hard enough that I can barely find you here,” he began, his scowl darkening. “I’d feel more at ease if you weren’t so close to him.”

“He won’t hurt me.” Zhi Ruo wasn’t sure what made her think that—maybe naivety—but she truly didn’t think he would hurt her unprovoked. He hadn’t hurt her when he’d attacked Lanying, and he hadn’t hurt her these past few days either.

“He’s a dragon. Dragons are intelligent beings, yes, but they are also easily bored, and they enjoy killing when that happens.”

She turned toward the dragon-child. “Is that true? Do you enjoy killing when you’re bored?”

He blinked.

“He is not innocent,” Feng Mian started.

“He is achild.”

“A child who almost ripped Lanying’s arm off.”

“Feng Mian.” She exhaled loudly, her breath steaming in front of her in thin, white wisps. She wasn’t in the mood to argue, especially when it came to the dragon. She enjoyed hiscurious company. It was probably because she felt safer with him than Chanming’s men, who she feared would find her secret if she remained around them.

She stuck her arm out in front of him. “Will it ease your worries if you mark me with your magic like you did with the tent?”

“I …” His eyebrows came together and she could tell he hadn’t expected that. “I don’t think you realize how invasive that can be.”

“Why?”

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