Page 47 of Song of the Shadow Prince
I rolled my eyes. “Wow, you’re really winning my heart here.”
He smirked and prowled toward me. “I don’t need to win anything, because I already have you. Just like I’ll one day have Dragon Valley.”
I furrowed my brows. I wasn’t an expert in royal procedures, but I recalled the emperor introducing Thorne as the Crown Prince, which I assumed meant he was next in line for the throne. So what the hell was Prince Julian prattling on about?
“Sure,” I murmured, eyeing him skeptically.
“You’re mine!” he growled.
The threat in his tone was clear, but fear wasn't an option. When he reached out again, I was ready. I caught his arm and twisted it behind him, but he was quicker than I anticipated. With one swift movement, he rolled and reversed our positions. Now I was the one with my arm twisted behind my back at an awkward angle. His face was inches from mine, his breath hot with fury.
But I wasn't done. Pivoting on my back foot, I slipped out of his grip and lashed out with a sharp elbow to his ribs. Julian grunted, momentarily winded, but quickly retaliated by sweeping a leg towards mine and trying to knock me off balance.
We moved like shadow and flame, back and forth in a dance of power and resistance. As we grappled, his hand snagged the sleeve of my dress, tearing it with a violent rip. The fabric gave way to expose my arm, which was covered shoulder to wrist in a tableau of intricate tattoos—markings he had never seen before.
Julian paused and his eyes widened in shock at the sight. “What are those?”
Seizing upon his hesitation, I lunged forward, wrapped my arm around his neck, and pulled him into a tight headlock. His momentary shock gave way to a struggle, and he tensed and tried to pry my arm away. “These tattoos,” I hissed close to his ear, “are new. And no, they don’t recognize you, either!”
I squeezed tighter, hoping to put him to sleep. He had just dropped to one knee when the washroom door opened and Royal Prince Bai stood on the threshold. I didn’t loosen my grip for even a second. Not when the threat hadn’t been neutralized.
“Lady Arya!” Royal Prince Bai gasped as he looked between me and Julian. “What are youdoing?”
“He attacked me,” I gritted between my teeth.
“Uncle—” Julian gasped for help.
I chuckled because in my world, that was the term for tapping out, so I did him a solid and released him, adding a kick in the back to nudge him toward his uncle.
Royal Prince Bai stared at me with his mouth agape as if seeing me for the first time, then his gaze fell on my forearm and my exposed tattoos. His eyes widened further and he gasped again, pointing at me as if I was the anti-Christ. “Y-You!” he stuttered.
“Me? Me, what?” I frowned and glanced down at my arm, covering it with my other hand. “Is there something on me? Oh my God, get it off!” I jumped around wildly, imagining a huge, woolly spider straight from the depths of this medieval hell crawling up my skin.
Royal Prince Bai grabbed my arm to halt my movements and pushed away the torn sleeve, revealing my tattoos.
“Uncle, what are you doing?” Julian groaned from behind him. “Are you going to let her get away with assaulting a prince?”
Ignoring his nephew, Royal Prince Bai scanned my forearm and his brows shot up to his hairline. He ran a hand over my latest tattoo, almost as if trying to rub it away. “How long have you had this?” he whispered.
I furrowed my brows, confused by his reaction. “All of the tattoos or just that one?”
He pointed to my newest ink. “Just this one.”
I shrugged. I’d gotten it the night before the accident. “It’s only been a week and a half.”
“Around the time of the boating incident?” When I nodded, he gently covered my arm again and released me with a barely audible sigh.
“Uncle!” Julian shouted, annoyed.
“Julian,enough!” Royal Prince Bai yelled back, his voice echoing in the small room. “Do not take me for a fool!” He whirled on his nephew. “Lady Arya excused herself and you justhappenedto follow her in here? Where she was about to relieve herself? I doubt she invited you in here,” he scoffed. “Unless you want me to bring this matter up with your father, I suggest you leave here with your soiled dignity somewhat intact.”
Julian’s mouth fell open as he looked between the two of us, aghast. Even I was in disbelief. I thought for sure I was screwed. Without another word, Julian stormed out of the restroom without bothering to shut the door behind him. In his fury, he pushed past the row of startled servants and made several of them fall to the floor with muffled cries.
Seeing the young servant girl who had escorted me to the washroom on the floor with the others, I walked around Royal Prince Bai and helped her stand. “Are you okay? Sorry about that.”
“No, no, my lady, it’s not your fault!” the young girl mumbled as she hurried to her feet.
Royal Prince Bai said, “I think Lady Arya may need a change of attire. Could you please assist her? I’m sure one of the princesses’ dresses would fit just fine. One with long sleeves.”
