As soon as the empress waves the final woman with the comb away, the empress reclines in a built-in seat. The women calm down considerably and are looser with their tongues, talking of good-looking males, a subject they most likely assume is protected.

The empress’s lip twitches—a slight flick upward. I don’t know why I’ve caught it, besides that her face is angled in my route. Abashed, I notice I haven’t taken my eyes off her face, caught up in watching the water droplets drip from her black lashes and roll down her cheeks.

They may go for tears, however I do know they aren’t.

The doorways bang open, and two guards march into the room. Empress Rhianu jerks her head towards a very loud younger girl, Lord Jasher’s eldest, Emleen, not but fifteen. The women’ swarm to the center of the pool and huddle collectively, all besides Emleen, who can’t transfer.

She’s caught towards the pool’s edge—the empress holds Emleen there along with her darkish energy. I sense the vitality like tentacles pinning her shoulders. Poor woman. Her face contorts with terror. The guards hoist her from the water, bare, and pressure her to her knees in conjunction with the pool. Emleen blubbers, along with her face curled into her arms whereas her black hair shrouds her.

“She’s not the one!” I say into the panel, despite the fact that nobody however the guards hears me. “She’s harmless.”

The empress rises from the water, taking every step with managed endurance, intimidating Emleen additional right into a quivering mass. A servant drapes the empress’s moist physique in an opulent gown. The empress belts it as she strides ahead and crouches in entrance of Emleen. “I’d admonish you to inform your father what occurs to traitors, however quickly you received’t be capable to say a lot.” The empress stands. “Take her away.”

A guard throws a blanket over Emleen. She clutches it with one hand, protecting herself, though her dignity is already in shreds.

The empress follows the guards out. I whip across the nook, able to lash out, however cease myself from talking. We aren’t alone. The empress and her entourage observe her up the steps whereas the guards haul Emleen towards the dungeon.

I catch as much as the empress and whisper phrases underneath my breath to her, making no effort to cover my ire. “Your Highness. I gave no indication that the woman was at fault.”

“No. You didn’t.”

“Why’d you haul her away?”

“Her father lower off Drago’s head,” she says.

“What does this should do with Emleen?”

“You advised me to indicate leniency. She’s preserving her head and shedding her tongue. Her father can have discovered his lesson.”

“That’s not what I meant about leniency.” I clench my fists, restraining myself so I received’t shove the empress towards the wall. “Nobody will ever wed her if she loses her tongue.”

“Her father ought to have considered how his actions would have an effect on others. Fairly egocentric, really.”

“I ask you to spare the woman. Minimize out her father’s tongue.”

The empress halts and activates me. Her moist hair clings to her cheeks like fur on a half-drowned rat. Her eyes soften as she blinks them. “Oh, Caedryn. Are you candy on the woman? I’d contemplate giving her to you. I’m certain you’d give you a passable punishment that may please me.”

“What are you suggesting?”

“You’ll give you one thing.” The empress turns away. “I belief you.”

11

I’m not stunned to see the woman in my chambers by the point I return. Certain and gagged, Emleen is bare on my mattress, draped within the blanket from earlier.

I curse underneath my breath, however slowly method her. “Emleen?”

She writhes away as I attain out.

“Emleen. I do know you. Do you bear in mind me? We danced collectively on the midsummer gala.”

She nods. I attain once more. “I received’t harm you. I’m going to take off your gag and launch your bindings. Don’t struggle me.”

She bobs her head. After liberating her, I pull a dressing shirt from my bureau, and she or he slips it on. Emleen pulls the blanket round her shoulders and sits cross-legged in my mattress’s middle.

“Are you aware what the empress expects me to do to you?”

She lowers her head. “Sure.”

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