He had been able to feel her emotions all along, while he had blocked his from her. It was unfair, and it also horrified her that he was able to read her easily. “Have you ever read my mind before?” she whispered, trembling at the thought of it. A chasmcracked open in her chest and each breath wrenched from her like her last. “You’ve been able to read me all along?”
“No.” He twisted his hand until he was cupping her face, leveling her with a serious stare. “I’ve never entered your mind, Biyu. The emotions I’ve felt from the bond are very subtle. It’s only when you’re feeling something extreme that I get an inkling of it. Like right now, you feel terrified and angry. Why is that?”
How could she tell him that she was fearful because her plan would crumble if he realized what she was up to? That if he looked a bit more closely, he’d be able to figure it all out? Perhaps all their lovemaking had blinded him, had made him overlook some of her feelings and actions.
Biyu closed her eyes and released a shuddered breath. She decided to ignore his question and focus on something else. “Why have you never entered my mind? You’ve been suspicious of me for all these weeks. Why not confirm your own suspicions?”
He hesitated. “I thought about it,” he admitted, softly. “But I couldn’t go through with it. It’s an invasive type of magic, and it can cause serious harm and trauma. I didn’t want to do that to you. I figured if you were planning something, I could find out through other means.”
“Like being my bodyguard.”
Nikator nodded.
“And what do you think now? Do you still think I’m planning something?” Her heart thrashed in her ribcage like an unrestrained beast, blood rushing to her ears, straining for an answer. She was probably still suspicious in his eyes—the marriage spell, the way she acted, the lies he had caught her in—but maybe he didn’t want to see her that way. Maybe he wanted to believe in her.
His lips parted to speak and her breath stopped in her lungs, waiting.
“Biyu—”
Boom.
They were both thrown forward. Biyu stifled a scream, Nikator’s hands going to her waist immediately, steadying her. Another blast sounded, the floor trembling, and books falling off the shelves around them. Dust settled just as a cacophony of screams followed another thunderous explosion.
“W-what’s happening?” Biyu screamed, clutching his shirt.
But she knew the answer before he could answer.
Yat-sen’s plan was unfolding.
The palace was under attack.
28
Biyu stifleda scream as multiple doors to the library exploded, the wood splintering and shattering everywhere. From where they were huddled, she could see—through the gaps in the stacks of books—five people clad in dark clothes burst through the one of the exits. Her pulse quickened, hands trembling.
It was her time to go to the wards; she had memorized the path, but now that it was time to spring into action, her brain became fuzzy with fog.
Her body quivered and her breath sawed in and out of her body violently. She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t?—
Fear like she had never felt before gripped her tightly. She would have to run to the wards and dispel them, but her confidence waned at the sight of the men. She would have to fight. To sneak around. To run.
“Shh. Breathe.” Nikator’s hand went to her lower back, rubbing up and down. “You’ll be fine—I’ll protect you.”
It was enough to rattle her out of her reverie.
Nikator unsheathed two long, curved daggers from his thigh straps. There was a deadly gleam in his narrowed eyes as heglared at the intruders. He glanced down at her. “Stay close to me.”
Two of the masked intruders came to the area they were in and Nikator sprang to action. His blades clashed against their steel swords. Biyu hugged the shelves and watched in stark horror as his blade sliced through one of their necks. Blood gushed over the floor, painting it in vermillion as the man fell to his knees making gargling choking sounds. The second intruder didn’t stand a chance as Nikator ducked and stabbed the man’s guts. His blade made a wet popping noise as he yanked it out.
Biyu backed away and turned to find Vita rushing over to them. Blood streaked over one side of her face, but it didn’t seem to be hers. By the time she reached Biyu, Nikator was yanking his blade out of another intruder’s chest cavity.
“Minos ran to check on Her Majesty,” Vita quickly supplied, glancing at Biyu—assessing for any injuries—and then back at Nikator. “I’ll go check on Bohai.”
“The likely target is Her Majesty, since she’s carrying Muyang’s child.” Nikator wiped the flat side of his weapon on the man’s sleeve, cleaning the slick blood coating it. “You should go to her instead; we don’t know how many men are here. Bohai can manage by himself.”
She hesitated. “And you?”
“I’m going to protect Biyu; I’ll take her back to her chambers—” he started.
