“Very good, Your Majes—MJ.”
I smiled as Clarissa closed the door behind her.
Once she was gone, I checked the door. Since this was the master suite, it was outfitted with an intricate locking system that was supposed to stop outside attackers from getting in. But what about something trying to get out?
I traced my fingers on the magically enhanced latch, feeling its power humming like a live wire, and I locked the door.
I did the same to the French doors leading to the balcony. But what if my screams carried across the grounds? Was any of this good enough?
I opened my rucksack and took out a pair of the iron shackles I had tucked away in there. Two iron cuffs were connected by a short iron chain. Romulo had told me they were magical, that the chain would elongate to fit around whatever it needed to in order to anchor the person in place. Not only that, but they locked with a secret word. All I had to do was say “magkandado,” and they would stay fastened around my wrists until sunrise.
I wrapped the chain between the two cuffs around the tree in the middle of my room, and like Romulo had said, the chain magically grew long enough to accommodate it. I just had to make sure that none of the servants saw any of this tomorrow morning. Too many questions—let alone the rumors—would only make things more complicated for me. Until the manghuhula arrived, I had to do everything I could to protect people from me.
There was a knock on the door, and I instinctively hid the manacles behind my back. I’d told Clarissa not to disturb me, but it could have been Edgardo or one of the other staff members who hadn’t been informed yet.
Heart pounding, I stuffed the shackles under a blanket, then went to the door and opened it. The last person I had expected was standing there, smiling at me.
“Qian!” I said. “Wha…what are you doing here?”
Qian glanced around, eyebrows raised. “Is this too presumptuous of me to knock on your door?” When he looked at me again, he had a boyish glint in his eye that was remarkably charming.
“No, I just…It’s a nice surprise.”
“I promise, I am not here with unsavory intentions. I wanted to bring you something, as a token of appreciation.”
In his hand was a bouquet of gorgeous plumeria flowers, as blue as sapphires.
“They reminded me of your eyes,” he said, holding it out to me.
My face felt hot when I stared at the flowers and then at Qian. He had thought of me, even when we had been apart, and that was more flattering than I had realized.
I took the flowers from him, but he plucked one from the middle and took it back. “This one, though,” he said, holding it up to his nose, “is for me.”
My brain had gone fuzzy, and it was hard for me to find any words. I couldn’t even think to say thank you. He turned and walked back down the hall, leaving me standing in the doorway, but glanced over his shoulder once to smile at me, flower still in his hand.
My heart skipped into my throat, and I closed the door quickly, locking it once more.
Did this mean…? Did Qian like me?
The last time anyone had brought me flowers was Lucas. He’d picked a whole bouquet of them just for me, and then we had kissed. The memory of that night still sent a rush down my spine.
And now Qian had done the same—hand-delivering flowers for no other reason than to see me. Was this real, or was this some sort of political maneuver to get me to send Nix back to Jade Mountain? Why would he like me? Why wouldanyonelike me? I was a monster.
I was so tired, it hurt to think about it. In fact, I was having a hard time thinking about anything at all, aware only of the citrusy scent of the plumeria.
I put the flowers to my nose and went to the window overlooking the grounds. Outside, I spotted two people standing at the tree line separating the grounds from the jungle. They were hard to make out since the shadows were growing darker, but I knew they were Lucas and Amador. They were talking to each other, too far away for me to hear, but I could tell they were arguing. Lucas paced back and forth, running his hands through his hair, while Amador gestured at him, her posture tense.
After a moment, Lucas dropped his hands to his sides and took her hand. He held it tight in his own and said something to her that made her take a deep breath. He kept holding on to her hand, gazing at her with such tenderness, and I remembered how he’d looked at me like that.
Watching them made something sour and bitter rise in mythroat. Jealousy dug its ugly claws into me, and my heart lurched. I wanted him to look atmethat way. I remembered how safe I’d felt when he did, how strong I’d been knowing that he was there with me. And now it was over.
I knew I needed to let it go. I had to get over it. I hated myself for feeling this way, and it was slowly eating me alive. But I couldn’t stop the longing in my heart for something I couldn’t have.
I put the flowers to my nose again and inhaled, closing my eyes. Qian’s gift consumed my thoughts, and by the time I opened my eyes again, Lucas and Amador were gone. They’d disappeared behind the house, but the sludge inside my gut seemed to spread. Like oil, it coated my stomach, making me sick.
When I turned back to face my room, the world tipped under me. I stumbled to catch my balance, but I was too dizzy. Nausea rolled over me like a sea wave, and the flowers slipped from my hand and fell to my feet.
“What…? No…”
