I freeze between the wall and a heavy tapestry of a pair of deer standing between flowering spring trees. I swear I heard someone saying my name. Myrealname.
“Tay? Are you here?”
Nope, not imagining. I shuffle along the wall until I’m uncovered by the tapestry. The room is empty. “Lee? Is that you?”
Lee turns the corner then stops. I instantly glance toward the main door. If anyone sees him in here, he’s dead. And there’s a good chance I will be as well.
“You can’t be here,” I hiss. My betrothed literally admitted over dinner that he used to spy on me, and while he says he won’t any longer, I don’t actually believe him.
“I had to check on you. Fuck. That nightgown is fancier than anything you’ve ever worn. You could be royalty. I almost forgot how beautiful you are.”
“Don’t even think about it,” I warn.
“I can’t say you look good?” He takes a few steps closer, and I hold up my hand, indicating for him to stop.
“Truly, if they find you here, it’s over for both of us. You have to go.”.
“Don’t worry. We’ve created a distraction,” he says. “I’ve got at least five minutes.”
I press my fingers to my temples. “What did you do?”
“That’s what you want to use our five minutes for?”
“I want to know why you’re here and what you want.” I take a step away from him.
“Did you meet the emperor?” he asks.
“No. Caiden says he rarely meets anyone. I think I have to earn their trust first.” Not that I didn’t almost blow that tonight, but I am not about to tell Lee that.
“Caiden? As in Prince Caiden? Already on a first-name basis?”
“You sent me here as his betrothed.”
“I’m just surprised. I thought he’d be the type to insist on titles.” Lee shoves his hands into his pockets, then causally walks closer to me. “Find out anything else? Like where the emperor is? Is he even in the castle? Is he away? Is he dead?”
“They told me he’s away right now. I don’t know if that’s a cover or not. I just got here. You’re going to have to give me time.”
He stops in front of me. “I know. I mostly just wanted to see if you were alright. Make sure they didn’t hurt you.” He removes his hand from his pockets and reaches for me.
I flinch when he touches me but don’t pull away. When he takes my hand, I’m not sure how to react. For so long, this was normal for us. It feels wrong but it’s like my body still remembers that it used to be this way. “What are you doing?”
“I just missed you already.” He leans closer like he wants to kiss me.
I pull away from his grip and step back. “What exactly is happening here, Lee?”
“What? I can’t kiss my girl?”
Everything comes crashing around me. All the things he said and the hurt he caused. The way he turned the rebellion into something darker and deadlier in a matter of days after my mother’s death. The way he used my family’s deaths as his excuse for so much bloodshed without ever mourning them. “I am not your girl. Haven’t been in a long time. What are you doing?”
“I don’t know.” He runs his hand through his hair. “It’s seeing you like this. All dressed like a princess. Probably bedding a prince. It has me all confused and jealous, and I think I made a mistake, Taylan.”
“No. You were clear. You made your choice, and it didn’t involve me.”
“But you agreed to do this. I thought that meant everything was back to the way it was,” he says. “That you were over it.”
My brows lift and I scoff. “Over it? My whole family is dead, Lee. Gone. Everyone I loved. I’m here for one reason: revenge. I want the emperor and anyone else who had anything to do with their deaths dead. In the most painful and terrible ways possible. I want to watch them all suffer.”
“You’re not here to kill anyone, Tay. You’re just here to get information. You think you’re so tough. Think you’ve had it hard. I have news for you: We’ve all had it hard. Losing your family doesn’t make you special. It just gives you motivation. You’re here because of your face. Because you look like a dead woman.”
