“See? It’s a pleasant day to feel the sun outside! Isn’t it, your Grace?” Nina cannot hide her excitement when finally, she’s outside the palace.Since she survived the attack, Nina told me she was never allowed outside the kitchen. All the servants and handmaidens like her are only to serve but are never allowed to talk to each other while at work. She told me that the person that manages them is so strict that whenever she gets discontented with their work, they are not allowed dinner. And so, Nina was miserable all the time to see how all of her friends in the kitchen palace got punished just because they used to serve the former emperor.I looked at her smiling face and I just chuckled silently, I couldn't believe that she suggested I get out of my room because she also wants to go to the garden.“You should have just told me you want to go out,” I smiled at Nina helplessly. She made sure I wore one of the finest dresses in the wardrobe and fixed my hair, braided it around my head
Nina and I decided to get inside the palace after the horrible idea came into my mind. I never want to think it that way but as I see things, I have a feeling that it will come down that road, and before that happens, I have to make it clear to Aster that I am not interested in whatever he is planning for my stay in this place. I will never let that happen.It was when we were about to step out of the gate that Helena and her three minions started walking toward us. I can’t remember if I ever met the three women with her though. I was never good at remembering people’s faces since I avoided parties because of my father. I only get to attend them when I have no choice at all. I was fully aware of how people only agreed with the former Emperor. Father manipulates things out of spite and fear. And no nobles would ever want to cross an Emperor no matter how senseless the laws and rules are. It is just sad that the people of this empire despise them too because they cannot control my fathe
“Nooo!!!”I looked at the glaring eye of my attacker, her face full of tears, grief, and anguish. Both my hands were on her wrists as she pushed the knife inside my body, the slicing feeling made me grimace as it deepened second by second. I could feel the warm, sticky blood running down my wound and drenching my dress, making Nina scream at the top of her lungs.I have never seen a girl in my entire life. But she is wearing the palace’s handmaiden uniform and her hair is tucked in a bun, her skin the color of bronze. She is glaring at me as if I did something evil to her which I have no idea about since I have never met this person in my entire life!“Your father—” she swallowed a lump in her throat as she breathed heavily, her face full of beaded sweat, “Your father killed my father!” she snarled in detest, her hatred seeped right through my bones that I shivered and my knees gave up. My attacker pulled the knife from me and was about to stab me right to the top of my head, aiming
“Your Grace…”“Hmm…” “It’s time to wake up… We have to prepare or we will be late…”“Late for what?”I waited for Nina to answer my question but when she didn’t, I opened my right eye and looked at her worried face.That’s when I got curious why she wanted me to get up this too early in the morning.“What’s happening, Nina? I was not informed that there is something special today.” I asked her, rubbing the sleepiness of my eyes and carefully propping my body from the soft bed. I don’t usually wake up this early so I am still tired, especially when Aster was being a bully last night. I don’t know how long he was lying with me on my bed last night… Did he do something while I was out of consciousness? Nothing seems wrong with my body though, except the stab wound on the side of my body which is still healing. Me, being unable to shift into and having an inner wolf trapped inside me makes it hard for me to heal fast, no matter how fast a shifter should heal. The nervousness I saw in he
“What are you doing here anyway?” I asked him, my eyes sharp as I looked at his handsome, mischievous smile, “Did he send you here?”“Oh, you never have to worry about that, my lady. I went here on my own because I want to witness your incomparable beauty before the Emperor,” he bowed like a gentleman in front of me and his eyes were gentle, “And just like I expected, you always take my breath away.”I gasped, sharp and silent at what he said. I averted my eyes from his lusty eyes uncomfortably and just took his arm when he offered it so we can finally go to the banquet where it must be starting already.I have never experienced a banquet held almost at noon. Most of what I attended before were evenings, which is one of the reasons why I never attend because I hate evening gatherings with people I don’t know. It is never safe for me, especially when I get cornered by noblemen and Nina had to make an excuse that I needed to go to bed early as I pretended I was feeling sick.I guess I w
I feel like the sky fell on the top of my head and squashed me like a pumpkin.I was so petrified by what Emperor Aster said that my mind turned into total panic. Did I hear it right? Is he really just announcing me being one of his concubines?This is ridiculous! I glared at Aster and gave him a darting look, showing him that I never agreed to any of this and he can’t make me. I will never be one of his playthings! We just talked about it last night and he is really testing my sanity in all of the jokes that are happening in this Empire.He is a huge joke! He can’t make a former princess his concubine! I can tell how much all the people around the grand ball looked disgusted and upset about his decision. He is crazy!“Let me go, Emyr!” I snarled at him when he refused to let go of my wrists, I pulled my hand away from him, desperately because I had to run away from this place. I can’t take all the awful stares of all these random people on me. I feel like I am going to throw any mome
“Nina… where are they going to take us both? This is not the way to my room,” I whispered to her, worried and anxious at the same time. I was given a new pair of handmaids together with Nina and two more Eunuchs. Being with all of them feels so crowded already. I wish it was always just me and Nina but I guess being a concubine means safety is the main priority and making sure that no other male monarchs can get near or even touch the tips of our skin. Aster was dead serious when he told me he cares about me and my safety—-and his promise that he would never let me get hurt again. The thoughts made me bite my lower lip absent-mindedly because I never expected anything from Aster. I never want to do anything to him even though he wants to make sure I am safe within the palace walls. All I ever wanted is to get out of this place and live where nobody knows me. Where I can start again without the hatred from anyone around me and just live a simple life, to thrive and see what life wou
I turned around to look at the man stepping slowly inside my room like a predator hunting its prey. I knew right away it was Aster with his gray eyes glinting from the dim light of the lampshades all over the room.“I thought you won’t come,” I asked sarcastically, failing to hide the nervousness in my tone. I swallowed a lump in my throat because I found out he is only wearing a white, satin robe and it is untied, exposing his naked upper body. Good thing he is wearing loose trousers and just like the same in the banquet, he is barefooted. It seems he’s fond of not wearing shoes and just feeling the floor under his feet.“Oh, I never thought you were expecting me. I was expecting you to run away from me though. It seems you are getting used to me, Eodelle…” his voice was hoarse, growling at me hungrily, his steps are heavy and threatening, “Or are you just so excited about the punishment I am going to give you that you cannot sleep?”I frowned, “Don’t be too full of yourself, your Gr