Page 13 of Haunted

Once the empress waves the last girl with the comb away, the empress reclines in a built-in seat. The girls relax somewhat and are looser with their tongues, speaking of handsome men, a topic they probably assume is safe.

The empress’s lip twitches—a slight flick upward. I don’t know why I’ve caught it, except that her face is angled in my direction. Abashed, I realize 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 could pass for tears, but I know they are not.

The doors bang open, and two guards march into the room. Empress Rhianu jerks her head toward a particularly loud young lady, Lord Jasher’s eldest, Emleen, not yet fifteen. The girls’ swarm to the middle of the pool and huddle together, all except Emleen, who can’t move.

She’s stuck against the pool’s edge—the empress holds Emleen there with her dark power. I sense the energy like tentacles pinning her shoulders. Poor girl. Her face contorts with terror. The guards hoist her from the water, naked, and force her to her knees at the side of the pool. Emleen blubbers, with her face curled into her hands while her black hair shrouds her.

“She’s not the one!” I say into the panel, even though no one but the guards hears me. “She’s innocent.”

The empress rises from the water, taking each step with controlled patience, intimidating Emleen further into a quivering mass. A servant drapes the empress’s wet body in a plush robe. The empress belts it as she strides forward and crouches in front of Emleen. “I would admonish you to tell your father what happens to traitors, but soon you won’t be able to say much.” The empress stands. “Take her away.”

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

The empress follows the guards out. I whip around the corner, ready to lash out, but stop myself from speaking. We are not alone. The empress and her entourage follow her up the steps while the guards haul Emleen toward the dungeon.

I catch up to the empress and whisper words under my breath to her, making no effort to hide my ire. “Your Highness. I gave no indication that the girl was at fault.”

“No. You didn’t.”

“Why’d you haul her away?”

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

“What does this have to do with Emleen?”

“You told me to show leniency. She’s keeping her head and losing her tongue. Her father will have learned his lesson.”

“That’s not what I meant about leniency.” I clench my fists, restraining myself so I won’t shove the empress against the wall. “No one will ever wed her if she loses her tongue.”

“Her father should have thought of how his actions would affect others. Quite selfish, actually.”

“I ask you to spare the girl. Cut out her father’s tongue.”

The empress halts and turns on me. Her wet hair clings to her cheeks like fur on a half-drowned rat. Her eyes soften as she blinks them. “Oh, Caedryn. Are you sweet on the girl? I might consider giving her to you. I’m sure you’d come up with a satisfactory punishment that would please me.”

“What are you suggesting?”

“You’ll come up with something.” The empress turns away. “I trust you.”

11

I’m not surprised to see the girl in my chambers by the time I return. Bound and gagged, Emleen is naked on my bed, draped in the blanket from earlier.

I curse under my breath, but slowly approach her. “Emleen?”

She writhes away as I reach out.

“Emleen. I know you. Do you remember me? We danced together at the midsummer gala.”

She nods. I reach again. “I won’t hurt you. I’m going to take off your gag and release your bindings. Don’t fight me.”

She bobs her head. After freeing her, I pull a dressing shirt from my bureau, and she slips it on. Emleen pulls the blanket around her shoulders and sits cross-legged in my bed’s center.

“Do you know what the empress expects me to do to you?”

She lowers her head. “Yes.”

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