Page 45 of Betrayed By Dragons

Chapter Eleven

EMBER

Jianyu's agitation blocks out pretty nearly everything else going on in the club. He's got good reason to be upset and on edge.

What I'm wondering is: do I?

"Jianyu..." I start, my hand on his arm.

He shakes his head, still following that woman with his gaze. "We can discuss it back at the palace." He cranes his neck to the side, looking around until he spots his friend Ben standing by the wall. He lifts a finger in the air and spins it in a circle. "Have them bring the car around."

No way Ben can hear Jianyu above the sound of the music, but he nods and reaches for his phone.

On the other side of the booth, Rafe pulls out his own phone. The screen is lit up with a call, and he curses beneath his breath. "Shit--I have to take this."

Jianyu nods. "We'll meet you at the back entrance in five minutes."

Rafe rolls his eyes and rises, moving to the hallway that leads toward the bathrooms, lifting his phone to his ear as he goes.

"Jianyu," I repeat.

"We have to go." He rises, and I do, too, but I don't want to let this go. "Who was that woman? What did she mean with all that stuff she was saying about looking closer to home?"

"Her name is Lady Tsing." He puts a hand at the base of my spine to guide me forward. "She's...an old friend."

My stomach dips. "You mean an ex?"

"A could-have-been," he corrects. He leads me out onto the dance floor, which is a weird way to head toward the door, but I move to stay with him. "My father thought she might be an advantageous match. Politically speaking."

Oh. That makes sense. The woman was gorgeous, charismatic. Clearly powerful and connected.

He darts his gaze to me for the first time since she left. "You have nothing to worry about, you know."

Not when it comes to our relationship, of course. But when it comes to the wider world? I'm just one player in what I'm starting to realize might be a larger, more dangerous game than I'd imagined.

I'm still grateful for the reassurance, and I squeeze his hand in acknowledgment and thanks. "I should let Amy and the others know we're heading out."

He nods and slows his pace as I dig out my phone and fire off a quick text to Amy, Jett and Grace. As I'm putting my phone back away, we complete our circle of the dance floor and head toward the back door.

The entire time Jianyu hasn't stopped his visual scanning of the place. His vigilance puts me on high alert, too.

That's when I spot Li, standing near the exit. Shit--he wanted to talk to me earlier. It totally slipped my mind.

Jianyu must glimpse him at the same time. His brows furrow, and he tips his head toward him as we pass. "What are you doing here? It's not safe--"

"With all due respect, your majesty." Li hustles to keep up. Jianyu is pushing open the door as Li shouts, "I'm more worried it's not safe for you."

We spill out into the darkened alleyway behind the club. It's narrow, with barely space enough for one car to pass. The door slams shut behind us, and the throbbing pulse of the music drops to a faint murmur.

Which only makes it all the more startling when, out of nowhere, a voice says, "You should listen to your assistant, Your Eminence."

My entire body immediately flashes cold. I jerk backward, but a man in a blue and silver uniform slips in behind us, barring the door. My pulse skyrockets, and I grab onto Jianyu.

For his part, my mate seems cool as a cucumber, but I can feel his shock--even as it's melting into rage. "Who would dare--"

"Calm down, Jianyu." A man steps out of the shadows.

My heart pounds harder, real fear injecting adrenaline into my veins. The man is huge. Of Asian descent, with a shaved head and muscles on top of his muscles. His blue and silver Stone Kingdom military uniform strains just to contain the sheer bulk of him.

---