Page 39 of Emperor of Havoc

“Go ahead, princess,” he murmurs again. “Eat up.”

I know he wants me to cower. Wants me to say no, and look weak in front of my allies, afraid of my own fiancé.

I won’t show weakness. Ican’t.

So I take my chopsticks, lift the piece of fish from my plate, and slide it into my mouth. It melts on my tongue, delicate and cold.

Takeshi looks pleased with himself as I defiantly look straight at him as I chew and swallow. The tension melts from the rest of the room, audible exhales coming from all over as I turn to smile at everyone.

“My compliments to the chef,” I sign with a large grin, letting Nina translate for the crowd and enjoying the laughter and applause that follows. Nina eyes me nervously, but I wink back at her as I finish my pufferfish.

Suddenly, a faint numbness begins to spread across my tongue. My lips.

Holy fuck.

My eyes widen, my body stiffening as my breath catches. My gaze rips to Takeshi as he calmly takes his seat next to me again, watching me, his expression unreadable.

“How’s the fish,dear,” he growls quietly.

My throat works, panic beginning to roar in my veins like wildfire as he leans close.

“It’s just a tiny bit,” he murmurs into my ear. “Just enough to remind you…”

“Remind me ofwhat!?” I sign frantically, trying to slow my racing pulse.

Takeshi’s gaze doesn’t leave mine as he plucks a piece of fish off his own plate and pops it into his mouth.

“Ofwhose you arenow,” he murmurs.

After I gulp down the rest of my wine and drain the water glass in front of me, I feel the numbness begin to fade. But the weight of what just happened doesn’t, not at all.

This man is a fucking lunatic.

I have no idea if what just happened was a fucked-up game, a power-play, or just that Takeshi is legitimately crazy enough to poison me in front of both our families.

I thought I could handle him.

Now I’m not sure I'll evensurvivehim.

11

KATARINA

The next morning,the taste of last night still lingers on my tongue.

Not the fish, thankfully—that delicate sliver of danger carved by Takeshi’s precise hands is gone, though my mouth was still tingly off and on when I was going to sleep. But the bitter taste of his next level power-play is still there.

You should know how good I am with a blade, fiancée.

I mean, fucking seriously? The man literally poisoned me at our engagement dinner, deliberately, in full view of everyone.

I pull the silk robe tighter around me as I pace my bedroom, my lips pursed and my thoughts still black. With a heavy sigh, I finally plop down on my bed and then flop back across it.

Furrcules curls against my hip as he shifts to snuggle a little closer. He’s snoring faintly, blissfully unaware of the turmoil storming within me.

Slowly, his warmth against me melts some of the fury away. With a wry smile, I turn to look at him, stroking the stripes behind his ears as he purrs contentedly.

I’d give anything to feel that kind of peace right now.

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