Biyu should have been relieved to hear that—that she had more time to figure things out, to hopefully study spells in the guise of trying to break this cursed marriage-bond—but apprehension built in the pit of her stomach, coiling tighter and tighter, until she felt like she would vomit. She was lightheaded, dizzy, and absolutely petrified out of her mind.
Minos rounded the couch and plopped back down where Biyu had been minutes ago. He reclined against the cushions and sighed loudly. “I’m already tired of listening to all of this. I’m impressed, Nik—I didn’t think it was possible to fuck up like this. I thoughtIwas the one who made catastrophic, dull-witted mistakes, but you, brother, take the whole fucking cake.”
Nikator snapped something at him in their foreign tongue, garnering a chuckle from Minos, who then chucked a pillow at him. It completely missed his head and skidded across the room.
Vita rolled her eyes and placed a hand on her hip. “What are you going to do if you get called onto a mission in the middle of all of this?”
“One of you guys can watch her.” He lifted his shoulders like it wasn’t a big deal.
Biyu crept away from the three of them. She didn’t like how close Nikator had been to her, close enough that she could smell the vanilla, ocean waves, and spices that clung to his body, almost lost in the scent of iron and blood. It was intoxicating and maddening the way she wanted to step closer and lean into his warm scent.
“I’m not a child who needs watching,” Biyu muttered.
Vita scoffed. “You wish for us to watch your wife?”
“Don’t call me that,” Biyu said, alarmed. “I am not his?—”
“Oh, but you are,” the other woman said with a frown. She motioned to Nikator, who stood stiffly a few feet away. “Don’t forget thatyoudid this.”
Minos grinned from his place on the couch. “Idon’t mind watching her from time to time.”
Nikator and Vita both said something Biyu didn’t understand, neither of them appearing amused. She could only imagine they were cursing him by the way he continued to laugh. She shifted on her feet and stared at the windows, at the birds and insects, at the clouds, at the sunlight and shadows that filtered through. Somehow, she could pretend she was outside of this room, away from these people, alone with her thoughts. Her eyelids fluttered shut and she calmed her erratic breathing.
She was saved, somehow, but it was only a temporary situation. She could die at any moment, or if they didn’t break the curse, she was sure they would lock her away in the towers, torture her for years on end, and make sure she couldn’t receive the mercy of death—all so that Nikator could continue to live.
“Where did you get this ring?” Vita held up the colorless ring, the light flashing off the glass-like, faceted surface of it. She squinted at the band, turning it over in her hand. “How do we know it’s a magic stone ring? I don’t sense anything in it.”
“The magic is drained,” Biyu said. “Previously, it was a blue color. After I used the spell, the color vanished and it now looks like that.”
“That’s how magic stones look when they’re used up. We can have it examined by the mages to see if it truly is a magic stone.” Minos jerked his chin at the ring, then flashed Biyu a wicked grin. “But I’m sure it is, because how else would you use magic in this place?”
“I’ll have someone investigate it.”
“Great, great.” Minos bobbed his head. “Now, Princess Biyu. How did you acquire such a ring?”
All three of them turned to her, waiting, watching. She could practically imagine them sharpening their blades at whatever response she could come up with. She swallowed down the apprehension clawing up her throat. “I found it in the gardens soon after the Autumn Festival. A noble must have dropped it when visiting. I … didn’t tell anyone about it because I wanted to use it.”
Silence fell upon the group and Biyu was certain they didn’t believe her, but none of them did anything other than exchange obscure looks with one another. A moment passed, before Vita sighed and pointed to Nikator’s wounds.
“You should get checked out by Thera. She can help?—”
“I don’t want her to find out,” he said with a scowl. “She’ll tell Muyang.”
Vita sighed, long and hard. “Fine. Do as you please. I don’t like this plan at all, Nik, but I won’t stop you. If, however, I feel that you’re in danger or the situation isn’t under control, I’m going to tell Muyang.”
“I feel the same,” Minos added. “It’s fine if you can get all of this figured out in a few weeks, but if it takes too long, it’ll be better to consult with him or the mages to break the curse. Holding onto your ego and pride is fine and all, but you have to?—”
“I understand,” Nikator snapped. “You don’t have to spell it out for me.”
He raised his hands as he stood. “All right, all right. I see you’re in a touchy mood today. I’ll leave you alone to your thoughts.”
He and Vita shared a knowing look before they both left the room, leaving Nikator and Biyu alone. Silence stretched between them and he wouldn’t meet her gaze, choosing to glower at the window, his jaw locked in place and his lips pursed in displeasure. Biyu followed his attention to the scenery outside—they were too high up to see anything other than the skies and clouds at this angle, and she would need to go closer to see the bottom. Minutes passed in silence, and she inched closer to the window. When he didn’t say anything, she headed toward it without wasting another second.
She could make out the lower levels of the palace, the glossy roof tiles glimmering in the sunlight; outside the looming gates and walls, the capital sprawled on the horizon. It was beautiful—a scene she had seen many times from her childhood window in her old bedroom when her father still reigned. She had taken it for granted, seeing the tall buildings, the tiny dots of people in the far distance, the lights that shone through the teeny windows at night, sparkling like stars at midnight. And now it was like a small treasure to her.
Something clattered behind her. She whirled on her feet, her heart rate thundering, blood rushing to her ears, but Nikator wasn’t even looking at her. He was kneeling in front of a side table beside the couches. He rifled through the drawers, yanking out bandages, glass jars full of creams and liquids, and powdered substances in vials, which he placed on the tea table behind him. When he seemed satisfied with his stash of medicinal items, he slammed the drawer shut and turned his back to her.
Slowly, he fiddled with the front of his clothes and began to peel off his shirt with a hiss of pain. Biyu’s eyes widened and she twisted away.
