A fist pounding on the door woke me, and I rubbed at my eyes. My sleeve brushed against my face, and— My sleeve. Oh no. I was still in my clothes from last night. Gods fucking damn it.
“Eujia?” Mother called as I scrambled for my nightgown. “If you don’t answer me in three seconds, I’m coming in!”
“Just a moment!” I shouted. I stripped off my clothes and shoved them under the bed along with my bag. I started to change into my nightgown, but realized halfway through that if Mother thought I was changing, getting into my nightgown made no sense. I ripped it back off and rushed for the wardrobe, pulling out a simple blue and white dress. I threw it on in a hurry, checking once in the mirror that all of the fastenings were correct and my skirt was smooth, then walked to the door. I forced a few slow breaths before I opened it.
Mother’s heavyset frame shoved past me, her gray dress matching the silver eyes we shared. “You were taking forever to answer!” She looked over the room, likely for any sign that I’d been feeling unwell. “I was getting worried.”
“I’m sorry, Mother. I was in the restroom.”
“Oh. Well, Emperor Lenan wants to see you at breakfast. You’ve been skipping too often, and he’s been worried, too.”
Ugh. “I’ll be there. You came all the way up here for that?”
“I sent you messages, and you didn’t answer. Where is your tablet?”
In my bag. Damn it. “It’s in a drawer.”
“Well, how are you supposed to hear it or get to it in time if it’s in a drawer?” She headed for my nightstand.
“I’ll keep it close next time, Mother. I’m sorry, I was tired and wasn’t thinking straight.”
She stopped with a huff, pressing her fists into her hips. “You should always keep it close!” She stepped over and gave me a kiss on the forehead. “Anyway, I’ll see you at breakfast. Don’t be late. And bring your tablet!”
I rolled my eyes after her back was turned. “Yes, Mother.”
“And don’t forget about the ball tonight!”
“Yes, Mother!”
Oh, I would not be forgetting about the ball tonight.
After Mother left, I gathered the knitted bag she’d made for me and tucked my tablet inside. I threw last night’s clothes and bag into the drawer at the base of my wardrobe where the cleaning staff wouldn’t spot them, then made my way to the dining hall. Mother and my sisters already waited at the table, seated to the left of the emperor’s massive chair, leaving the seat at the emperor’s right hand open for me. He hadn’t arrived yet, and I was grateful for that. Beating him to the table was rare, and the times I was late were when he leered at me the most.
“Nice of you to join us,” Jesun said across from me. She smiled sweetly with her painted red lips, but she wasn’t fooling me. She was my twin, after all, and her silver eyes were as sharp and vicious as mine, if not more. She kept her hair, an almost imperceptibly darker shade of burnt wood than mine, long and draped over one shoulder, the only truly drastic difference between us. I couldn’t imagine the hassle of dealing with all that hair, so I kept mine cut to shoulder length. Her makeup seemed like a pain in the ass, also. She’d blushed her fawn cheeks as usual, determined to be the prettier of us. If she couldn’t draw the emperor’s attention with her status, she’d draw it with her looks. Particularly her cleavage.
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She didn’t leave much of her body—and therefore mine—to the imagination, and a sinking feeling in my gut told me that when Lenan looked at her, he was actually picturing me instead.
Invisible spiders crawled up my spine, but I had to shake off that feeling for just one more day. Tonight, the emperor’s lust would be the end of him.
“Jesun,” Mother snapped. “Keep your mouth shut before the emperor gets here.”
“There’s time,” Jesun said. “Since someone is early for once.”
Ranine pouted at me, tapping patterns on the table. “I wanted to sleep in.”
“You get to sleep in almost every day,” Mother sighed. “Don’t you want a real breakfast?”
Ranine crinkled her nose. “They put weird things in it.”
“Gods’ sakes, girl, you’re fifteen. Eat what you’re served.”
I smiled at Ranine with a shrug, but she only stuck her tongue out at me.
One would think she’d be the most behaved like a proper princess having lived her entire life in this castle, but instead she was the least interested in royal civilities out of any of us. I hoped that would never change.
Mother shot to her feet and bowed, quickly followed by Jesun and Ranine. Jesun bowed as deeply as she could, her breasts nearly spilling out of her plunged neckline.
Emperor Lenan’s hand swept across my shoulder, and I shivered. “Ladies,” he said as he took his seat at the head of the table. My mother and sisters sat back down. “A pleasure to have you join me this morning.”
A braid of copper hair started at either side of his head, weaving through his golden crown then merging into a single braid in the back. His pale lips tilted up at me, and I forced a smile in return.
“The pleasure is ours, Your Majesty,” Mother said. She gave me a pointed look.
“Yes,” I added. “I apologize that I’ve been absent for so long.”
“There is no need to apologize, Lady Eujia.” Lenan brushed his fingers over mine, and there was that involuntary shiver again. “Your health is most important.”
He began to pull his hand away, but I slipped my palm under his to squeeze his fingers. What better time to start my plan than now? His eyes widened slightly in surprise. “Thank you, Your Majesty.” I folded my hands in my lap.
Mother tilted an eyebrow at me, while Jesun glared daggers. Ranine stared at her plate, bored as could be, but she jumped when her stomach growled.
Lenan laughed. “Shall we?” He gestured to the far end of the room, where servants poured out of doors that nearly blended with the wall. They plated seasoned scrambled eggs, perfectly crispy toast, buttered broccoli and cauliflower, and roast beef for each of us. Ranine cast the vegetables a glare, but then watched Lenan like a hawk.
He lifted his fork. “May we praise the gods for this meal.”
We repeated the phrase, then as soon as Lenan took a bite, Ranine tucked in, going straight for the beef.
I held back a laugh, but Lenan caught me smiling, and his hungry gaze drifted to my lips before darting back up to my eyes. I didn’t want to think about what exactly he wanted my lips to do, but I’d have to lay it on offer tonight if I wanted to accomplish anything. I forced my smile to stay as I held his stare for a moment.
Mother cleared her throat and launched into idle banter with the emperor, glancing my way when she expected me to pitch in. I usually detested that, but this time I was glad to have opportunities to flirt laid out for me. Clearly that wasn’t Mother’s intention, but she caught on quickly, talking faster than normal and giving me more openings. Jesun’s jaw clenched as she chomped through her breakfast, but she did her best to keep a neutral expression. After Ranine finished her breakfast, she watched us as if she was attending a sporting match.
One that I would win.