Chapter 11
I blinked open heavy eyelids, still dizzy.
A pillow cradled my cheek. The sound of a fire crackling and the steady echo of feet around a stone room. I tried to turn my head toward the footsteps, but pain lanced through my skull. I let out an involuntary groan.
Blake’s face swam into view, his bronze hair catching the light. I blinked up at him, disoriented. My body felt like it had been ripped open and stitched together again.
I tried to speak, but my throat rebelled, only a dry rasp escaping. He held a metal cup to my lips. Cool water soothed my dry mouth, and I sipped gratefully.
Finally, I managed to croak out, “Where am I?”
“In the palace.”
I struggled to a sitting position, drawing the ragged edges of my dress around me.
The suite was easily three times the size of the hut I shared with Edith.
Golden pine floors were polished to a high sheen, warmed by a rich red rug that covered the length of the room.
Rosewood chests were tucked into the corners.
Tapestries depicting Tyger Warriors in battle fluttered over the walls, lit by a large arched window.
A lacquered mirror hung next to the window by a dressing screen.
I was lying in an enormous platform bed piled high with pillows and a thick silk comforter.
“What happened?”
His face hovered close. Tired. Strained. His hair was mussed, a few dark strands falling over his forehead like he’d been running his hands through it.
“Don’t get up yet,” he said sharply, pressing a hand to my shoulder. “You survived by the skin of your teeth.”
I glared at him. This was all his fault. “Don’t touch me. Is Edith all right?”
His hand lifted, slow and deliberate. At his nod, I sagged with relief. Edith was safe.
“Why are you here?” I asked.
His jaw clenched as he breathed out roughly through his nose, eyes fixed on the wall. “You are under my jurisdiction now.”
“What?”
“You Bonded a tygress,” he said, voice flat. “That makes you one of mine.”
“One of—?” Possessiveness rolled through me like a wave. “Flame is mine.”
There was a pull in his cheek, like my protectiveness of the tygress was something amusing. I clenched my fist hard against the comforter. Would they kill me if I hit him?
“She belongs to the dominion. And, as her rider, so do you.” His arms crossed as he paced in front of the bed, looming over me. I’d never longed to hold my dagger more. “Now, are you prepared to tell me what you did in the Arena?”
“You mean surviving?”
“Your voice, Rubi,” he snapped, heat replacing all the usual coldness of him. “Tell me, and I might be inclined to help you—”
“Help me?” I laughed, pushing myself up despite the protests of my aching muscles. His disapproval was tangible. “You tried to kill me in that Arena. I got lucky because Flame appeared. She is the one who helped me.”
The door slid open then, and a trio of maids scurried in, all flustered and giggling among themselves when they spotted Blake’s tall figure by my bed.
“It’s him,” one of the maids breathed, her voice barely a whisper. I rolled my eyes, noting the slight flare of pink in the Ambush Master’s cheeks.
The other two maids instantly fell into nervous, clumsy bows, their faces flushed as they tried to hide their awe at seeing the famed Twin Blade. “What can we do for you, sir?”
His eyes fixed on me. “She needs food and a bath with plenty of hot water.”
The maids stumbled over each other in their haste to please him.
I raised an eyebrow. “Is it a hobby of yours to intimidate the domestic staff?”
“You have been summoned to see the king,” Blake said, ignoring my words entirely, pinching the bridge of his nose as if he had a headache. Worry crawled down my spine. A flash of Princess Malissa’s face, her father’s anger—all of it rushing back.
“Because Flame—”
Blake held a finger up to his lips, eyes intent as he waited in silence while the maids placed trays of food and drink on the table before the fireplace and finished in the adjoining bathing room. It was only after they’d exited completely and Blake locked the door that he spoke again.
“Flame was already exhibiting Bonding behavior toward you last night,” he started, dropping his voice lower as he stepped toward me and sat beside me on the bed.
“You are an Azure. Tygers tend to react badly to Azures, though worst with shifters. It’s some sort of competitive primal energy.
And yins are generally forbidden from Bonding, although, as you can see from the case of Malissa, it can happen. ”
“She’s royalty! So, you put me in there knowing there was a strong chance I’d be slaughtered, because you—what? Had a feeling?”
You’ll have to trust that I know what I’m doing. But he didn’t know.
“You allowed the tygress queen to escape,” I said, voice catching as the realization rolled over me. My eyes grew wide. “You could have killed me.” My words were practically a snarl.
“And yet I made you the first ever tygress rider,” he replied coolly. “You’re welcome.”
My frustration ticked higher. “I didn’t ask for that. And Flame is the one who chose me. I just want to go home, to Edith. To my life—this isn’t—I didn’t—”
“You belong to the dominion. You are under my jurisdiction,” he repeated, as if the words meant anything to me.
I pushed myself upright, breath shaking. “I don’t belong to you.”
“Yes, you do,” he snapped, jaw tightening as he leaned forward. “You’re in my command. You’ll train with my warriors. You follow my orders.”
Heat flared in my chest as I sat up further. “Make me.”
We were too close. He noticed first, pulling back from our stare-off. He stood, straightening himself back into the cold, buttoned-up intensity of the Ambush Master. The king’s Twin Blade.
“You will bathe, eat, and prepare yourself to meet the king. You will stay quiet and be polite. You will be presented before the royal court, where judgment will be made on whether they will allow the Bond with Flame.”
Another rush of heat, like it came from outside my body—from my Bond with the tygress. “Flame is mine and I am hers. What is there to decide?”
“I don’t think you understand what is happening here, Azure.
Tygers can re-Bond,” he snapped. “If the king rejects you, you may still be executed tomorrow. His Majesty may decide you are ineligible because of your crime, your lack of rank and magical ability, and, most importantly, because you are not a Silver. You must appear before him as a worthy rider of the tygress queen.”
“And how am I meant to do that?”
He huffed a low breath. “Just keep it together if you want out of this palace alive. Stop thinking about your life before, the tavern, the hut you call your home. You’re not going back.” Every word felt like a slap. “With your Bond to Flame, they’ll never let you go alive.”
He stepped away then, toward the door, before pausing and turning back to me. He pulled something from a pocket within his cloak and set it on the bed just near my thigh. His eyes stayed downturned.
“A symbol of good faith,” he said, his voice careful and quiet, still laced with a slight threat. “Don’t make me regret this, Rubi.”
He stepped away again, and my eyes took in the gleam of my ribbons. My heart ached with joy. He must have sent someone to retrieve them and had them repaired.
There was a thank you on the tip of my tongue, but I managed to swallow it back. He didn’t deserve my gratitude. Everything that had happened, all the misfortune and fear I now faced, could be traced back to him.
“Nelly will be here to attend you in an hour.”
“Who’s Nelly?”
“And make sure to do something about that.” Blake made a sweeping gesture around his head as he strode toward the doorway.
“My hair?” I called to his back, incredulous. “You’re insulting my hair now?” A thought occurred to me and my voice rose. “Or my face?!”
The door shut behind him with a heavy thud.
I let loose a scream of anger into my pillow.
I dragged myself out of bed, pushing through the throb of my muscles.
Edith.
Hurrying toward the window, I pulled it open.
The stone outer wall was so thick that I couldn’t see anything on the ground.
I closed my eyes until I felt the crisp wind caress my face.
A few snowflakes whirled into the room. I visualized Edith’s beloved face and the direction I’d traveled to come to this castle.
“I am safe. I love you,” I sang softly out to her. I held the last pure note before I let it die away.
I’d never tried this over such a great distance before, but hoped Edith would hear my message, that at the very least she would feel I had survived.
Beyond my bed a doorway led to a bathroom with a colossal bathtub perched on clawed metal feet.
A fireplace, taller than I was, was set into the wall on my right, with a collection of embroidered armchairs in front of it arranged around a low tea table.
A fire had already been laid out, ready to be lit.
It was a beautiful, elegant place, filled with luxury and yet comfortable and warm. I realized my mouth was hanging open and closed it.
I almost moaned when I approached the spread of food.
Edith and I hadn’t eaten a full meal in days, and I’d never had one like this.
I walked around the table, cataloging its contents as I feasted my eyes.
A porcelain bowl filled with silken carrot-and-ginger broth, delicately seasoned with scallion oil.
Lotus-leaf rolls stuffed with sticky rice and minced duck.
Red-braised pork belly glazed to a glossy sheen, served in crispy taro nests.
A platter of jade green bok choy drizzled with sesame sauce.
Small mouthwatering golden egg custard tarts shaped like flowers.
Delicate milk buns served with sweet red bean paste and lychee jam.
A steaming pot of golden chrysanthemum tea in a carved jade teapot.
I didn’t bother making a plate, eating straight from the platters. I devoured the spread. I had never tasted anything so scrumptious. I savored bites of tender pork belly and dipped bits of the soft bread in the lychee jam. It was difficult to slow myself so I wouldn’t get sick.
After my stomach was overfull, I stripped off my worn and bloodied dress, preparing to bathe. I walked over and placed the warmth glyph on the bedside table. Blake had predicted I’d survive to return it to him. I didn’t know what to make of that, but he definitely wasn’t getting it back.
I sank into the steaming water with a sigh, determined to banish thoughts of the Ambush Master.
We didn’t have the luxury of hot water in the winter.
I usually just managed to take the chill off a basin of water with a small amount of boiled water, and then I quickly scrubbed myself with a cloth before I froze.
Now I was enveloped in warmth. The soap smelled of lavender and roses. I scoured my arms and legs, then my body and feet.
Flame? I tried, reaching out lightly with the Bond.
I am here, my chosen.
There was another type of warmth then, inside my chest.
Are you well? she asked, her voice almost a purr.
Yes. You’ve healed me. My hand rose to touch along the faint scar over my chest. She hadn’t just healed me. She’d saved my life. Tears welled in my eyes. Thank you.
Rest now, for you must be strong.
I ducked under the surface of the water, shaking my head to make sure my long hair was thoroughly wetted.
Then I briskly rubbed in more soap, scrubbing and rinsing until the bathwater turned a muddy gray.
I noticed there were two lines of symbols engraved into the side of the tub.
More glyphs. One to keep the water at the right temperature and the other to empty the tub?
I shook my head at this luxury. I tried one, and sure enough, the tub began to drain.
I refilled it and rinsed myself again, marveling. I finally felt clean. It was heavenly.
Thick towels and a warm robe had been left on a chest. I wrapped my hair in a towel and dried myself, then pulled on the robe. It was as soft as a cloud.
My old clothing had been utterly destroyed by the events in the coliseum.
There was a knock at the door. That must be the Nelly who Blake had mentioned.
I braced myself, then called, “You may enter.”
I heard the door unlatch—they’d barred me in. I was a prisoner still, just with a much nicer cell. An armed guard opened the door and let someone in.