Chapter Song Suggestion "Destiny, it's just a tiny dot by Heize"
Immediately, her demeanour changed, and she snarled. "Why am I here? What have you done to the others?"
"Calm down," he rebuked, emerging from the shadows heavily wrapped in bandages. Ironically, his defeated air gave the illusion that he was harmless when someone like him should look menacing in gauze. She must have hit her head harden in the explosion than she thought.
"I cannot vouch for the others. My aim was you alone and" — he gestured at her, radiating smugness — "here you are."
Inka wasn't fooled by his non-existent charm. "What do you want from me?"
"You're going to be my bargaining chip to force my brother into surrendering his crown."
Red clouded her vision and she surged to her knees. "He will never relinquish it to you!"
Akio slammed his palm against the bars, strangling it until his knuckles turned white. "He will because it's obvious that my foolish brother is in love with you. You're important to him but," his lips curled in obvious scorn, "you're also his weakness."
"I won't allow it to happen." She stood on unsteady legs, refusing to cower, moving closer until she could see the shadows beneath his eyes. "You can't make him, and I'll stop you at any cause."
They locked in an intense glare.
His hand snaked through the bars to seize her throat, his contempt filtering through clenched teeth. "I will enjoy every second of when I cut out that defying tongue of yours."
Though her lungs burned for air, she choked on a laugh while her fingernails bit into his thick wrist. "You wouldn't dare."
His nostrils flared, his voice dropping dangerously low. "Say that again and you'll find out if I dare or not."
"Alright," she returned fearlessly. "I think you're a coward hiding behind a villain's mask, and you almost had me fooled but, that time you kissed me, you gave something away."
His mouth pinched and he released her. "Your presumption of me is disillusioned. I don't know what you read in that kiss but, I meant to intimidate you."
"And it worked, until I remembered one — small — detail," she drew out the words, eliciting a scowl from him. "But I'm sure that you're not interested in what I have to say since you've made it clear that you don't like me."
Akio knew she was baiting him. His fingers twitched and the silence around them thickened. Finally, he snapped. "Tell me."
"Not until you let me out of here."
"Impossible."
"Then you'll just have to keep wondering." Inka was having fun tormenting him. It had been niggling on her mind since she took the time to reflect on his assaulting kiss. Even though he had been aggressively forceful, there had been a hint of underlying gentleness — as absurd as it sounded. She wanted to know who the real Akio was.
"Tell me!" he roared indignantly, a vein throbbing in his temple.
Losing the upper hand was out of the question. "Let me out of this prison."
"Fine!" He conceded ungraciously. "Guards! Bring the chains!"
Inka wasn't delighted to be chained and collared like an animal, growling indelicately when Akio forcibly yanked her. He looked so pleased that she wanted to punch him in the face.
"I know about your vicious assassin traits." He glanced pointedly at her bound hands. "Shame on me if I gave you the chance to kill me. It seems you no longer fear me." His words were rife with petty displeasure.
"Unlike you," she huffed in a bored tone. "I don't make it a mission to terrorize or kill. Being able to forgive your enemy is an admirable trait, you should try it sometime."
"That word is nonexistent in my vocabulary," he remarked disdainfully, yanking her again, seeming to gain perverse delight in seeing her struggle. "Now that you have your freedom, I command you to tell me what it was."
She rolled her eyes and held up her chains. "Semantics. This wasn't what I meant by freedom. You're being deliberately obtuse. My answer is no," she repeated staunchly. "If you want to know so badly, then you have to earn it."
A muscle ticked in his jaw. "You appear to be misunderstanding the situation. I hold your life in my hands. I could kill you where you stand."
"If you do, then you'll never know what it is. Besides," she shrugged, "you can't bring yourself to fuck and kill me."
A fire lit in his eyes. "Are you challenging me?"
"If I said yes?" she searched his black eyes.
He leaned closer, their noses touching. "Be careful what you wish for, female."
"It would be worth it."
Her words startled him, and he abruptly withdrew, widening their distance. There was something different about her and he didn't like it, deciding to let the topic slide for now. He had a feeling that she was toying with him, and it irritated him — immensely. "Until Kyou comes for you, you're going to be treated as my slave. And don't get any ideas because the only company you'll have are those pesky rodents who speak the same language you do."
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Back in Beihai…
"Kyou, calm down!" Rei bellowed, trying to restrain his overwrought friend who turned on everyone like a vicious dog after they received word that Inka had been abducted — by Akio, no less. After the explosion, the entire army in Donggu had been defeated and suffered irredeemable loses. Captain Shamon who reported Inka's kidnapping had been too ashamed of his failure to meet the Emperor's eye.
"I'm going to Nanyang!" Kyou was insistent. "I have to get her back, Rei. She could be terribly hurt." His vocal desperation was something Rei hadn't heard since the old Emperor's death.
Rei's mouth thinned in distraction. "You know what Akio wants from you, yet you still insist on going?"
"I must, Rei. I can't lose her."
"You're in no condition to fight anyone right now," Rei countered angrily, equally frustrated on Kyou's behalf. Time was ticking, and it was a luxury they didn't have.
"We could always camp near the palace," Ryuu suggested, cutting into their tension. "It would buy time for Kyou to heal and simultaneously delay any retaliation from Akio."
"That's a ridiculous idea," Nakoda scoffed, reminding everyone that he too, was present.
Rei held up a hand. "Let's hear him out."
"I've seen it during my travels. It's called a peaceful protest. We'll camp near the palace without causing disturbance. At the same time, you can communicate with Akio and keep an eye on his activities. It's ideal given how you're both wounded and the army is depleted."
"This small injury doesn't bother me. I can still fight," Kyou remarked stubbornly.
"Your idea might actually work," Rei contemplated aloud. "It'll provide us with the advantage we need. Akio expects your arrival but, it's best for us to keep our distance and observe. We'll let him set the pace and take it from there. The last thing we want is to endanger Inka's life."
Nakoda scratched his chin. "You have a point. We don't know what he'll attempt to do and if we show up on his doorstep, it might be a trap."
"If anything happens, we will be ready to fight. You"— Rei pointed at Kyou — "are going to get some rest and I'll handle the arrangements."
"Thank you," Kyou said earnestly, shutting his eyes in anguish.
"Don't worry brother," Ryuu squeezed his shoulder. "We're going to get Inka back and put Akio down for good. It's unlike you to be miserable."
"I'm sorry, Ryuu. I'm just not in the mood right now."
Ryuu sighed in defeat. "Just so you know, she saved Shuhei's life. If she never made it to Donggu, we would have lost a brother."
Kyou gripped his bedsheets tightly. "I know…,"
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A few days later, Nanyang Palace...
"To what pleasure do I owe this summon, Your Majesty?" she demanded sarcastically, arching a silver brow to convey her displeasure.
Matching her expression, he nodded curtly at the rolls of bandages and salve. It had become a routine — she as his reluctant slave and he, a tyrant bully. She tapped her foot impatiently against the stone floor. "Doesn't the almighty King have servants for this kind of menial task?"
Akio ignored her jibe. "You're my slave. You do it."
Teeth gritted in annoyance; she had no choice but to obey. Akio had a surprisingly petty side hidden beneath his dark scowl and threats. She was glad he hadn't tried to touch her or harm her in any way. He did use her like a personal slave — serving tea, cleaning up after him, polishing his boots, playing chess, and now changing his bandages. She couldn't understand him at all.
"Don't blame me if you get an infection," she muttered, standing between his legs to unroll his blood-stained bandages. Through it all, she kept her gaze averted from his. "How did you get this cut?"
"Kyou," he simply answered. "He gave me this, but I gave him a good stab through here." He tapped his left shoulder.
She stiffened and he expected her to rail at him but, she continued. "It seems you're not so tough and mighty after all."
His jaw clenched in irritation, but he said nothing.
She gasped at his raw, angry flesh covered in pus. "It's been days and your condition has worsened. I think it's best to call the royal physician. Your wound is clearly infected, and you need medicine."
"I don't trust physicians."
"Why not? You could die from this infection," she berated, then caught herself. "But why should I care? You're my enemy."
"You're not the kind who can ignore the helpless," he reasoned, showing uncanny insight to his understanding of her nature. It left her speechless.
She swallowed down a sigh. "Fetch me a guard, please."
"Whatever for?"
His suspicion irked her. "Just do it."
"Guard!" he called out begrudgingly.
"Yes, Your Majesty?"
Inka motioned for him to come closer. "I need a basin of water, some towels and clean bandages. Also, I need someone to fetch some herbs and fresh honey from the market."
"What do you need honey for?" Akio frowned.
"Because it works well against infection, though I hope it isn't too late." She blew out a troubled breath.
"This needs to be change too." He lifted his bandaged hand that was soaked through with dried blood. It looked absolutely ghastly.
"What happened with that one?"
"Your lover split my hand in half." His tone as dry as the desert.
Biting her lip, she took his injured hand and unwrapped the haphazard bandaging. She nearly heaved at his mangled hand that was worse off than his torso. "Oh, my Waya! How could you leave your wounds untreated! You're lucky the maggots haven't set in and eaten your flesh!"
His gaze lowered. "After my mother's death, I cannot tolerate physicians. It seems I've developed a phobia of them." A self-loathing laugh filled the silence. "Ridiculous, isn't it?"
"No," she said softly. "I think whatever happened with your mother affected you deeply."
Loud footsteps stole their attention and Akio's advisor appeared, bowing cordially. "I bear news from the Emperor."
Inka's breath hitched.
"Speak," Akio commanded.
"The Emperor sends a missive requesting an audience with Your Majesty and an acknowledgement that your captive is well. How should I respond?"
"Absolutely not!" Inka responded before Akio could. She fixed him a vicious glare. "I forbid the both of you to interact with one another until you're both healed!"
"You have no say ─"
"If you insist on seeing him, then I'm going to let you bleed and rot to death for all I care. Your death is our victory after all."
Akio hesitated and that surprised his advisor. "Y-your Majesty! If you don't respond, he'll be sure to launch an attack."
"No, he won't. Get me some ink and paper. I will prove to him that I am unharmed, and Akio here will declare a momentary truce."
"How dare you dictate on His Majesty's behalf!" the advisor spluttered, realizing the young woman had dropped the King's honorific. "Such outrageous behaviour is intolerable!"
"I won't hand you back to him," Akio warned, ignoring his advisor's tantrum. "You won't get to see him until he agrees to abdicate the throne."
"So be it." She locked eyes with him. "If being separated from Kyou means that no lives shall be harmed, then I'll willingly stay here."
Akio hadn't expected her easy capitulation. "It's a deal. Advisor, bring me my stationery kit. I will declare a momentary truce with the Emperor until further notice."
"B-but Your Majesty!"
"Do it!" he barked impatiently. His advisor scrambled off to do his bidding. Black, soulless eyes studied her. "Are you sure you won't regret this?"
"No," she answered honestly. "Because I still have something I have to do here."
Lifting his brow, he asked. "And what is that?"
"I'll make you fall in love with me."
Dumbfounded, Akio stared in silence before roaring with laughter. "You are delusional. Make me fall in love with you indeed!" He wiped his tears. "Don't fool yourself, female."
"Am I wrong?" She leaned close until their mouths aligned, a breath's distance from touching. A smile graced her lips when his pupils constricted. "You sound a little breathless, Your Majesty." Touching his chest, she asked coyly. "And your heart is beating fast too. Are you sure that you're...absolutely unaffected?"
Akio snagged her wrist, biting out brusquely. "I told you to be careful for what you wish for." And then, he kissed her, not giving an inch as he consumed her with his fire.
Inka responded, allowing him to lead, feeling not a spark of chemistry or attraction. His kisses didn't make her heart race like Kyou's, and her mind was focused on more important things like how this was an experiment to test Akio's feelings for her. Yesterday, he had brought her to a field of bright, sunny daffodils.
"What are we doing here?" she had asked, puzzled.
"This was my mother's sanctuary. She loved daffodils."
"It truly is beautiful," she inhaled the heady floral scent of sweet and green nuances. "You can't find daffodils in the desert."
He watched her, his smile wistful and heartbreaking — a poetic expression that captivated her. "In the language of flowers, daffodils also represent unrequited love. It's obvious why she chose this to be her favourite flower. Perhaps she harboured hope in her heart." He gazed out into the distance. "My mother enjoyed gardening, and it was the one pleasure that didn't rob her of her smile. This field was my final gift to her, and it shall thrive even after my death."
Inka hadn't realized a tear had rolled down her cheek until he handed her a small handkerchief. "Don't waste your tears, female. It is too late for us."
She had wondered what he meant by that. Akio confused her. He still treated her with unveiled contempt but, he never once hurt her. He forced her to complete chores that wouldn't break her back, ordered her to dine with him and insisted she played chess with him. And he genuinely loved his mother. His actions and behaviour contradicted, and it occurred to her that perhaps Akio was...lonely.
Inka pulled back, her eyes never leaving his. "And you just proved to me that you're not as evil as you want people to believe you are."
"I am evil," he claimed. "I have killed many people — those who deserved it, and the innocent."
"Yes, and I have committed sins myself. How does that make us any different?"
"The fact that you're questioning it proves that we are different."
"Your supplies, my lady," a servant interrupted them, forestalling her reply.
"Thank you. Please put it on the table," Inka declared, her gaze still connected with the King. "I'm going to tend to your wounds, so sit still and be quiet."