"You have the emperor's attention. Congratulations," she said with a wry smile.
"Why the sudden interest?" His brows lifted lazily.
"You'll be his son-in-law."
He laughed softly, briefly. "Since when do you believe rumors? Did no one tell you the Varyn Duchy demands a wife skilled in pig-riding?"
She stared at him.
"We're talking about the Second Princess—"
"Why bring that up?"
"You're a grand duke who needs a suitable woman to manage everything—"
He suddenly grabbed her hand and leaned closer, his face an inch from her ear. He spoke low.
"Suitable? What kind?"
Her cheeks flushed red.
"Rian!"
"Good. Call me that." He smiled slyly. "Earlier, you sound like a Varyn elder."
She tried to pull away. But he held her hand more firmly. Her eyes fell to where his long, slender fingers pressed gently on her wrist. For a moment, they were both silent.
Meanwhile, Dorian's face changed slowly. His brows furrowed as he listened to her pulse. Then swiftly, his hand cupped her face. He studied her pale skin. His brows creased further.
"I—I'm fine," she said.
"Liar," he said, voice a little harsher, his brows creasing even more.
He listened again.
This pulse.
It was the pulse of someone poisoned.
Sure now, he put a finger in her nape. Pressed a nerve there. And suddenly, she collapsed in his arms, her eyes closed. Then his fingers moved through her hair and faintly touched the corner of her eyes and thick lashes.
His frown had turned contemptuous, but his heart pounded louder. 'I didn't rot at the border for months just for you to be this cruel.'
"You've become a liar, Nyasia."
Then he lifted her in his arms and left.
.....
"Mother."
"What happened to Mother?"
"It seems the countess gave birth to a weak child," a voice said. "The marchioness is weakened, too. Tsk. The marquis will be a widower soon enough."
A little girl ran away in tears.
"Nyasia, don't run. You're too sick."
"Young Lady, you must listen. Don't go outside. Your body is too weak. You were born weak."
"There's no need for that girl to study well. She'll probably spend her whole life inside her hall," said an old man's voice.
"I want to play! Why is Brother out again?"
"Sia, you'll get better. Father will find a way to cure you," a gentle, male voice said.
"Father, the medicine is too bitter. I don't want it anymore!"
"Sia."
His deep voice came from the shadows as sunlight filtered through the leaves. His fingers pressed her wrist. "Your heart will race for a bit. But you won't get burned."
"I hate hoping."
"Well, you always hope I should be a gentleman. Who knows, I might be."
Yet she burned.
Her breathing grew weak. She couldn't hold on anymore. She mustn't. She couldn't let go. But—
Then everything went dark.
Guards surrounded the Rashet estate and forcibly dragged out the elders, men, women, children. Their cries and moans were loud. Soon, they were kneeling before the guillotine.
A woman cried out, "What is our fault that the new emperor wants to kill us all?"
A man stood and unrolled a scroll.
"The Rashet Clan stands convicted of treason against the Empire. They have unlawfully used the iron mine to forge arms for rebellion. For this grave offense against the crown, all members of the clan are hereby sentenced to death. Thus decreed by the imperial authority!"
"Marquis Levon Ares Rashet, anything to say?" the man asked the young man who kneeled in silence.
"My lord! Why do you say nothing?" an elder asked, bitter tears falling. "You know better than anyone—that if the lady dies, you know what happens to the mine. Rashet cannot allow it. A hundred years of legacy and we only wanted to protect. We did not mean to hide the truth!"
But the marquis said nothing.
'Brother!'
'Please, Brother. Say something!'
But she couldn't even scream.
She turned to another man who sat at the center of the higher platform, his empty, obsidian gaze unwavering as Levon's head rolled across the ground.
'Brother!'
Nyasia opened her eyes.
It was the ceiling of her room.
"Sia?"
Her gaze turned to the side of the bed.
Brother.
Still alive. She swallowed. "Brother, become the sole heir of the iron mine..."
*