Chapter 3

3

Magnus refused to leave my bed until the morning sun crested the horizon.

Before stepping out, he tugged off my silk sash. I cast him a teasing glare. "Why the rush, Your Majesty? Did you think I would run away before nightfall?"

"With legs as strong as yours, you would certainly run fast," he chuckled huskily against my ear.

"My King!" I turned away with feigned annoyance.

He tossed a smooth jade token onto my pillow, telling me to keep it warm for when he returned tonight.

There was currently no Queen in the imperial palace.

Corinna held ultimate authority over the entire inner court.

When I arrived at her palace to pay my respects, her brow was locked in a tight frown. She straightened her posture the moment I walked in.

"Did Your Ladyship enjoy listening to us last night?" I asked with a radiant, mocking smile.

Corinna's cheeks flushed crimson with humiliation. "Shameless wretch! Your clan truly has no decency!"

"I am merely serving our King," I said, covering my lips with an innocent flutter of my eyelashes. "I wonder why Your Ladyship has such a vulgar habit of eavesdropping on our bedchamber?"

"You insolent beast! You have barely tasted his favor, so do not get cocky in front of me."

She leaned in, her eyes venomous. "Your sister was once pampered just like you. And what happened? Once the King grew bored, he threw her to me as a broken toy."

Corinna grinned, eager to see me break. "Do you want to know how she screamed and begged me while countless guards took turns violating her?"

Hearing my sister's name, the color drained from my face.

Taking my reaction as utter defeat, Corinna sneered proudly.

"She was breathtaking and terribly stubborn. But in the end, she crawled onto filthy men on her own. Do you know why?"

"Because she begged me on her knees never to bring you here for a bridal tribute."

"The way she sobbed on the torture rack was magnificent; even I found it mesmerizing," Corinna laughed. "Pity she was so fragile and broke within a month."

"Do you know why she did not dare end her own life? Because I told her that if she died, you would take her place."

Listening to every gruesome detail, a dark thrill rushed through my veins, making me tremble with sheer ecstasy.

My sister had not begged to protect me from harm. She had begged to protect these abusers from *me*.

The more Corinna confessed, the more agonizing her punishment would be.

Corinna mistook my ecstatic trembling for raw terror, waving her hand to dismiss me with deep satisfaction.

She did not spare me out of mercy; she simply knew Magnus was still obsessed with me.

Everyone knew the King was cruel and ruthless. Corinna had only survived as his favorite because she bore his only son.

Our clan could easily bring forth dozens of offspring in a single year. And having activated my bloodline's forbidden art, I would soon flood this palace with heirs.

When that happened, I wanted to see what shield she had left to save her worthless neck.