My heart hammers in my chest as my fingers curl around the dagger I found in the east wing. It looks ancient, and something about it feels magical. It’s thin and small, yet it looks powerful.Powerful enough to kill a monster.I bite down on my lip as I carry it to Felix’s bed, hiding it between the headboard and the mattress with trembling hands, unsure whether I’ll even have the courage to use it. All I’ve been able to think about since Felix left me in the bedroom is the curse he expects me to break, and each time, I come to the same answer. The only way the prophecy is true is if I’m meant to kill him. In the little time I’ve had, I’ve pored through as many books as I could find in his library, but all I was able to learn is that curses are supposed to end when the one who was cursed dies.My time here is limited, and I’d rather die fighting him and end this early, instead of suffering at his hands endlessly, until whatever is left of my soul is ripped apart. I’ll lose my own life in the process, but it’s only a matter of time before he figures out I’ll only bring him further misfortune and kills me himself. At least this way, I die for a worthy cause.I jump when I hear a sound in the room and turn around, scared to get caught before I even make an attempt at his life. My eyes widen when I see a nightgown hovering in midair. It moves back and forth, as though it’s indicating for me to follow.I hesitate before taking a cautious step forward. The magic in this palace is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before, and though it doesn’t feel harmful, I’m still wary. All my life, I’ve been told that magic is a double-edged sword, that all it does is harm, and I’m scared it might be true.The nightgown floats toward a steaming bath, the scent of lavender filling the room. “You love lavender, don’t you, Palace?” I remark, my voice barely above a whisper.The nightgown appears to nod, and I smile ruefully as I stare at the steaming bath, a chill running down my arms. I’m still freezing, and the bath the palace has drawn for me looks irresistible. Despite my heavy heart, I find myself smiling as I undress, giving in to the palace’s demands. I suppose this is its odd way of readying me for our first night together. “I won’t sleep with him,” I murmur. “This is all futile, but I suppose it’s a good ruse. He’ll never see it coming if I appear willing.”All that meets me is silence as the water moves over my body, washing me without me having to lift a single hand. For a moment, I allow myself to lean back, my eyes falling closed. If not for the Shadow Emperor, Nathaniel might already have asked for my hand by now. We would be betrothed and allowed to spend some time together, preparing for our wedding. How will he react when he receives the news of my passing? I hope he’ll know I was his till the very end.A soft gasp escapes my lips when I hear the sound of the door opening, and my heart begins to race. I wrap my arms around my chest and sink deeper into the tub, but it’s not enough to keep Felix’s attention off me. I expected him to stay away for several hours more since he left the room due to an emergency meeting, but perhaps I’m mistaken about the time. The constant darkness has been disorienting.“This is quite the surprise,” he says, his voice gravelly. Not even the moving veins across his face can hide his blatant appreciation, or his building desire. It emboldens me, gives me the courage I’ve been seeking.“Mere hours ago, you rightfully reminded me that it is our wedding night,” I tell him, my voice devoid of the tremble I’d expected. “I am a princess, Your Excellency. If there is one thing I am most accustomed to, it is fulfilling my duties.”“It appears you are exceedingly forgetful, Arabella, for you are no princess. Not anymore.” He crosses his arms, his eyes roaming over my face as though he’s trying to see through my façade. I’d expected his gaze to dip down in an attempt to catch a glimpse of what is now rightfully his, but he has yet to do so. “You are my empress.”His eyes sparkle possessively, and my heart skips a beat, an unfamiliar feeling rushing through me. No one has ever willingly and enthusiastically laid claim to me like that—I’ve never truly belonged anywhere. Yet this man that I so despise seems somewhat proud to call me his. My heart begins to hammer in my chest as I square my shoulders and straighten my spine, allowing my chest to rise above the water. “Perhaps you’d like to join your empress?” My voice trembles this time, uncertainty taking root as I take a deep breath in an attempt to steel my nerves.noveldramaOur eyes lock as his hands move to his cape, and he unties it, letting it fall off his shoulders and onto the floor. Felix walks toward me as he unbuttons his shirt, and I tense, my eyes flitting to the bed, where I hid my dagger.“What’s wrong, wife?” he says, his voice velvety smooth, a hint of amusement in it. Wife. It feels like a mockery to be called that, yet I don’t doubt his sincerity.“N-Nothing,” I stammer, reminding myself to be brave.My breath hitches as his shirt hits the floor. I’ve never seen a man in such a state of undress, and I never thought I’d ever see anyone but Nathaniel like that. The veins that run over his face mar the rest of him, too, moving furiously as though to obscure his body, yet they can’t. Even through the darkness, he looks strong.His hands move to his trousers, and I bite down on my lip as I take in the deep V right above, his abs clearly visible. He smiles at me bemusedly just before I squeeze my eyes closed, and moments later, I hear his trousers drop to the floor. The water ripples as he enters the tub and I inhale sharply, uncertainty settling deep inside my chest. Water sloshes over the edge of the tub, and I jump when I feel his legs brush against mine.“Open your eyes,” he orders. I obey, trying my best to hide my emotions. I keep my gaze trained on his face, not daring to let it dip lower. “Regretting your invitation, Empress?”Indignation courses through me, and I narrow my eyes as I try my best to keep them on his face. “I am merely nervous, Your Excellency. Though I do not regret my invitation, I’ve now found myself uncertain what to do next.”He smiles in a way that makes me think I’ve caught him off guard. “Do you wish for me to show you?” he asks, his tone filled with longing, his chest rising and falling rapidly.The question surprises me. I’d expected him to take the lead from this point forward, but it’s clear he’s intent on seeing how far I’ll take this. “Yes,” I say without thinking, acting on my impulses instead.My eyes widen when shadows surround me, pushing me toward him slowly. I press my hands against his chest, exposing myself as I look at the water for a hint of his shadows, yet finding nothing. I’ve never seen anything like it, and a small part of me can’t help but marvel at the sight of something I’ve only ever heard rumors about.His eyes roam over me as I sit on my knees between his legs, my breasts exposed above the water and my hands on his body. His skin is warm, and somehow that, too, surprises me. I was certain he’d be as cold as the rest of his country.“So long as there’s a shadow in a room, it’s under my control,” he whispers as though he recognizes my need for answers, his voice a soft caress.“H-How?” I ask, my voice filled with wonder. He’s an alchemist, and he shouldn’t be able to control shadows in the way he does. It felt like he had his hands on me as he pulled me closer, and natural shadows shouldn’t be able to do that. It goes against the law of equal exchange, which dictates that something cannot come from nothing. Yet when he uses his shadows, it doesn’t feel like Elaine’s magic. It’s different somehow; it doesn’t feel like an exchange of any kind. I usually see a shimmer of some sort when magic is used, but there was nothing this time.He smiles and gently tucks my hair behind my ear. “You’re curious about me,” he murmurs, a hint of relief in his voice. “It’s a power I was born with. My father was an alchemist, but my mother was a powerful sorceress born with the innate ability to manipulate shadows. My magical powers are near nonexistent compared with my alchemy, but my command over shadows is innate. However, that is not what I meant to show you.”I try my best not to tense when he grabs my wrist and moves my hand over his shoulder, and then back down his chest, soap slowly appearing underneath my hands. He’s using my hand to wash himself with, and I raise a brow, uncertain whether I’m impressed with his powers or indignant he’s having me act like his handmaid.Felix lets go of my wrist and stares at me in surprise when I begin to rub his shoulder with my thumb, and I ignore the way his eyes roam over my breasts. A thousand feelings I can’t make sense of rush through me. The idea of him was far more terrifying than the reality he’s presenting me with, and I don’t quite understand why.I force a smile and place my trembling hands on his chest, massaging in the soap reluctantly as I plot his demise. Even if I fail to kill him, he’ll end my life swiftly so long as I point a blade at him, won’t he? Felix raises his hand to my face and brushes the back of his fingers over my cheek, his touch oddly gentle. “I wonder what goes on in that wicked mind of yours,” he murmurs.A hint of panic rushes to the surface before I remind myself that Elaine said he can’t read my mind. I grin at him and tilt my face. “You wouldn’t believe me even if I told you,” I whisper.He’s silent for a moment, and then he laughs, startling me, his teeth perfectly straight and white. My hands still as I begin to wonder what he looks like underneath all those thick, moving veins. “They appeared when I was twenty,” he tells me, his voice soft. “The veins. It is hereditary, it appears.”I nod, surprised he volunteered information about himself, although perhaps I shouldn’t be. He is, after all, my husband. It should be natural for us to make some sort of attempt to get to know each other, but it doesn’t quite feel that way.My nerves get the best of me as I slide my hands down his chest, his body strong underneath my fingers and so very different from mine. His breath hitches when my hands dip lower, disappearing under the water as I slide them over his abs. His breathing accelerates, and my heart starts to race for reasons I can’t comprehend. My nerves have a different edge to them, and curiosity overtakes my fear as I look into his eyes. He’s the most powerful alchemist in the world, yet right here, right now, it feels like he’s just a man—one who is utterly enthralled by me in a way no one has ever been before.I watch as his chest rises and falls rapidly, his gaze burning. He looks so very human in this moment, despite the darkness slithering on his skin. The way he’s looking at me… that’s desire. I bite down on my lip when my hands reach his thighs, and he grits his teeth as though he’s the one being tortured.His eyes are lowered as he reaches into the water, his hand wrapping around my waist. “Let me take you to bed, beloved.”