Page 11 of Reign of the Talon
To my surprise and great interest, I feel a flash of guilt pierce me from the outside. Haneul stiffens almost imperceptibly. It’s his emotion I feel. “Do not underestimate your value,” he says quietly, and Empress Moon’s lips twitch. I catch a glimpse of the true Moon Dahee for a moment as this facade of meekness falters, replaced by…hunger? She looks, for a moment, at Haneul like he is a confectionary, and she is a child with teeth rotting from sugar. “We need Wyusan’s aid, Empress. I urge you to give it before it is too late.”
“You must understand,” the empress explains softly, “that this undertaking is…perilous. My soldiers and I, we will require certain…comforts, both long term and short term.” Empress Moon rises and descends the phoenix throne until she stands close to Haneul, staring up at him beneath thick lashes.
“Such as?” Haneul demands, impatient.
With those words, the empress’s facade falls away, and the hunger reemerges on her face. “Such as an alliance that lasts long after the war is over,” Moon Dahee replies, soft voice now sultry. Haneul’s emotions—surprise and dread—crest through our thread. “Until then, I would be satisfied with your presence in my bed every night.”
“I am married,” Haneul replies scathingly, his throat working. Rage flickers in his cold glare.
Empress Moon laughs and shakes her head. “Your wife is trying to kill you. I think that counts as an annulment.”
“I ammarried,” Haneul repeats firmly, and I want to snort at his foolishness. There is as much marriage between us as a predator and her prey.
The queen abruptly stops laughing and peers into the emperor’s face. “Do you mean to say that youlovethis monster?”
“I love who she once was.” Haneul takes a step back from Moon, his distaste palpable. “It troubles me, Empress, that you would place a decision to protect your land and people on whether or not I willsleepwith you.”
Moon Dahee scowls. “I’m not a fool. My forces are clearly to take the brunt of Sunpo’s attacks. Pardon me if I want compensation.”
“You will have compensation,” Haneul replies cuttingly, “but you will not have me. You will not manipulate me as you did Emperor Soo Hyunjin.”
“Then let me revise my terms,” Moon says sweetly. “One night with you, Rui. Give it to me, and in return, you will have my army. Don’t pretend,” she croons, “that you do not want it. That you missed being…touched. I’ve often wondered what it would be like to bed a god. I suppose you’re close enough.” Her hand reaches forth, and a nail-bitten finger trails its way down Haneul’s hard face before slinking down his chest, heading toward his navel…
Somewhere, in the back of my mind, a girl grips the rungs of her cage. I feel her looking through my eyes.
No.I shove her away. Faintly, I sense her cringe of pain as she hits the floor of her cell.
Weak, spineless thing.
Haneul’s own hand shoots out and grabs Moon’s. He holds it, eyes blazing. I watch as the Dokkaebi leans in close and sneers. The guards bristle, but a quick look from Moon ensures that they stand down—for now.
“I will say this only once more,” Haneul growls. “I ammarried. But also, Moon, is the fact that Ido not want you. I do not want your touch. I do not want anything from you but your army and your aid. If you refuse to give it to me because I will not sleep with you, thenso be it. You may watch as your kingdom is taken and your wilderness burned. And then you can watch as the Prophecy’s blade nears your neck and know that you had every chance to fight back but didn’t.” With a snarl, he unhands the empress, who has frozen. “What will it be?” He smirks, but there is no hint of amusement in his expression. “And do not pretend that you have not decided. Your mind was made up the moment you heard the Prophecy was poised to enter your lands.”
Moon’s face darkens as she rubs her wrist. “Fine,” she spits angrily. “I must admit that my desire for you has now banked considerably.”
Haneul chuckles. It is a hollow and dangerous sound.
Her eyes narrow. “But I’ve heard that you use your pocket realm for your war camp. I demand that your forces and mine share the same encampment and have access to the same resources. It’s only fair, if you’re toting us off like hogs to the slaughterhouse.”
Haneul’s lips thin. “There is nopossibleway for us to teleport your soldiers to and from each battle—”
“Thenmove your camp to Iseung,” snarls Moon. Her demeanor is markedly different, now that she has been rejected. “And should Bonseyo’s emperor finally take his head out of his saggy ass and realize that there is a war outside of his family’s bickering, he too will share the camp. That is my demand. See that it is fulfilled, Emperor Haneul.” She turns and stalks back up to her throne, where she sits with an almost child-like huff. “You’re dismissed.”
Haneul sketches a mock-bow that somehow conveys more disdain and disrespect than a crude gesture ever could. “And I am sincerely delighted to be,” he sneers with withering contempt.
Yet as I open my eyes, returning to my body on the Yaepak Mountains, there is none as delighted as I. For with the Dokkaebi hiding in Gyeulcheon, sieges on my side have been impossible to instigate.
But with Gyeulcheon’s forces moving camp to Iseung…
My smile grows.
A future ambush may be very easy, indeed.
CHAPTER FIVE
The Prisoner
I…saw it happen.
