The Emperor’s Obsession - Chapter 3
Long silver hair, concealing even her ears, shimmered and shone in the moonlight. Beneath lowered lids, lashes of the same silver lay thick and full. The moment those eyelids lifted, Jia unknowingly held her breath. Her eyes were the palest blue, the color of the Caribbean Sea she’d only seen in photographs. To possess eyes the color of a sea she’d found not just beautiful, but mystical…
For three years, she’d seen a multitude of hair and eye colors in this strange land, but never anything that raised the hairs on her arms in such awe. Below those captivating eyes, a high, straight nose, closed lips, and a sharp jawline completed the picture. He was breathtakingly beautiful, a man one could mistake for a god incarnate rather than an emperor.
The door closed, leaving only the emperor, five captives, and three knights guarding them in the spacious room. The emperor’s gaze swept over the standing prisoners. He beckoned to the man at the front. A knight’s sword sliced through the ropes. Freed, the male captive screamed and stumbled backward, landing hard on his rear.
“Come here.” The emperor’s voice was languid, yet chillingly beautiful. Neither high nor low, it flowed with a melodic cadence, almost like a song.
“Uh, uhh…” The captive whimpered, trembling violently. The emperor rose from his seat. His loosely worn robe slipped from his shoulder, revealing a prominent Adam’s apple, broad shoulders, sculpted collarbones, and a firm chest. He was dazzling, almost strangely so.
“Come closer.” The emperor repeated. With a shriek of terror, the captive scrambled to his feet and bolted for the door. In an instant, something unseen snatched him by the scruff of his neck and yanked him back toward the emperor.
Magic. Jia’s lips trembled. Magic, a skill only the highest nobles could master, was rarely witnessed by common folk. Jia, who hailed from a magic-less Earth, and the other captives gasped, fear gripping them.
The male captive’s jaw unhinged grotesquely. Screams ripped through the air–a horrific symphony of agony. Then, his face split horizontally. The other captives shrieked at the gruesome sight, but Jia simply stared, wide-eyed and numb.
It felt like a dream. The blood pooling on the white marble floor, the man’s face split like a broken doll, the emperor before her, the knights behind… even herself. Everything.
Mother. Jia silently called out to her family, her hands clasped together. She remembered their pre-meal prayer: “Let us pray for the health and happiness of our family.” The memory of chirping, “Yes,” during the prayer was vivid. Our family… healthy and… happy… happy…
Tears streamed down her face. She ached for her mother and father. It’s a dream, a dream, she murmured.
Four captives died in various gruesome ways: disemboweled, heart ripped out, body split vertically. Only Jia remained.
“You. Come here.”
Tears still flowing, Jia slowly walked toward the emperor. He studied her face, then the corners of his lips curled upward. “Black hair and black eyes. I haven’t seen that in 150 years.”
“Huu… uh.”
“Or is it 152?”
Jia sobbed, gazing at the emperor. This wasn’t the meeting she’d hoped for. She hadn’t even desired a formal audience. She’d simply wanted to plead her case, on her knees if necessary, and find a solution, if one existed. She didn’t want to die.
“I… I…” The desperate desire to live forced her lips to part. The emperor raised a hand, his blood-soaked fingers clamping hard around her cheek. A choked gasp escaped her.
“Hmm.” The emperor tilted his head. Strange, he muttered, tightening his grip.
“Uuh, huh!”
“Why are you unharmed?” He released his grip. Jia’s knees slammed against the marble floor.
“Agh!” The pain was fleeting. The blossoming bruise faded rapidly. The emperor’s eyes narrowed. “Strange.” He paused, a thoughtful frown creasing his brow, then approached her with a drawn sword. Jia’s eyes widened. She instinctively scooted backward, a scream tearing from her throat.
“No!”
As the emperor advanced, sword pointed at her, a light flared around Jia. It was brief, but the emperor’s eyes widened in recognition.
Consumed by panic, Jia couldn’t comprehend what had happened. She clutched her head, sobbing.
