A Dangerous Game

The dining hall was an opulent cavern of gold and shadow, lit by the flickering glow of hundreds of lanterns. Mei’s footsteps echoed softly as she was led inside by two attendants, her crimson robe trailing behind her like liquid fire. She kept her head high, her chin tilted in defiance, though her heart pounded against her ribs.

At the head of the grand table sat the king, his dark eyes fixed on her the moment she entered. He wore no crown tonight, but his presence alone was more imposing than any regalia. His robes of black and gold clung to his powerful frame, and the faint smirk tugging at his lips was both infuriating and enthralling.

“Come closer, Mei,” he commanded, his voice smooth yet edged with steel.

She hesitated only a moment before stepping forward, refusing to let him see her fear. As she reached the table, she realized the hall was empty except for the two of them. No guards, no servants—just the king and his captive bride-to-be.

“Do you always dine alone, Your Majesty?” Mei asked, her tone sharper than she intended.

The king chuckled, the sound low and dangerous. “Bold of you to speak so freely. Most would not dare.”

“I am not most,” Mei replied, meeting his gaze.

His smirk deepened, and he gestured for her to sit. She obeyed, reluctantly lowering herself into the seat opposite him. The table was laden with delicacies—roast duck glazed with honey, bowls of fragrant rice, and platters of rare fruits. Yet Mei found she had no appetite.

“Why the hostility?” he asked, pouring her a cup of wine. His movements were unhurried, deliberate, as though he had all the time in the world. “Have I not been generous? Your family’s debts are erased. Your mother is cared for. And you…” His eyes swept over her, lingering just long enough to make her skin prickle. “You are dressed like a queen.”

“Generosity?” Mei scoffed, gripping the edge of the table. “You call it generosity to strip me of my freedom? To force me into a marriage I did not choose?”

The king’s gaze darkened, the air between them crackling with tension. “Freedom is an illusion, Mei. You’ve traded one cage for another, but at least this one is gilded.”

His words stung, not because they were cruel but because they carried an uncomfortable truth. Still, Mei refused to let him win this battle.

“Why me?” she demanded. “You could have chosen anyone—a noblewoman, a princess. Why take the daughter of a disgraced gambler?”

The king leaned back in his chair, studying her with an intensity that made her pulse quicken. “Because you intrigue me,” he said at last. “You have fire in you, Mei. Fire that will either destroy you or make you unstoppable. I intend to find out which.”

Mei swallowed hard, unsure whether his words were a threat or a promise.

“And what if I refuse to play your game?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

His smile returned, sharp and predatory. “You already are.”

Mei’s heart raced as the king raised his cup in a silent toast, his dark eyes never leaving hers. She realized, with a mixture of dread and exhilaration, that she was stepping into a dangerous game—and she was far from ready to face the man who had just made her his queen.

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