The Emperor of the Moon and Stars by N. R. Williams

Author:N. R. Williams
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: N. R. Williams
Published: 2022-03-20T00:00:00+00:00

Tamika opened her eyes. She lay in her bed. Light filtered through the curtains, and a breeze lifted the chiffon fabric and created a dance of shadow and sunlight. Someone had put a damp cloth on her forehead.

She tried to sit. Pain tightened her muscles, and she gave a cry before falling back into the mattress. There was little comfort in knowing she survived Ose’s temper. He would beat her again when he wanted to hurt something or someone. He always did.

For a time, she thought he had changed. But when Jonathan arrived, Ose’s temper resurfaced.

She thought about Jonathan’s invitation to leave Ose and come to the palace. If she were brave, she’d do that. But she wasn’t courageous. Instead, the thought of her friends shunning her filled her with dread.

The door slid open. Her maid, Enya, entered with a tray.

“I am so happy to see you awake.” Enya set the tray down on the nightstand. She knelt before the mattress that rested on the floor.

“How long has it been?” Tamika almost added, this time.

“All night and most of the morning.”

“I should go to the hot spring house.”

“You must eat first, and then I will go with you in case you fall.”

“I will eat, and you can walk with me, but I must be left alone in the bath, so I can think.”

Enya poured tea into the cup. With assistance, Tamika sat. But her arms wouldn’t work, and her fingers refused to hold the cup, so Enya pressed the cup to her lips. Neither spoke as Tamika ate. When she finished, she had Enya help her pull on a robe.

An hour later, she stood at the door to the bathhouse. Tamika turned to Enya. “I will see you later.”

Enya bowed. “You must leave him.”

“How can I? He owns me. He has all my wealth. Every piece of land and both houses. I will be nothing without him.”

“The emperor will help you. You have told me so.”

“But how can I impose on him? If I went to Jonathan...” tears filled her eyes. “If I went to him, Ose would start a war. You know it is so.”

“The next time, he may kill you.”

“Enya, I must think. My thoughts are jumbled. I must be alone.” Tamika turned away and slid the door to the hot springs bathhouse open, and entered.

The bath was oval and hewn out of rock to catch the hot mineral spring water. Along both walls were potted bushes, but along the back were full-grown evergreen trees. The bathhouse roof was open above the trees, and several had grown so large their top limbs disappeared above the roofline. There were towels on a table near the rocky steps leading down into the water. Tamika removed her robe and set it over a chair.

The water burned her injuries but would cleanse them as well. She knelt in the water and submerged her face. Then she stood again.

“I am cursed, Honorable Ye Tai,” she prayed. “Why did you give me such a husband? And my love, my heart is Jonathan.

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