Read Online Golden by Joely Sue Burkhart - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Joely Sue Burkhart
Ads: Link
swam.
“I’m sorry.” Gently, I touched the hem of his sleeve. I was, truly. Sorry that he was embarrassed. Sorry that he was so naive and helpless when it came to court intrigue. The Empress had shamefully misled him into striking out against me. When his father found out what he’d done, I would truly pity him.
“His name!”
I only bowed my head.
“Twenty lashes,” he growled.
Shackled against a rough-hewn pole, I pressed my forehead to the wood and closed my eyes. I breathed deeply and expelled the air slowly, counting to four with each breath. If I kept myself calm and didn’t fight the pain, I would be able to endure it. Ping would not get the pleasure of seeing me faint, and I would do my best not to scream as the whip ripped the skin off my back.
Please, hurry , I prayed, holding the Emperor’s face in my mind.
The lash sliced across my back. I bit my lip and tasted blood. Such a different pain than what the Emperor gave me in his bedchamber. Knowing his hand delivered the pain made it more bearable, even pleasurable, transmuting agony to desire and bruises to a badge of courage and love. I didn’t mind his bruises.
He hurt me with love and passion, not hatred. Not like this.
This, I despised. I hated the cutting burn peeling my skin open. Even if it were his hand delivering these blows, I didn’t think I would be able to feel anything but agony. I’d endure if he ordered it, but I would find no pleasure in such a beating.
Everyone had a limit to the amount of pain she could endure until it became so terrible that she would do anything to stop it.
Even blurt out the imperial father’s name of her unborn child without his permission.
I clenched my hands tighter, my jaws aching from holding back the words. Fire blazed on my back. I lost count of how many lashes they’d given me. It took all my concentration and will just to keep from screaming.
“Halt!”
The Emperor’s command made me cry out as the lash had not. I sagged in the chains, weeping, but not screaming. I hadn’t betrayed him. I hadn’t forced his hand in any way.
“For what reason do you punish this woman?”
“Father.” Ping’s words were strangled, as though he fought back tears. “I learned something terrible today, and I couldn’t help but act.”
The Emperor came near enough to me that I could smell the scented oil he wore in his hair. Tears flowed faster from my eyes, a river of longing and love, yet I remained silent. “Surely nothing could be so horrible that you’d wish to torture your sweet wife.”
“She’s not sweet, Father.” The ugly sneer had returned to Ping’s face. I could hear it in his voice. “She’s a whore.”
The Emperor slapped him so hard that I flinched as the crack resounded in the courtyard. When he spoke, however, his voice remained pleasant. “You shall not speak of her in such a manner.”
“But Father, she’s pregnant!” Ping wailed. “I had the chief eunuch review the records, and it couldn’t be mine. I haven’t touched her in months!”
Oh, how I burned to see the look on the Emperor’s face. Was he glad to hear this news? Resigned? Did he regret the inconvenience and potential embarrassment? His silence hurt more than the burning lashes upon my back.
“Release her.”
Hands moved to do as he ordered. Tears blinded me. Even after being released from the chains, I kept my head down, hair in my face. If he wasn’t pleased about this child, I wouldn’t be so quick to eliminate the next assassin before he could end my suffering.
“Didn’t we tell you to come to Father with any concerns you might have regarding Lady Jin?”
“Father, this is different. Some wretched man has shamed our royal line. We must find the culprit and expel him from the palace with her.”
The Emperor cupped my chin and tipped my face up. Gentle hands swiped my tangled hair out of my eyes. I kept my eyes closed, afraid to see his reaction. I knew those hands. He could be gentle and
“I’m sorry.” Gently, I touched the hem of his sleeve. I was, truly. Sorry that he was embarrassed. Sorry that he was so naive and helpless when it came to court intrigue. The Empress had shamefully misled him into striking out against me. When his father found out what he’d done, I would truly pity him.
“His name!”
I only bowed my head.
“Twenty lashes,” he growled.
Shackled against a rough-hewn pole, I pressed my forehead to the wood and closed my eyes. I breathed deeply and expelled the air slowly, counting to four with each breath. If I kept myself calm and didn’t fight the pain, I would be able to endure it. Ping would not get the pleasure of seeing me faint, and I would do my best not to scream as the whip ripped the skin off my back.
Please, hurry , I prayed, holding the Emperor’s face in my mind.
The lash sliced across my back. I bit my lip and tasted blood. Such a different pain than what the Emperor gave me in his bedchamber. Knowing his hand delivered the pain made it more bearable, even pleasurable, transmuting agony to desire and bruises to a badge of courage and love. I didn’t mind his bruises.
He hurt me with love and passion, not hatred. Not like this.
This, I despised. I hated the cutting burn peeling my skin open. Even if it were his hand delivering these blows, I didn’t think I would be able to feel anything but agony. I’d endure if he ordered it, but I would find no pleasure in such a beating.
Everyone had a limit to the amount of pain she could endure until it became so terrible that she would do anything to stop it.
Even blurt out the imperial father’s name of her unborn child without his permission.
I clenched my hands tighter, my jaws aching from holding back the words. Fire blazed on my back. I lost count of how many lashes they’d given me. It took all my concentration and will just to keep from screaming.
“Halt!”
The Emperor’s command made me cry out as the lash had not. I sagged in the chains, weeping, but not screaming. I hadn’t betrayed him. I hadn’t forced his hand in any way.
“For what reason do you punish this woman?”
“Father.” Ping’s words were strangled, as though he fought back tears. “I learned something terrible today, and I couldn’t help but act.”
The Emperor came near enough to me that I could smell the scented oil he wore in his hair. Tears flowed faster from my eyes, a river of longing and love, yet I remained silent. “Surely nothing could be so horrible that you’d wish to torture your sweet wife.”
“She’s not sweet, Father.” The ugly sneer had returned to Ping’s face. I could hear it in his voice. “She’s a whore.”
The Emperor slapped him so hard that I flinched as the crack resounded in the courtyard. When he spoke, however, his voice remained pleasant. “You shall not speak of her in such a manner.”
“But Father, she’s pregnant!” Ping wailed. “I had the chief eunuch review the records, and it couldn’t be mine. I haven’t touched her in months!”
Oh, how I burned to see the look on the Emperor’s face. Was he glad to hear this news? Resigned? Did he regret the inconvenience and potential embarrassment? His silence hurt more than the burning lashes upon my back.
“Release her.”
Hands moved to do as he ordered. Tears blinded me. Even after being released from the chains, I kept my head down, hair in my face. If he wasn’t pleased about this child, I wouldn’t be so quick to eliminate the next assassin before he could end my suffering.
“Didn’t we tell you to come to Father with any concerns you might have regarding Lady Jin?”
“Father, this is different. Some wretched man has shamed our royal line. We must find the culprit and expel him from the palace with her.”
The Emperor cupped my chin and tipped my face up. Gentle hands swiped my tangled hair out of my eyes. I kept my eyes closed, afraid to see his reaction. I knew those hands. He could be gentle and
Similar Books
