I spent three years as the tyrant’s substitute love. I’m tired of it.
When he was drunk, he called her name. When he was giving her the cold shoulder, he used me as a shield.
I thought that if I were good enough, I could warm his heart.
Until he wanted to take the blood from my heart to save his true love.
I looked at him calmly. “Your Majesty, I’ll ask you one last time. Was there ever a place for me in your heart?”
The moment he fell silent, I smiled.
I cut out the blood from my heart with my own hands and threw it to the ground.
“I’m done serving you.”
The ministers thought I was going to die, never knowing that I would turn around and become the enemy nation’s strategist, leading my iron cavalry to the gates of the capital.
The tyrant, eyes red, begged me to return. “The empress’s throne is yours. I’ll never look for another stand-in again.”
I lounged on the dragon throne. “Sorry, I’m the empress now. I need a male consort. Do you qualify?”
