Lady Earthquake

Lady Earthquake Chapter 41

She had only stood there frozen for the few seconds it had taken for him to speak. Swiftly, she jammed her right elbow into his midsection, while she grabbed the hand at her throat, pulling it away. He grunted in pain, then gasped as she spun around under the hand she held, nearly breaking his wrist as she twisted it. For a moment, she held it out under pressure, forcing him to his knees. When she recognized him, she let him go with a dismayed cry of her own. Without quite realizing what she did, she wiped her hands on her skirts as though she had accidentally picked up something foul.

Still on his knees, the Third Prince cradled his hand to his chest, gazing up at her, his shocked eyes flickering from her face to that of the white stone deva above them both. "What...who are you?"

A trifle belatedly, An-Xia dropped on her knees in front of him, in the same position as the one he held but bowing her head to the floor. "A thousand pardons, your highness. I did not realize that it was you."

"That is, I suppose, a relief to both of us."

She dared to raise her eyes, hearing no immediate threat in his tone. If anything, he sounded mystified. With a pained sound, he put one foot flat on the floor and started to stand upright. He bent forward, his hand on his middle. "Ah!"

She shuffled closer on her knees, offering herself as support. "I hope I did not hurt you too much."

"Thank you," he said, his hand heavy on her shoulder. She bit her lip to keep from uttering a sound when he leaned all his weight on her. The last thing she wanted was for him to touch her again but she thought of Sun-Sin and played her role.

"You seem to know who I am," he said, straightening up with a grimace and letting her go. "How? I have never seen you before, I think."

"I am here with Miss Lung. She did not say so in words but I felt she was meeting someone here. So beautiful and moral a lady would never stoop to a clandestine meeting with anyone under the rank of a Royal Prince."

"You are very glib, miss." His voice was deep and deliberate. "Yet as it happens, you are right. I am the Third Prince of the Royal Household. You should know that assaulting me, even in error, is a grave offence."

"I can only beg your highness' pardon. I did not know it was you embracing me thus. If I must be dragged off to face a tribunal, rest assured that I will continue to apologize until my head is separated from my body."

"Thereby letting everyone know I accosted a virgin in the temple? Are you are threatening me with that?"

"Indeed, your highness, I never thought of such a thing."

Was he intending to stand there gazing at her until sunrise? Summoning her courage, she lifted her head and looked with unfeminine boldness into his eyes. His teeth gleamed in a smile that seemed to answer that challenge.

"What is your name?"

An-Xia hesitated, all her names thronging her mind. "Dizhen...your highness," she said.

"You hardly seem certain. And that is not a name; it is a disaster."

Was he taller than Sun-Sin? In the temple gloom, she could not be sure. "Your lady-friend is waiting outside," she told him.

"Hmmm? Oh. How do you know her?"

"The Grand Consort asked her to look after me. I only arrived today."

"That would explain it."

"What?" she said unwillingly.

"Your unusual quality. Most palace women are interchangeable as beads. Dizhen? Miss Dizhen, yes? Or are you married already to some fortunate young man?"