Yuelan winced and blinked quickly as the trap door opened and light attacked her eyes. She didn’t know how long she’d been trapped in the dark alone, but it had been long enough to loosen the ropes binding her hands at least. She kept her wrists and hands hidden as she watched a figure descend the ladder and her ears caught the soft sound of a boot stepping in a puddle of water.

“You didn’t give her a chair to sit on. How could you mistreat the future crown princess this way?” a familiar, drawling voice said as a second figure came down the ladder.

“Apologies, Highness. I was told not to give her special treatment,” a second male voice explained. The second voice belonged to the man who had been in the small, dark prison with Yuelan before.

“Well, never mind.” Yuelan’s eyes finished adjusting to the lamp light and she looked up at the face of the first prince as he spoke. “Miss Long. It’s been quite a while since we had a chance to chat.”

Yuelan’s eyes narrowed and she glared at him. “You’re responsible for this?” she demanded.

The first prince chuckled. “Of course not. I just happened to find out that you were here and decided to take the opportunity to convince you that you’re making a very big mistake. My third brother doesn’t have what it takes to be the next emperor. He’s stupid and lazy and spent all his time galavanting about with equally stupid and lazy offspring of wealthy and influential families who relied on their fathers’ wealth and good name to do whatever they wanted.”

“How are you any different?” Yuelan asked. “You don’t care about anyone but yourself. The people don’t matter to you. When I spent time with you you wouldn’t even ask my preferences and I had to eat whatever it was that you wanted to eat. I don’t like spicy foods. They make my stomach hurt if I eat them too much, but you never bothered to find that out and when I told you, you ignored me. All you ever talked about was yourself. What good would you do for the people? At least Guangfeng listens to others and has interest in improving their lives. He’ll make a better emperor than you will.”

The back of the first prince’s hand connected with Yuelan’s cheek and she was flung sideways. Her head knocked against the stone wall and she felt dizzy.

“You’re just a woman with a dragon guarding her. It’s not like the dragon is your bonded servant,” the first prince spat. “I found an old scroll detailing how to form a bond with a creature like him. I’ll be able to bend that dragon to my will soon enough when I bind him to me as my spirit beast and then he will no longer be a problem. You’ll have no more protection and will have to do whatever I say.”

Yuelan carefully sat herself up, making sure to keep her hands where they were so nobody would suspect she’d loosened the ropes. Something liquid slid down from her forehead and touched her lips and she tasted blood. Even though she was nervous and frightened, she refused to show it and glared at the first prince. “That won’t happen. Spirit beasts have to agree to form a contract. You can’t force it on them. Not with your limited level of ability, anyway.”

“And what would you know? You’re just a woman.” Prince Guangfai snapped. Instead of slapping her again, he kicked her side, causing her to cough and try to catch her breath for a moment before she could speak again.

“I have access to everything in the library,” Yuelan answered. “The scroll you found probably only has a very small bit of the information you need to fully form a bond with a spirit beast and Long He said that very few humans are able to use magic anymore. It’s been declining since the priestess disappeared after she split the world.” She coughed a few more times and glared at the first prince. “None of you princes have the ability to wield enough magic to form a bond with a spirit beast right now.”

The first prince crouched down and grabbed Yuelan by the hair. He held on tight and smirked at her. “A woman like you has no right nor ability to decide what this prince is and isn’t capable of. Women are stupid and uneducated. They can barely read and write, let alone make decisions and judgements beyond what is needed to run a household. All they’re good for is providing sons for their husbands.”

Having her hair pulled was painful, but Yuelan refused to back down and she glared at Guangfai. “Your ignorance caused by your upbringing is showing,” Yuelan answered. “There are matriarchal societies where men are in the same position that women are here, didn’t you know? Women are capable of being warriors and leaders too. They’re just as intelligent as men. You shouldn’t underestimate us.”

Yuelan’s head was wrenched sideways as the first prince threw her to the ground and stepped on her head, forcing her face into the water for a moment. When he released her she coughed, expelling the dirty water from her mouth and nose.

“Fool. Agree to marry me instead of my idiot brother. Otherwise, I won’t let you out of here,” the first prince insisted.

“No,” Yuelan snapped. “I won’t let your country’s people be ruled by a tyrant like you.”

“We’ll see.” The first prince smirked and looked over at the servant who had come down with him. “Leave her here in the dark. She’ll break and give in eventually.”

The large, rough man bowed in acknowledgement and followed the first prince up the ladder.

Yuelan watched them go until the trap door closed and she was left in darkness once again.