About Tonight

Fu Heng snatched it out of the air with an impressive lunge.

"Any willing ladies out there that want to further the bond between our clans?" he boomed, wiggling his eyebrows.

Cheering and laughter sounded from many married and unmarried women.

Of course, Qinli was among them, jumping up and down with a bright smile.

Everything was a game for her. I didn't want his eyes on her, I didn't even want her name in his mind when he thought of marriage.

As was tradition he had to pick an unmarried woman to dance with. Fu Shao stepped close to me, his arm sneaking around my waist in casual possessiveness. I flinched at the unexpected contact and his body became rigid.

Fu Heng extended his hand toward Qinli who looked close to exploding from excitement over being chosen. My chest tightened. I knew it was a joke right now.

Nobody took a little girl seriously.

As he and I waltzed over the dance floor, I kept an eye on Qinli and Fu Heng. His hand was high on her back, his expression teasing.

He didn't look like a man who'd set his eyes on his future wife.

"If my brother married your sister, you'd have family in B country," Fu Shao said.

"I won't let him have Qinli. " The words were fierce.

How could I be tough when it came to protecting my sister but not when it was about me?

"It's not Qinli that he wants."

My eyes flew to Qina who stood with her arms wrapped around her chest, eyes like a hawk as they followed us.

Father wouldn't give away another of his daughters to The Fu.

If he wanted to strengthen the position of our clan , he needed to make sure he had enough family around him.

After the waltz was over, a faster beat began and the dance floor was once again flooded with guests.

Fu Shao started dancing with my mother and I used the moment to slip away. I needed a few moments to myself or I'd lose it. I lifted my gown off the ground and hurried to the edge of the garden where grass met the bay before I walked down the few steps that led to the dock where a yacht was lying in wait.

To my right a long beach stretched out. The ocean was black under the night sky and the breeze tugged at my dress and ripped strands from my updo. I stepped out of my high heels and jumped off the dock, my feet landing in the cool sand.

Closing my eyes, I listened to the sound of the waves. The wooden boards creaked and I tensed before glancing over my shoulder and spotting Qina.

She shook off her own shoes and joined me on the beach, wrapping an arm around me.

"Tomorrow you'll leave for B country and I'll head back to W country, big sister," she whispered.

I swallowed hard.

"I'm scared."

"About tonight?"

"Yes," I admitted.

"About tonight and every night that follows. Of being alone with him in a city I don't know, surrounded by people I know even less, people who might still be the enemy. Of getting to know Fu Shao and finding out he's the devil. So I think he is. Of being without you and Qinli and Su Liang."

"We will come to visit as often as Father allows it. And about tonight." Qina voice turned hard.