Page 85 of Knotted By the Triad

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

KAI

Mei Lin talked almost the entire ride to her father's estate. She sat beside me, turned slightly in my direction, filling the carriage with stories about people I didn't care about and plans I knew would never happen.

Daemin and Zian occupied the opposite seat, both unusually quiet, though Mei Lin barely seemed to notice. Why would she? As far as she knew, this was the family visit she'd been requesting since our wedding.

We'd finally agreed to accompany her to her father's home, and I was sitting beside her just as I had countless times before. Nothing had changed. At least, that was what I needed her to believe.

She touched my sleeve. “Are you listening?”

“Of course,” I told her, forcing a smile.

Her answering smile came easily. My dragon hated every second of it. I could still see her name in those records. The dates of the treatments. The payments. The communications she'd sent to her father. Information about us. Information about the Triad.

I could still hear Zuri asking why her own father had allowed strangers to experiment on her as an infant. And beside me sat a woman I'd trusted, chatting as though yesterday hadn't torn apart nearly everything I'd believed about her.

“I've been thinking about Sister,” Mei Lin said, referring to Zuri.

My attention returned fully to her.

She sighed. “She's from the countryside. It's going to take her a while to get used to civilized life, so we don't want to overwhelm her with too much money.”

“I think Zuri can decide how much money she can handle,” I said.

Mei Lin blinked. I softened my expression before she could read anything into my tone.

“Of course,” she said quickly. “I only meant that everything here is new to her. I want to help. I don’t want her to be overwhelmed.”

“I know.”

That seemed to reassure her. She settled back against the seat, but only for a moment.

“I feel like I made Sister mad yesterday.”

“Why?” I asked.

“I don’t know,” she said, eyes filling with tears. “It was something about the way she stared at me.” She forced a shiver. “The way she looked at me disturbed me all day.” Mei Lin frowned. “I kept thinking about it afterward. I don't know what I did wrong.”

“There's been a lot happening,” I told her.

“I suppose. I just don’t want her to hate me. And today, you’re leaving her alone again. What if it makes her upset with me?”

“Don't worry about it.”

She relaxed again. “Maybe she's simply overwhelmed.”

“Perhaps.”

Mei Lin smiled and returned to talking about the visit. I glanced across the carriage. Daemin was looking out the window. Zian met my eyes once. Nothing needed to be said. We'd already agreed on what mattered.

Get inside. Take the Prime Minister into custody under Zeyan's authority. And keep Mei Lin unsuspecting until we did. By the time the carriage rolled through the gates of her father's estate, my face hurt from smiling. A servant opened the carriage door. I stepped down first and turned. Mei Lin placed her hand in mine.

“Thank you,” she cooed as I helped her down.

Daemin and Zian followed. The three of us escorted her toward the house. She seemed happy. The doors opened before we reached them, and servants bowed as we entered. Mei Lin immediately began greeting people by name.

Not cautiously. Not like someone returning to a home filled with painful memories. Comfortably. Naturally. The Prime Minister waited for us in a large receiving room. He wore dark formal robes embroidered heavily enough to advertise his rank before he ever opened his mouth. His gaze traveled over Daemin and Zian before settling on me.