The bridal chamber doors flew open. Joohyun appeared, her headdress and veil disheveled, with her dress hiked up. “Moonbyul? What are you doing here? What happened?” She rushed forward to examine the wound.

“A large infliction across the brachial artery.” A common injury in the barracks. She took a closer look at Moonbyul’s eyes. “Chungha, go brew some horsetail and add some ginger and licorice. It’ll help with the fatigue and stress.” Then she rolled her sleeves up. “Joy, help me bring her in.”

“To where, your chambers? It’s your wedding chamber!”

“Joy, a life is at stake!” Joohyun furrowed her brows. A hand touched her arm and stopped her. It was Moonbyul. “This lowly one dares not…”

Joohyun shook her head in disbelief. “You’re spending too much time with your captain. Where is she? What happened?”

Moonbyul’s hesitance to keep mum broke down under Joohyun’s glare. Seulgi’s disappearance from the ceremony was because of a scout report of suspicious activity about an ambush on the bridal sedan. Seulgi had gone to dispose of the trouble before the sedan arrived at the location, but it had turned out to be an ambush coordinated specifically for her.

The Crown Prince was prepared. He knew Seulgi would have the whole force focused on protecting the groom and bride and so she would go off alone. What he underestimated was that Seulgi was one of Li Kingdom’s top fighters. She had easily discarded the assassination attempt. At the last moment, she was caught off guard and an arrow cut across her leg. It was a minimal injury that could be easily treated. But she didn’t, Joohyun’s safety was her priority.

With an endlessly bleeding leg, she hastily made her way back to the palace. She decided to sneak in instead because of the ceremony. With the increased security, she struggled to get in unnoticeably with the injury worsening.

When she made it to Seungwan’s residence, Seungwan had gone off to the Royal Dining Hall to treat the guests. Yueliang Palace was emptied of guests and staff, save for the two maids waiting on Joohyun. But it was crawling with the Crown Prince’s men. Assassins covered in black were pushing their way through Yueliang’s doors.

Fortunately, Seulgi had placed her people to safeguard the seventh prince’s residence after the ceremony. A barricade of imperial ghosts prevented their invasion. Not wanting to alarm Joohyun, the imperial captain joined the battle and led them away from Yueliang Palace.

During the fight, Moonbyul was entrusted to call for reinforcements from the imperial commander, but she got ambushed on the way. Her best chance was to get to Chungha, who was closer, and have her pass on the message to the imperial commander.

Joohyun’s mind drew a blank. “I–I have to go.”

But Joy tightly grabbed on her arm. “Joohyun, Joohyun, calm down. You can’t leave your husband on the night of your wedding!”

“But Seulgi!”

“But Seungwan?” Joy had witnessed the seventh prince’s love the past year. “Imagine what her reputation would become of if you left on your wedding night!”

“I–I…” Joohyun hated being conflicted. She knew that not finishing the wedding ceremony with the ‘consummation’ would be detrimental to Seungwan’s presence in the political war. They had plans to dye the reporting silk red with a drop of Joohyun’s blood from a small knife cut. It would be more convincing with both of the couples present. But how could she turn a blind eye after hearing what Moonbyul had shared?

Seulgi, out of all people, had called for reinforcements. Even when she’s already fighting alongside her most trusted people? Something was definitely wrong, whether it was with Seulgi herself, or the situation in general. It was impossible for Joohyun to just return to the bridal chamber as if it didn’t concern her.

Because it did, Seulgi belonged to her. No one was allowed to lay a finger on Seulgi without her permission. Joohyun took off her headdress and veil and placed it on Joy’s head. “Cover for me alright? I’ll be back once I help them out.”

Then she hiked up her dress robes and ran.

When Seungwan woke up the next day, her head throbbed from the tremendous amount of alcohol she consumed the night prior. She peeked one eye open and moved her hand towards the other side of the bed. The emptiness made her look over. Her wedding robes were scattered all over the place, but her wife was nowhere to be seen. She thought: “No way…impossible, we couldn’t have…” 

“Have what, husband?” Joohyun walked into the room, carrying a tray.

Seungwan scrambled to cover herself with the blanket. 

The clumsy act made Joohyun giggle. She sent the tray in her lap as she settled on the edge of the bed, facing the prince. “What are you covering up for?”

Seungwan looked down at herself. She still had on her inner robes.

Joohyun smirked, her right brow sli