Total pages in book: 208
Estimated words: 209645 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1048(@200wpm)___ 839(@250wpm)___ 699(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 209645 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1048(@200wpm)___ 839(@250wpm)___ 699(@300wpm)
“Force myself?” he whispered into my ear.
“You threatened it yesterday, and I could not fight you and win. I know that. I could not call out and have others come to my aid, for you are king and you can do as you wish. I know that too. But I would be lost to you in a way that could never be regained.”
“I did not threaten you with this, mia piccolina.”
I closed my eyes tight at the endearment and retorted, “You did.”
“I said I would not do that.”
I opened my eyes and told the side of the bed, “I would not think such a thing would even enter your mind to do. But obviously, since you mentioned it, it did.”
“Silence,” he called.
I stared at the silk of the side of the tent.
“Look at me, my queen,” he whispered.
It was then I realized his hand still spanned the side of my face, but now his thumb was coasting along the apple of my cheek comfortingly.
I turned my head to glare into his eyes.
He continued whispering when he vowed, “I would never, not ever do that to you, amore. It is not the basest man who engages in such behavior. It is a monster. You never have to fear that from me, Silence. Not…fucking…ever.”
I took in a shuddering breath and stared into eyes that were no longer ablaze.
They were liquid black.
“You are wanton,” he shared.
No longer relieved and pacified by his vow, I blinked in affront and snapped, “I am not.”
A small smile pulled at his mouth as he replied, “I have but to kiss you and you catch fire.”
This was, lamentably, true.
I decided not to comment.
“I had meant to prove that point after your earlier declaration,” he explained. “Sadly, it did not work. But thankfully, it led to you actually speaking to me and sharing with me what is weighing on your mind so I could do something about it.”
“I am most gladdened we’ve worked that out,” I said in a way it could not be misconstrued I was not, which did not anger my husband.
He looked vastly amused.
I ignored this.
“Now, if you’d get off me, I could rest my eyes for a spell before I bid farewell to my two friends.”
“I will not roll off for we have other things to work out.”
I aimed my eyes upward and mumbled, “Marvelous.”
“Silence,” he called, his deep voice trembling with laughter.
Laughter!
I aimed my eyes to glare at him again.
His hand at my cheek (still!) shifted so he could stroke the skin under my glaring eye (which felt so nice, it was difficult to keep glaring, but I managed it) as he asked, “Why were you running from me this time?”
“I was not running from you.”
His thumb stopped stroking and he explained, “A husband and wife leave a breakfast table together with both their destinations the same, they stroll there…together. Not with the wife scurrying before her husband like a mouse scampering to elude a cat.”
“I didn’t scurry,” I told him.
“You scurried,” he replied through a brazen smile.
I had scurried.
How humiliating.
“It heartens me greatly you find this so amusing, my king.”
At my tone, his smile died.
“Silence—”
“You wish me to talk. Fine. I do not like this discord between you and my father.”
His face started to grow hard. “Silence—”
“But you will do as you please, I have no control, no say in anything, for example such matters as where we journey from here when everyone is scattering in all directions.”
“I did ask if you approved of our plans,” he reminded me.
“After sparring with my father and essentially determining said plans,” I returned.
“If you do not wish to return to the Arbor, we will not go.”
I did wish to return to the Arbor.
I also wished to see his saffron fields.
But the Arbor was closer than the fields and all this riding around on horses and sleeping in tents, although not fatiguing, and in the beginning most interesting, had lost its appeal and was no longer enjoyable. Further, I might not have any friends there, but Tril did and she’d be happy for a spell at home.
“I have no issue with returning to the Arbor,” I shared.
“Then I do not understand your pique.”
He wouldn’t.
“Silence, you must explain it to me so I understand it,” he instructed with apparently strained patience.
“It is not about the Arbor.”
“Then share what it is about.”
“I’d rather not.”
“In manners such as this, my new wife, your tactics of speaking only when spoken to and keeping to yourself that which you’d rather not be heard do not work. And I’ll hasten to add, it will never work in matters with your husband. Even if there’s discord, we must have it so we can get past it.”
“What you did last night was unconscionable,” I blurted.
His head gave a jerk.
Since it had come out, I had to finish it.