Entering his study, I saw shattered glass scattered all around the floor—the crashes I heard may have not been the only ones
from today. Stepping carefully, the glass was impossible to miss and crunched under my shoes. Nic had his back turned and
was looking out the window.
“I don’t take kindly to people eavesdropping on my conversations. Wife or not.”
“I didn’t mean to listen in. I was just coming to see if you were joining me for dinner as I had not seen you all day.”
My voice was soft, gentle as I didn’t fancy provoking him. He was obviously annoyed and stressed. The threat of him
killing me still lingered in the room. Did he even realise I’d heard that part or just the end?
“How much did you hear?”
He turned slowly towards me, his eyes blacked with his shadows as they danced at his feet. I wasn’t too sure if he was
angry because of me or everything else.
“Enough to know my father’s army is coming and you will kill me before he gets me back.”
His face didn’t change. No hint of emotion or empathy crossed his eyes. Nic just shrugged his shoulders and went back to
looking out his window. My heart thudded loudly in my chest. Anxiety and nausea raised in my throat. Did last week mean
nothing to him? Did he really think killing me would solve his problem? If anything, killing me would be the worst thing he
could do.
“So, that’s your plan is it? To kill me, to hurt my family like they hurt yours?”
“And why shouldn’t I? Your father didn’t just take my auntie away, but also killed my parents.”
Shaking my head in disbelief, I still couldn’t wrap my mind around the idea my parents would murder his or anyone for that
matter. Perhaps my father had no idea about his auntie dying when he broke their deal. If he did, he would have apologised at
least.
“You are so blinded, stupid even,” he spat as he turned back to face me, his shadows growing darker around him, almost
embracing him. I could have sworn the room itself was darkening.
“You think a king, or any leader of a strong land wouldn’t remove their opponents from the game given the chance? Your
family has been waiting—itching in-fact—to one day invade my lands, to try and take my throne. We are all chess pieces on a
large board, just waiting to make our next move and I made mine by stealing you away.”
He stormed towards me then, rage pouring from his eyes as he gripped me by the shoulders and pushed me towards the
other side of the room. My back landed hard on the stonework as he kept his grip on me. Fear filled my veins as I looked at
him, those blue eyes completely disappearing in front of me.
“I will kill you as punishment for what your family did to mine.”
“No, you won’t. I know you care for me.”
