forgiveness, to confess everything and hope she would not turn away from me.
I ignored it.
“If war is coming,” she said, “Then I will need to learn at least how to protect the ones I care about. Nora will teach me but
you—I don’t want you here,” she snarled, turning back towards me. She walked back to the mats and picked up the wooden
sword then moved to another part of the room to practice.
“Ornella.”
“Don’t, Nicholas. Just leave me alone.”
I didn’t mean to snap when I did. I wasn’t even sure why I snapped, but her words sent a spark through me and my shadows
—the demons within me—erupted from my body and consumed the entire room. Flinging her against the wall a hand wrapped
around her throat.
She gasped for air while I stood inches away from her, my mind clouded with black. She may have been my wife, but I was
her king, and it would be the last time she’d tell me to leave a room which was mine.
She wasmine.
Clutching at her throat, she tried to pull the hand away. I stared at her for a few more seconds before allowing the invisible
hand to loosen. She dropped to her knees, coughing and gasping for air. I felt her fear rush over me and the darkness within me
craved it. Wanted more. Needed it to survive.
I wouldn’t let it.
“Tell me to leave again and it will be the last thing you do,” I threatened as I walked towards her.
Kneeling down to her level, her eyes shot up at me filled with hatred and anger. Rage lived deep within her. I’d finally
awoken something in her, the fire ignited within her and danced along the edges of my darkness, begging me to play.
“Remember this, Annwyl, you are mine. I have claimed you. I will do as I please, when I please. You will train here every
night until I say otherwise. You will eat with me every day unless I say otherwise. And you will share a bed with me, until I say
otherwise,” I paused as I brushed some hair from her eyes, and she snarled at me. “Do you understand?”
She nodded slowly as we stared at each other for another second before I nodded. I stood up and left the room as Nora
stepped through the door. Her eyes were wide as she took a look at the chaos I’d left in my wake then rushed to Ornella’s aid.
She will never forget tonight.
And I would remember it and regret it forever.
Chapter 45
ORNELLA
Sparing was never my strongest quality and Nora had been wiping the floor with me for the past three days. Covered in
