She narrowed her eyes, pocketing any attraction she had felt in the last few minutes. “Ah, yes. Thank you, Captain Theodon Wrenn, for allowing me the comforts of a somewhat private bath after you kidnapped me. Your chivalry is beyond measure.” She made herself busy lathering her skin in the aromatic perfumes.
“Careful, with that tone, I might think you miss your old life and put you right back where I found you.”
“Maybethat’s exactly what I want.”
Before she could blink, he was approaching her—fast. She was able to see every inch of that dripping wet body.
Every. Single. Inch.
Was he... Yes, he was. His arousal was clearly displayed as he neared the spring.
He wasted no time jumping into the pool, causing a chaotic wave that threw her off balance. She stumbled, and her hands again found her breasts, creating whatever covering she could as the sheen of soap glossed her skin. She immediately felt self-conscious of her scars. She had acquired so many new ones since her arrival. He was seeing too much of her this close.
“Is that really what you want, Helaina?”
Her name from his mouth sounded so... right somehow. How could her name sound that way from such a beast?
“You want me to take you to the Mirrored Deserts? So you can be a broodmare for some rich royal? Is that what you’re so eager to get back to? A fat, rich prince who summons you whenever he pleases, until your belly swells with his heir?”
She shifted uncomfortably as he once again invaded her personal space. Why did he continue to do this to her? For every step she retreated, he advanced.
“You’re disgusting.” She nearly spat out the words.
“And you don’t have the slightest clue what you want, so you just stay motionless because choosing a definitive path means taking a risk.”
She didn’t like the accuracy of that statement. “You don’t know anything about me.”
“I know more than you think.”
“Enlighten me.”
“I know you hated that life. I watched you for days in that castle. You weren’t living, you were just surviving. I bet you hated them for locking you up, but you were too scared to do anything about it. You didn’t have a clue what you were capable of, so you let them waste your years, tucked away.” He brought his hand up to her neck, gliding his fingertip along the vein there with fascination. Her breath hitched at his touch, but she didn’t pull away. She couldn’t move. With furrowed brows he traced the scar on her neck next. Their naked bodies were almost converging. She could have sworn she felt his length graze her stomach. She squeezed her thighs together, trying to chase away her body’s reaction to him.
He stopped himself in his exploration, dropping his hand to his side. “I know there is profound sorrow within you. A guilt you can’t overcome, blanketed with the anger you put off on everyone else. It’s an effective disguise, your little mask, but I see right through it. Something was taken from you, something so precious that you were willing to put a blade through your?—”
“Enough!” she shouted, pulling her hands away from her chest to push him away. She could only reach the top of his rib cage with her outstretched arms as she tried to create space between her and his accusations. The lump in her throat grew heavy as she swallowed the tears she wanted to shed, but for some reason never could.
Krysta and Adriel.
Her eyes burned bright as she held his gaze. Her breathing picked up as she tried to gather any type of words to fight back.
But she had none. She let her angry mask fall.
“Just... enough.”
Once she calmed herself, she was horrified to find him staring right at her bare chest.
No, not her chest, his piercing gaze was fixed on her brand.
She crossed her arms over the ugliness.
“I’ve seen it before. The night we came for you.”
“You—you’ve seen me naked before?” She clutched her chest tighter. “How many times? Were you... were you the one that changed my clothes?”
“Who... marked you?” She thought she detected a tremble in that low voice. Like he was harnessing a menacing fury.
“I don’t remember.” She traced the circular burn with her thumb, wishing it would sink back into the youthful skin she once had there. There was no way she was having this conversation. Not with him.
