Page 58 of Anywhere

If there was a better word than euphoric, I didn’t know it, but that was how I felt. I was walking on a cloud, and it didn’t matter right now that what happened with Rhys would never happen again. It only mattered that it had. For one night, I got to live out my fantasy and be held by the man I loved. It was the shortest fairy tale story in history and the most perfect. At least to me.

Jumping out of the shower, I looked at myself in the mirror. I looked different. More of a woman, maybe? Whatever it was, I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. Wandering out into the bedroom, I dug out my training clothes when a hard knock sounded at the door.

Turning, I stared at the wood. “Who is it?”

“Mistress, your father has sent us to get you,” the guard’s voice said. I recognized his deep baritone but didn’t know his name. The guards all went by a letter, and I thought his was Zed.

Not sure what was wrong, I pulled on my clothes and tossed my hair in a ponytail before heading for the door. Yanking it open, I found four guards standing outside. None of their faces showed any emotion.

“What is going on?”

“I was not informed. We are just to come get you,” Zed said.

Closing my door, I stepped out into the hall, and the men surrounded me as Zed led the way. The last time I’d been escorted anywhere was when I was fourteen and left the property to do some shopping on the mainland. I glanced up at the guards, but they kept their eyes straight ahead, their hands resting on the hilts of their swords.

“Has something happened? Was there an attack on the castle?” I asked.

“Not that I’m aware of, Mistress Adair.”

They led me toward my father’s side of the castle, but we didn’t head to his chambers. We stopped outside of a door that I’d never entered. Zed knocked, his meaty fist sounding like a giant was banging on the thick wood.

“Come,” my da called out from inside, and Zed opened the door for me.

As soon as we stepped through, I knew that something was off. The room was set up like his office but larger, with old leather-bound books and the ritual items I was never allowed to touch. One wall had thick metal shackles with chains, and a shiver travelled down my spine. My eyes grew wide as I stared at the strange space. What did my da need with a room like this?

He stood in the middle of the room and stared at me as the door slammed into place. I jumped and looked over my shoulder. Two of the four guards had remained inside and now guarded the door.

“Da, what’s going on? Are you all right?” I asked, taking a step towards him, but he held up his hand. I stopped. His face was cold, a look he’d never directed at me before. “Am I in some kind of trouble?”

“Aye, Mari. Ya are,” he said, his voice devoid of emotion.

I suddenly wished that I had a weapon. The guards at my back were making me antsy, and my da’s attitude wasn’t helping.

“Okay, you mind telling me why?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.

“What do ya think ya were doin’ last night?” he asked, his eyes finding mine.

My mouth dropped open as I realized what he meant. The rules stated that if one of the unchosen created attachments or threatened a triad’s pairing, they would be punished. It was an old rule that I didn’t even think they followed anymore.

“What I was doin was private business,” I said, my overseas accent slipping as the anger rose inside me. I wasn’t interested in sharing my intimate time with Rhys with him or the guards.

“Mari, dinnie be daft. What is da eighth rule fir a woman born of Faction but who has no birthmark or red hair?”

My eyes darted around the room again as my blood pressure rose along with the blush across my cheeks. “It’s no dat I dinnie know da rule.”

“Then what is it?” Da persisted.

My teeth ground together. “Dat I’m ta remain pure and untouched until a suitable match can be made. I am ta remain unattached until such time the match can be made or give meself wholly to da Faction in service to da council as dey see fit. The service will include Faction business and da ending of lives da Factions deems necessary ta eliminate,” I said. “But ya cannie be serious. Dat rule is archaic, Da, and I had no one who was interested, and I’ma already doin Faction work. I be holdin up me end of da deal.” He stood silent, hands on his hips like a statue that sprouted from the stone. “Da fir spirits sake, ya talked ta da other Factions that be our allies, and day din’t have no’one.” I held my arm out towards the window. “When I was overseas, I dinnie find anyone. A match was no comin.”

“Dat does no’ matter,” he said.

“Ya, it does. I deserve ta have a bit of a life,” I said, anger notching higher.

“Naw! Ya deserve what yer given, and ya coulda ruined a triad parin’,” he yelled.

I stepped back. I’d never seen Da like this. In all my twenty-four years, he’d never raised his voice at me.

“Da, what has gotten into ya? I did nothin wrong, and ya used ta want more fir me and Belle and da rest of da women in da Faction.”