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I can’t pretend I’m not pleased to have permeated his icy exterior enough to rankle him, but he isn’t the only angry one. I haven’t forgotten yesterday.
“And here I was about to say the opposite,” I counter. “I’ll take the wolf.” It’s the other side of the Jokithan silver.
He narrows his eyes but says nothing. The small silver coin lands with his pompous face staring up at us, and he flips the board so that the alabaster tokens are in front of him.
Though Odger had assumed I required the advantage of going first, I actually prefer to let the king make the first move.
He leads out with a pawn in a classic opening, one I get the feeling is intentionally neutral. I counter with a move just as bland, and our game begins.
We spend the next several turns in silence, each taking the other’s measure, and neither gaining nor giving away the advantage.
Finally, he pauses with his nimble fingers hovering over his knight, the light catching on his silver wedding band.
“Am I to understand you meant to imply you would trust a wild animal over your king?”
It’s an effective way to distance himself, though I hardly think of him asmyking. He moves his piece, and I wonder if his question was as much to distract me as it was genuine.
I study the board. I see a solid dozen ways out of the trap he is weaving, but only a handful that would trap him in turn.
I know I should let him win, but something in me itches to play in truth, to pit my mind against his and see where it leads us. Besides, I’ve thrown one game today already.
Meeting his eyes, I slide my rook into position. The moonstones on my ring dance under the golden candlelight, like they’re celebrating the small victory with me.
“Check,” I announce, then respond to his question with one of my own. “Am I to understand you would blame me for such a notion?”
His glacial eyes don’t leave mine, but neither does he respond. Anger rises in me, unbidden.
“Tell me,my king, how much trust you might have for someone who fills the space in their marriage bed with secrets and false niceties?”
He drops his gaze, features tightening with what I might have thought was remorse, if I could have believed him authentic.
“Everyone has secrets,” he responds quietly, deftly maneuvering his king out of danger.
The hypocrisy of me arguing that statement is not lost on me, but I do it anyway.
“Indeed,” I allow, countering his move before continuing. “Does everyone also restrict entire sections of their home from their wife?”
He opens his mouth to respond, but I barrel over him.
“For that matter, doeseveryonebark orders at a woman they barely know in a room full of those who are strangers to her? A woman who, if anything, he should show more than the usual respect for?” I don’t expect him to apologize, but he can damned well acknowledge what he did.
His face turns to stone again, but he isn’t too distracted to make another move.
“Everyonedoes not have the responsibilities that I do.”
So much for remorse.
Whatever else had happened in that wing, he had no problem with the way he belittled me, the way he shut me out of everything that was going on in this castle, like I’m some random intruder instead of his wife.
“I see.” It is an effort not to shake with the ire now trembling through my veins.
Khijhana presses herself against my leg, and I soak in her warmth gratefully, trying in vain to ground myself. I don’t speak again until I’ve countered his move.
“I suppose that’s all the reason you need for your behavior. I would hardly expect a man in as lofty a position as your own to lower yourself by offering explanations to a woman who will never be anything more than your glorified whore.” I manage to keep my voice remarkably calm, but I spit that last word out all the same.
He rears back as though I’ve slapped him.
“I’ve never touched you!” The way he says the words with blatant disgust doesn’t help his overall case of being an arsehole, but that was never the point.
