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“What do you want?” I asked him, as my vehicle began to move again.
“Not the greeting I was expecting. I was hoping to speak with my cherished cousin.” He laughed.
“Speak,” I commanded. I wanted to scream and roar and hiss and promise him death a hundred times over. I would bring him back from death's grip, over and over, only to kill him in some new way.
“Straight to the point then, yes?” I didn’t respond. “Very well, I have something I believe you will have noticed missing,” he said. Again, I didn’t respond. Let the yipping fool talk; hopefully, like his father, he’ll say too much. “Is this going to be a one-sided conversation, Selene?” he asked.
“What do you believe you have achieved?” I asked through gritted teeth, controlling myself.
“What have I achieved? Selene, come now, we both know I’ve achieved quite a great deal, especially for my young age. I’m head of a powerful House, and I do believe someday soon I’ll be king,” he told me.
I scoffed, “Powerful? King?”
“Power is not found entirely in brute force, cousin. Ardens has always understood that friendship, diplomacy, and secrets are where true power resides. Do you have a secret, Selene?” he practically sang. A cold fear that he knew of the soul match washed over me for a moment.
“Why don’t you tell me?” I responded, my heart thundering.
“I think, dear Selene, that all along, under your monstrous exterior, there has been a little girl simply longing for love,” he said and received no reply. “Perhaps you’re shy now too? I know you love your pet, Selene. I was flabbergasted when I first recognised what I was seeing, but when whispers came back to me about your fondness for the half-witch, I knew it was true. I’d never have imagined such a scenario, or coupling; the great and ruthless heir to the Borealis Kingdom, tamed by a pet. Preposterous. And yet true - no?”
“I suspect your babbling is trying to make a point; however, I have yet to hear it,” I replied.
“Is my point not clear? In simple terms, I have your pet. You love, said pet. Keeping up, cousin? If you ever want to see your pet alive again, you will marry me. Simple. Where was the difficulty?”
“Marry you?” I asked.
“Or your pet dies,” he confirmed.
“Have you harmed her?” I asked quietly, finding it difficult to ask the question. I didn’t know if I genuinely wanted an answer.
“A bump to the head - minor. Otherwise, the slave is unharmed,” I silently breathed out the air I was holding. I believed that Percy was, for now, relatively unharmed. If Valen had any inclination to how truly important Percy was to me, he would be a fool to harm her. “That can change quickly. I’m going to need an answer now, Selene,” he continued.
“You believe she is worth so much that I would marry you?” I asked him, sounding incredulous. However, I had come to accept that Percy meant more to me than even my desires. It was my concern for her feelings that left the Viridis mutt alive even now, and it was that same concern that had allowed him to continue breathing since spring. If I had not allowed myself to worry that she might cry, or worse despise me, I would have ripped the head off the mutt. Instead, I swallowed my anger, controlled my possessive urges and, in doing so, allowed for the conditions necessary to lose her.
“I know it,” he replied smugly. “Answer, now, Selene. Or I could give you a day to think about it. But that day will cost your pet. I think a hand is fair,” he threatened, when I did not immediately respond.
“If you harm her in any way, Valen, you will beg me for death,” I hissed, unable to hide my anger, my fear.
“If your pet is harmed due to your stubbornness, that is on you. You have the power now to ensure her safety. It’s as simple as saying ‘yes’,” he replied. I muted the call and released the roar that had been trying to burst free from my chest. It calmed me, hardly.
I unmuted the call. “You know as well as me that I cannot simply agree to wed you. I will need to convince the council and the King,” I hissed out slowly.
“Excellent! You get right on to that, Selene. One day. Then I expect to hear from you a resounding yes. If not, I’ll begin delivering pieces of your precious slave, starting with a hand,” he sang, before ending the call.
It wasn’t until we arrived at the castle that I released the crumpled phone in my hand.
As expected, Father was awaiting my arrival. What was unexpected was that he awaited me at the main entrance.
“Selene,” he greeted sternly as I ascended the steps to him.
“Father,” I returned and bowed my head slightly.
“Follow me, please,” he instructed, and I walked beside him silently. Scenting the air, I could detect his fury and his jaw tensing in my peripheral was evidence enough that he was displeased with me.
We arrived at his study.
“Is your study private, Father?” I asked him, breaking the silence when the door firmly closed behind us.
“Enchanted,” he answered.
