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“Get dressed,” I order, refusing to turn around to give her privacy.
It doesn’t seem to bother her as she pulls the shirt away and arranges it so she can thread her arms through the sleeves. I shamelessly take in her beauty as I’m given a brief glance of perfect breasts with pebbled nipples.
It doesn’t hold my attention so much that I miss how she winces as she moves, although she doesn’t utter a sound to indicate she’s in pain.
When her shirt is wrapped and tied off, I jerk my head. “Follow me.”
I wind back through the hallways and up staircases that lead to my personal suite. It’s far more space than I need with a massive living area filled with black leather and chrome furniture and a massive onyx fireplace on one wall. The balcony that overlooks Otaxis is the focal point of the room, and I leave the doors open at all times. We don’t have foul weather here. The temperature is always comfortable, and we don’t have snow, rain, or storm events.
We don’t have sun either, but you can’t have everything.
Turning left, I lead Nyssa into my bedchamber. The bathing area in the corner holds a sunken tub the size of a small pool, and with a single thought as to what I want, it starts to fill with honeysuckle-scented hot water.
“Get in,” I order her. I rifle through a closet, pulling out a large towel and setting it on a bench.
“Why?” she asks, and I turn to see her standing in the doorway, refusing to come in farther.
It’s adorable that she thinks she can refuse me anything. I hold my hand out to her, not in invitation but as a conduit of my power, which forces her legs to move. She growls as she tries to fight the magical pull, but it only takes her a few steps to realize it’s futile.
She easily walks right into my grasp, my hand tightening on her throat as I pull her in closer. “Because you stink, and I have a job for you.”
It’s certainly not because I know she’s sore and it will make her feel better.
Releasing her, I nod toward the bath before stepping onto the dais that holds my massive king—no pun intended—size bed. Flaring my wings to get them out of the way, I sit on the edge and cross my arms over my chest. I watch her without comment as she turns away to discard her clothes.
It’s difficult to appreciate her rounded backside with the angry welts between her shoulder blades. Once she’s submerged to her shoulders, she moves over to the far side where an arrangement of soaps sit alongside clean cloths.
She’s silent, and I’m content to watch as she bathes, never revealing any of her body to me. There are times when she shoots lethal looks my way, and I smile in amusement.
After she washes and rinses her hair, she asks, “So, what’s the job I have to do?”
I start to answer, but her eyes narrow. “Oh shit… it’s not to… like… service you, is it?”
I snort, although I wouldn’t say no if she offered. “It’s to pour drinks for a council meeting in a few hours. You’re to keep cups filled but otherwise keep your mouth shut.”
“Thank God,” she mutters as she leans her head against the edge of the tub.
Her abhorrence of me is irritating. “You’re too skinny for my tastes, anyway.”
An absolute lie, but I’m the ruler of the Underworld. Evil is my middle name, and there’s not an ounce of remorse in telling her untruths.
Nyssa glares at me. “I wouldn’t be so skinny if you fed us properly.”
That surprises me. I have no clue how or when she’s fed, but I don’t let her see that it bothers me. I wave a hand in dismissal. “You were skinny when you got here.”
“I’m just saying, you work us to the bone, barely feed us, and then expect us to do it all over again the next day.”
Standing from the bed, I move to the tub. She sinks a little lower in the water, but it’s clear and I can see everything. “You do understand you’re in Hell, right? You murdered a man. Things aren’t supposed to be comfortable for you.”
“I’m well aware of the concept,” she says through gritted teeth.
My gaze moves over her body, not holding my interest back. “If you wanted to work for me personally, I would see that you got more food. Better clothing.”
She snorts. “I know what work for you personally means. No, thank you.”
I grin and shrug. “Worth a shot. Someone will be by to get you in a few hours to take you to the council room. Remember… pour drinks and keep your mouth shut.”
She gives me a snappy salute. “Aye-aye, Captain.”
