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His facial expression changed completely. He looked back at her with anger in his eyes.
“We had an incident in the mine yesterday.”
“Oh no,” she said. “What happened?” She knew all too well the risks of going into the mine shafts. She used to have nightmares of losing her dad that way as a child.
“The Mudden military showed up and beat us up.”
Oh. That wasn’t what she’d had in mind when she’d heard “incident”.
“Why?”
“Because we weren’t working fast enough,” he said. “Not fast enough for your dear husband.”
“Altair had you beaten up?” He’d come home in a very bad mood yesterday, and she’d stayed out of his way all evening.
“That’s why the Mudden clan sent him to Baeddan, to improve productivity in the mines. With his uncle here, he must be trying to give a good impression.”
“I’m sorry,” she said.
He shrugged. “It’s not your fault.”
She nodded. “That’s why we’re doing… what we’re doing.”
She had to be careful what she said out in the open.
“Do you want to sit with me?” she asked, patting the empty space beside her. “I haven’t really met anyone since coming here. I’d love to chat.”
He looked around nervously.
“That sounds nice,” he said reluctantly. “As long as we are out in the open and a respectable distance away from one another.”
She raised an eyebrow. “What does that mean?”
“I wouldn’t want anyone talking about the fact that an unmatched man is having lunch with Altair’s wife.”
“Ah.” She hadn’t considered that.
“Is Altair’s wife not allowed to have friends?”
“Not of the male variety.”
She nodded solemnly. “I’m sorry. I hadn’t realized. I wouldn’t want you to get a second black eye.”
He smiled at her charmingly. He looked torn between sitting down and running away.
“How are you adjusting?” he asked, apparently deciding to stay but stand.
She shrugged. “Not great. But then again, who would feel great after being kidnapped and forced to marry?”
“I wouldn’t know,” he said, again looking around him. “But most women adjust eventually. When you start having children, you will find your place.”
She nearly choked on her wrap.
“I wouldn’t want to bring children to this awful place.”
He smiled, but she saw in his eyes that he agreed.
“So if you’re unmatched does that mean you are not married?” she asked.
