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“Haven’t you heard? It’s impolite to force a woman to smile,” I gritted.
“I don’t particularly care about politeness. That’s why you’ll be the queen and I’ll be behind the scenes.”
I stabbed my breakfast before dropping my fork. Last night was long and draining. I didn’t even get a chance to shower before they were dragging me out of my room to have breakfast with Nathan. I was bruised and beaten, dried blood clinging to my robe.
My hair was a rat’s nest of knots, my eyes puffy with exhaustion. Earlier this morning, Theodore DuPont had marched me through the guards’ quarters, now overrun with DuPont men and stragglers from Lord Nathan’s rebellion. They openly gawked as we passed. I was a bride, but more importantly, I was a threat. I’d killed their men when I escaped DuPont tower, and I’d do it again.
Theodore watched me closely as I struggled to force food down my throat. I was a prisoner, here for one reason: I was a meal ticket for the self-proclaimed devil.
The banquet room where we ate was massive, with a long wooden table that lined one whole side of the great hall. It was covered with a thick bluish linen tablecloth, and at the head was a large throne-like chair. The other end of the table held enough food to feed a small country. Pancakes. Sausage. Eggs. I didn’t have the stomach for eating, not with the stench of death still lingering in the air. It seemed like a lot of effort for the three of us, but it was apparent that Theodore DuPont wanted to make a show of his power.
Theodore’s eyes pierced mine. “Smile.”
I gritted my teeth. “No.”
He sighed. “I can have you whipped for insubordination.”
“You can have me whipped for breathing.” I narrowed my eyes. “But you will never have me. I’m here. I’m doing what you asked. But I won’t pretend to be happy about it.”
“Oh, you’re such a spirited woman.” He leaned over his plate, eyeing me with a sick sense of excitement. “So much like Isabelle. I suppose you learned how to be defiant from her. I might not have broken her spirit in the end, but I look forward to breaking yours.”
I didn’t understand why this man was so stuck on Isabelle, but something told me it motivated him to do this hostile takeover. He couldn’t have her, so he stole her castle and stripped their son of his title.
“Isabelle was better than you’ll ever be. Stronger. Smarter—”
“Isabelle was a whore that stayed with King Frederick when she could have had more.” Theodore’s face contorted in rage, the heat of his glare burning a hole through me. He ran an impatient hand through his freshly trimmed hair, the short curls standing to attention. His suit was a deep gray, an obvious complement to the black of my robe, as if he wanted us to coordinate outfits. His teeth were a straight line, barely holding back the venom he wished to spew at me. He looked like the picture of a man who was capable of anything.
His eyes were cold and black, like two broken pieces of ice dipped in mud. I wanted to run away, but there was an armed guard at the door.
“And what about your wife?”
“My wife is none of your concern,” he said, his voice a low growl. Why was he so obsessed with Isabelle when he had Elizabeth? I swallowed, unease swirling in my gut. Theodore DuPont was a real prick. “Oh, good,” he said when someone wearing a lab coat came in. “So glad you could be here, doctor.”
I looked at the man as two guards swarmed me. I thrashed against them as strong arms held me down to the seat.
“This will only take a moment,” the doctor said before pulling a needle from his pocket and twisting off the cap. I struggled as he gripped my arm and felt around. “If you move, it’ll be worse. I hate digging around for veins.”
I froze just before he plunged it into my skin. My mouth went dry when dark red liquid filled his tube.
“What is that for?” I asked as he pulled away and left the room.
“Lord Nathan wants to ensure that you don’t have any diseases from all your whoring around. He requested a full blood panel before your wedding night. Can’t say I blame him, considering you’ll open your legs for anyone. I should probably have my son checked, too.”
I scowled. “Fuck you.”
“Aren’t you hungry?” He smirked. “You’ve barely touched your food. I’ll make sure my men don’t bother you.”
I was hungry, but it was hard to swallow when my throat was dry with trepidation. I couldn’t stop thinking about the day ahead of me. “No thank you.”
“Oh, here is our guest of honor,” Theodore said. I seethed with anger as Lord Nathan clumsily stumbled into the room. He reeked of alcohol and looked as tired as I felt. Wobbling toward the table, he ripped off his coat and threw it onto the chair. His eyes met mine, cold as ice and filled with an unspoken rage. I watched him slowly lower himself onto the seat, the tension in the room growing more powerful with every passing second. “Morning,” his greeting echoed off the walls.
“Good morning,” said Theodore.
“Good morning,” I said, my voice dripping with contempt.
He eyed the robe I’d put on and frowned with disapproval. “I see you dressed for the occasion,” he said sarcastically. “And it’s an occasion worth dressing for, isn’t it? I knew I’d get to marry you in the end.”
My dry tongue ran over my cracked lips as a sinister frown crept onto my face. “Your brother thought he’d marry me,” I said, defiance evident in my voice. “Killing him was far too easy. I can still hear the sickening crunch of his skull. His blood still stains the floor to this day.” My anger was intense, radiating from my clenched fists and gritted teeth.
