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He leaned down, his lips inches from mine.
“I see in you a rare beauty, Lady Morgan. It’s not often that a woman catches my eye, though many have tried.”
Egotistical prick.
“I mean to claim you. Last night... Well, fate brought you to me. Right into my hands.” He gave my waist a squeeze, then dipped his hands lower. Much lower, cupping my ass and almost lifting me from the ground.
I let out an outraged gasp and tried to squirm away, but he held me tight.
“I’ve lingered over picking a wife, but now I’ll be pleased to tell your brother I’ve made my selection. With any luck he’ll consent, and we shall be wed by the time of the tournament.”
I knew I was supposed to be playing a role, but this had gone too far, even for that.
I raised my hands and pushed firmly against Fenyx’s chest, breaking his grip. Breathing hard, I stepped back.
“It takes two to make such an arrangement, my lord,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “We have known each other only a very short time.”
Fenyx smiled at me. The slow smile of a man who was used to getting his own way and was rarely told no.
“The way I see it, Lady Morgan, you owe me much more than marriage. You owe me a life debt.”
“That doesn’t sound like any sort of chivalric code I’ve ever heard of,” I said, lifting my chin.
“Rheged has a unique code of its own. And in this, I honor it.”
“What if I do not?” I challenged him.
Fenyx laughed. “I like a woman with spirit. It speaks well of what you’ll bring to our offspring.”
Our offspring? Stomach churning, I tried not to clench my hands into fists and reveal just how much he was upsetting me with this talk of marriage and my becoming his grateful broodmare.
He took a step forward. “I had not given you leave to be released, Lady Morgan.”
“I am not accustomed to asking for permission,” I said, letting a little anger flash in my eyes. “I believe this walk has gone on long enough, my lord. I am grateful for all that you have done for me by freeing me from the High Priestess’s wiles, but I believe you are presuming far too much.”
But all Fenyx did was continue to smile. “Do not make the mistake of becoming my enemy, fair fae lady. Your brother has learned I make a much better ally.”
He crossed his arms over his armored chest and looked around the garden. “I like this court. I like this kingdom. I’ve risen high here and plan to stay that way. With the king’s sister by my side, well... I could do much more.”
Notwecould do much. No, this was all about Fenyx and his solo ambitions.
“You have a most pleasing form and person, Lady Morgan,” he said as his eyes continued to freely roam over my body. “You should be grateful to be singled out. I am not accustomed to begging women for attention.”
“I have no wish to make you or anyone else beg, my lord,” I said softly, trying to return to my previous attitude of humility and calm.
“Indeed. Yet you have just all but refused my marriage proposal.” Now his blue eyes seemed frosty.
“I’m simply not used to being touched so freely, by you or anyone else.”
Instead of apologizing, he took a step towards me. I felt myself flinch.
“I plan to do much more than simply caress you through your gown, Lady Morgan. Much more.” He reached out a hand and traced one finger down my cheek to my throat. Then, to my shock, he flicked aside the piece of chiffon that Lady Eve had so studiously used to cover Florian’s name and smirked. “Ah, yes. I had heard of this.”
He’d heard I was marked? I longed to ask from whom.
“Some might say you were used goods, Lady Morgan,” Fenyx said softly, his eyes lingering on my chest. “Marked by another man. It would be off-putting to many suitors.”
But not to him. From the look in his eyes, something about me fascinated him. Right down to my scars.
