Page 28 of Their Witch Bride

“Thank you,” I say, staring down at some cheese, bread, and jerky. “Looks good.”

He gives me a funny look. Probably because it’s the same thing we’ve had every day.

I shrug. “Food is food.”

He gives a little bow and hurries away, like I’m contagious. Not that I blame him. If the princes want me dead, everyone here probably knows to stay far away from me.

I hold the plate with one hand and walk around while I eat. I have no idea where we are until I see the bones and swords scattered along the road. Freezing, I stare around in shock. It’s the Deadly Passage.

My stomach turns, and my appetite flees. Of course this is where we are. We have to go this way to get to shifter territory. I should have thought about it.

Every witch knows about the Deadly Passage. Our history books are full of accounts of it. They tell tales of it to even the littlest witches, tales about the deadly battles that have been waged in this space as shifters try to use the passage to enter our lands. They have no choice, since it’s the only way they can enter our territory.

The ground is dark too. Abnormally dark, and spreading in all directions. It’s only when I stumble on a rock that I notice the ground is actually a brownish-red, probably from the blood spilled here. I guess it’s called the Deadly Passage for a reason.

“Finished?” the servant asks, pointing to my food.

I force myself to scarf a few more unladylike bites before I hand him the plate. I’m not really hungry – how can I be here? – but there’s no snacking in the carriage. It’s just riding until the next stop, where we eat and rest again.

My gaze goes back to the blood-stained ground.

“Probably witch blood.”

I jump and spin around to find Prince Drogo right behind me. My heart races, filling my ears. How are these damn shifters so quiet?

The way he lifts his brow only makes my blood pump faster. “Our people are better fighters. Your people are fucking cowards who hide in the shadows and attack.”

I frown, not sure what he expects me to say. “Okay.”

His eyes flash with rage. “Okay? Nothing about what your people do is okay.”

I get the feeling he’s looking for a fight. Surprisingly, or I guess not so surprisingly, I’m good with dealing with bullies. Or at least good at making sure they don’t chip away at my soul too much. “It sounds like you have some issues with witches, but that’s not too surprising given that we’ve been fighting for longer than you’ve been alive,” I tell him calmly.

His eyes narrow. “I know what you’re doing.”

I hold his eye contact. “What am I doing?”

He moves closer, anger radiating through him. “You’re pretending to be all sweet and innocent, so no one sees the she-demon hidden inside of you.”

I tilt my head. “I always thought it was so interesting that some people call monsters demons and others call them monsters. Yet, we all have a name for them.”

He stares and takes a long moment to respond. “You have nothing to say about the fact that I see through your tricks?”

Leaning closer to him, I watch as he inhales deeply. “You and I both know that no matter what I say, you’re not going to believe me, because you don’t like me. But if it helps, not many people have good things to say about me, so if you have something awful to say, chances are I’ve already heard it before. If that doesn’t help, continue to say whatever you want, as long as it makes you feel better.”

When I glance up into his dark eyes, the anger has eased a little. He’s regarding me like my own people did. Like he doesn’t quite like me, but I make him uncomfortable at the same time. It’s not how I wanted my future husband to look at me, but it’s better than the hatred.

“I don’t trust you,” he says, like it’s an insult.

“Understood. Trust, like love, is earned.”

“No, that’s not what I…” He shakes his head. “Whatever.”

But instead of pulling away, he lingers, just a handspan between us. His muscles seem to tense and swell. My gaze snaps back to his dark eyes, and he’s doing that thing again, where I think he’s breathing in my scent.

“Is it me?” I ask.

He blinks, looking confused. “What?”

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