Page 38 of Their Witch Bride

He startles. “How so?”

I want to tell him what happened with the tent, but he wouldn’t like it. As much as Rinan didn’t like me doing it in the first place, he’s never one to stand up against Arlys and I. Arlys, though, he would have shot that shit down right away and given me a talking to, like a damn father, for pulling such petty garbage on the witch.

He doesn’t understand that sometimes petty is necessary.

“She’s just playing the role of innocent victim when we all know she can use her magic to fix any problem. It’s a fucking act to get us under her thumb, I know it.”

Arlys gets a funny look on his face.

“What?” I ask, suspicion creeping into my voice.

He hesitates, seeming reluctant to speak, then pushes on. “There was an incident with some water a few minutes ago.”

“Incident?” Why is he talking in codes?

“A-an accident, I think.”

Arlys is always confident, going into every conversation like he’s rehearsed it a million times. But right now? He’s practically stammering like a child who has gone wee wee on the rug. And I know it’s because that damn witch is involved somehow.

I huff. “An accident involving the witch? If so, you need to remember that nothing the witches do is accidental.”

Arlys gives me a hard look. “You know, Drogo, the witches are just people like us, with homes and families. They are our enemies, but they’re not some never-ending sinister force. They eat, sleep, and pee, just like the rest of us.”

“People? They’re not fucking people. They’re heartless killing machines.”

A pole hits Rinan in the head and Princess Tara is instantly checking him over to ensure he’s okay. He leans into her touch as she inspects his head, and then they’re both laughing. There’s an unexpected light in her eyes when she laughs. It’d be pretty on any other woman.

Arlys catches my glance and smirks. “She’s a real monster.”

I scowl. “Don’t pretend you don’t know what she is. Now, about this water incident?”

He shifts, looking uncomfortable, and Arlys never looks uncomfortable. “She got water all over me.”

I wait. “And…?”

He clears his throat. “Then tried to dry me.”

“Okay…” I stare, still not understanding.

He’s shifting again, looking like he might bolt. “Some of that drying got a tiny bit, I don’t know, intimate.”

Every muscle in my body stiffens. “Did she fucking jerk you off?”

His eyes widen in horror. “No, no, nothing like that!”

I shake my head, feeling even more angry. “Yet another example of her manipulation. I bet they’ve taught her to use that hot, little body of hers to get whatever she wants. I bet she’s going to be working every minute of her day to try to lure us into bed.” My heart is racing. My palms feel sweaty.

He shakes his head. “I don’t think so. I don’t think she’s like that at all.”

“Damn it.” I glare, but I feel on the edge of defeat. “You’re already under her spell.”

He sighs, rather dramatically. “Drogo, can I be straight with you?”

I don’t know where this is going, but I don’t think I’ll like it. “Alright.”

He keeps his tone soft and gentle. “Do you remember when you were a boy, you would come to us in tears because your brothers were picking on you? We tried to give you advice. We tried to guide you, but it just hurt you so deeply that your big brothers only ever saw you as an annoying baby.”

I swallow hard, remembering. I was five years younger than my youngest brother, but they were only a year apart from each other. While they were racing around having adventures, I was always left at home with my mother. It hurt. I wanted to be loved by them. I wanted them to be my friend. It was only when I hit my teen years that we became close… and then it wasn’t long after that they were murdered by the witches.

---