Page 28 of The Jester

For the audience, it was entertaining. For him, it was bigger than that. It was a fuck-you to the man who keeps him here.

A hand on my elbow forces me to turn away from him. Briony blinks up at me. Her face is pale, and she is worrying her lower lip with her teeth.

“What is it?” I ask, my brow crumpling into a frown.

She glances towards the empty throne at the helm of the hall. “Lord Eldrion requests your presence,” she says, staring at her feet, swallowing hard. “In his chambers.”

I cross my arms in front of my stomach, bringing my wings with them to cradle my shoulders. “I assume I cannot refuse?”

Briony shakes her head. “No, you may not.”

“Very well.” I draw myself up, determined to fight with every breath in my body rather than let this man lay a single finger on me – because that is clearly what he has planned. “Take me to him.”

Chapter Twelve

ELDRION

My chambers are dark, lit only by a series of flickering lanterns. I want it this way; I do not want her to see me too clearly. Not yet.

When she enters, she strides into the room like a queen. As if she expects me to fall at her feet.

I almost do.

For she is every bit as beautiful as I expected her to be.

Even when I saw her at that damned arena with dirt on her face, and tangled hair, wearing nothing but that hideous outfit they dressed her in, she was the most stunning creature I’d ever laid eyes on.

Like this – in the dress I gave her – she is even more resplendent. But she is also disarming.

“You summoned me,” she says sharply, tapping her bare foot on the cold flagstone floor.

“I did.”

“You bought me.”

“I did.”

“Why?” She cocks an eyebrow at me, and takes a step closer. If she is afraid of me, she is not showing it. But then, she doesn’t know me yet.

She doesn’t know what I’m capable of.

I am in shadow, seated in the large armchair by the window, drawn back in its embrace so the moon does not light my features. Slowly, I lean forward and steeple my fingers together. Behind me, my wings unfurl to their fullest, most impressive length.

Her eyes flicker, but she does not move away.

“I bought you because you will be useful to me.” My gaze lands on her arms. Good, she is wearing the gloves.

I stand and close the space between us in one large stride.

She shudders as she looks up at me. Tall for a woman, but not nearly as tall as me, she pushes back her shoulders. She is trying to look powerful, but the gesture does nothing but accentuate her chest and make me want to grab hold of her waist.

She was not supposed to be this beautiful. My man told me she was; after the long months he spent following her, tracking her movements, he told me of her beauty and of the fire that lives in her belly. But I have known beautiful women before, and I did not expect this.

Now she stands before me, I understand why she is so important.

I just do not understand how.

Not yet.

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