Page 121 of The Female

Silas’s head slams against the floor as he falls, and I watch from above as he flails and grabs the spot where the stone made contact.

I guess it worked.

Silas gives a thumbs-up as if reading my thoughts, a choked breath slipping from his lips as he struggles to regain his composure. His black eyes look darker than usual as he finally pushes himself to his feet.

“Works,” he grunts.

I nod, watching wide-eyed as he rips open his shirt to look at the bare skin underneath. There’s a visible chunk missing where the rock exploded, and I feel sick as the muscle and ligaments start to repair themselves in front of my eyes. Silas closes his shirt when I uncontrollably gag, and he grabs the remaining necklace off my desk.

I’m still recovering from seeing his wound as he clasps it around my neck. He’s careful not to touch his skin to mine as he puts it on, and I remain stiff until he steps away once more.

“If a certain female tries anything with you, don’t hesitate to use it. She wouldn’t hesitate to use it on you. The chain’s enchanted so only you can take it off, and it’s thin enough that you should be able to break it easily in an emergency,” he explains, giving the necklace a firm tug to prove his point.

The metal bites into my neck, and I lean forward to relieve the pressure until he lets go.

“I’m still angry with you,” I say.

Silas nods, not looking surprised. “This present is unrelated to the argument about the females. I don’t expect you to forgive me because I give you something pretty and shiny.”

I sink my teeth into my bottom lip, hesitating. “If you don’t do the right thing, I’ll do it myself. Even if it gets me killed.”

This does seem to surprise Silas, and he tilts his head to the side as he looks me over. I refuse to back down. The issue with females is bigger than me, and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to spread the word.

I don’t know how I’ll do that yet, but I’m sure I’ll figure something out.

Silas reaches for me, his movements slow and calculated, and fixes where the necklace hangs on my neck.

“That’s frightening,” he finally admits.

I nod, holding my position until he leaves.

__________

Gray is sitting on the ground on the opposite side of the pond, his skin tanned and his body looking annoyingly good. I figured it was only a matter of time before he entered my dreams.

We stare at one another from opposite banks. I’m still angry about his fuckup, and I’ll be damned if I let him think I’m going soft.

I’m not sure what his game is with the pond and sunshine, but knowing Gray, he won’t be able to resist keeping me guessing for long.

Turning away, I stare at the water and watch my reflection. There are no fish here, and I dip my toe to test the temperature. It’s warm, and I suck in a shaky breath before walking in deeper. Gray watches from his spot on the ground, but I ignore him and splash around with a soft smile.

I’ve never been in woods before, let alone had the opportunity to wade through a pond.

My clothes disappear as the water reaches my waist, and I continue forward until it’s at my shoulders. The water feels refreshing, and I flail around before maneuvering myself onto my back.

No words are exchanged as I stare at the sky and float around, but I can practically feel the burn on my skin where Gray’s watching. He’s probably worried about what I’ll do when he tries to make his move, but I promised to feed him, and I’m not going back on my word.

Unlike him, I’m not a liar.

I contemplated asking him to rehome me, but some sick, twisted part of my heart still longs for him. I’m lucky to have been purchased by males who treat me well, and even if the news does get out, I know it will take a while to see change. I don’t want to risk being stuck with anybody else.

Besides, Aziel’s status means I have better opportunities to spread the news. I still don’t have a plan, but I’m pretty sure being the female of the king of Wrath gives more weight to my accusations.

I hear chirping birds as I float around, and I finally give in and glance at Gray. He’s still in his sulking position on the ground, his legs tucked against his chest and his chin resting on his kneecaps. I watch as he wraps his arms around his shins with a pout.

What’s going on in his head?

I hold eye contact with him, and after a few seconds he stands and wades into the pond.

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