Page 23 of A Bond in Blood

The king glanced around the cell before running one finger against the damp walls. I couldn’t see his eyes from a distance, but the grimace on his lips wasn’t hard to miss.

“It’s rather disgusting in here,” he said.

“I wasn’t aware,” I replied, taking a step back.

He mimicked the motion, pointing out the open cell door. “Time for your service,Ursa.”

I shook my head in defiance. “No. I’d rather stay in here tonight.”

An alluring laugh echoed around the cell before he was crossing the space, pinning me to the wall.

“Get out there now,” he demanded.

My knees buckled in fear while I stared into his eyes.

“No,” I managed to squeak out.

“You make everything so difficult,” he replied as his hand wrapped around my wrist. “I have something fun planned tonight.”

He yanked on me, pulling a pained cry from my lips.

“Now, Brenna.”

My feet stumbled as he pulled me through the dungeon, passing the previously sleeping guard, now sitting alert.

“Stop!” I cried out, trying to rip my wrist from his strong grip. “Stop!”

Ulrich paused and he whirled around, his green eyes swirling with amusement.

“No.”

He pulled again and I stumbled once more, my feet catching the dirtied hem of my gown. As he guided me through the palace, I realized we weren’t heading to the bedroom. No, he was leading me back to that damned ballroom. Where the fae played and fucked in the open.

My stomach dropped. He’d said he had somethingfunplanned.

Was I part of that plan?

My eyes drifted down to my gown, now stinking with the prison rot. No, I realized, he wasn’t going to defile me. He was going to humiliate me.

His hands slammed a door open and I jerked, finding us entering the ballroom from a hidden passageway.

“Too many prying eyes at the main entrance,” he winked.

I was almost relieved when I was suddenly, and violently, thrown out in the open. The sound of my body hitting the dais halted the previously deafening noise.

Hisses rang out followed by laughs and sneers. I kept my eyes down, refusing to meet the masked eyes of his deprived people.

Hands gripped the back of my head, ripping my hair slightly.

“This princess thinks she’s better than us!” Ulrich yelled out.

I bit my lip, fisting my gown while Olen approached in beast form with a sick glee in his eyes while his teeth held a mask.

He approached and Ulrich kneeled, grasping the mask before he placed it on the bridge of my nose. “Masks, every single night, princess. Don’t forget.”

Ulrich dropped my head after tying the ribbons at the back and I fell against the hard floor again. His footsteps rang behind me while he sauntered toward the middle of the ballroom.

“Each night we celebrate!” His voice took command of the room. “Each night we enjoy ourselves. We welcome lust and liquor. We fall into our darkest fantasies.”

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