Page 29 of A Bond in Blood

My tears fell without my control, and I shook my head, unsure if he could see me.

“You aren’t answering my questions,” Ulrich spoke with the same blank command I’d heard my father use countless times before.

My tears fell heavier at the thought of my father. In all the days I’d been gone I hadn’t received any word from him. No letters. No armies coming my way.

I’d expected—I’d hoped that he would have written to Oberon and begged for help. Or that he would have rallied our allied islands in the seas to come to my aide. But he hadn’t come for me. He’d left me here, to be tortured and tormented by this awful king.

“Adie, you may leave. I’ll assist my guest.”

Ulrich’s voice pulled me from my despair.

“Wha—”

My protests were cut off when his palm wrapped around my lips. His mouth brushed against my neck. “You’re in my home.” His hands trailed down my forearm. “By my bath.” He continued his trek, freezing me in place, stopping only when his fingers touched my hands in my lap. “You will obeymyrules.”

His hand gripped the hem of my nightgown, pulling it upward. I threw myself out of my haze and held his hand still.

“Get your hands off me,” I warned.

“Baths are usually better with nothing on,” he replied with a laugh.

“Get out,” I demanded.

“Get in the bath, Brenna,” he whispered, lowering his lips against my neck again.

I shook my head in shock. How he believed I would undress in front of him was equal parts confusing and intriguing. I couldn’tthough, I couldn’t give him the satisfaction of making myself any more vulnerable than I already had.

His palm released my face, and I stared into the darkness.

“I don’t give you my permission,” I said.

He laughed. “I can easily toss you in that tub. I don’t need your permission. I just need your stench gone so I can enjoy my bedroom again.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” I replied.

You’re a godsdamn fool.

The moment the words left my lips, his hands gripped my waist. In one fell swoop, he had me over his shoulders.

I screamed but couldn’t fight due to the heat burning through my body.

“Please!” I cried while my hands fell limp against his chest. “Please, my wounds—the pain. I’m going to be sick.”

He set me in the tub, more gently than I’d expected, but the shock of the water pulled another scream from my lips.

“Fuck the Gods!” I yelled out.

His laugh filled the room. “That’s quite the curse.”

Shivering from the cold water, I rolled my eyes. “Why is it frigid?”

The water moved around my feet, while I assumed he waved his fingers to test the temperature. “I wouldn’t describe that asfrigid. It’s warm. Heat isn’t good for your wounds.”

“This is freezing,” I replied through chattering teeth. “And I wouldn’t have anywoundsto worry about if you hadn’t been such a monster.”

Silence layered over the room, as though he possibly felt a sliver of guilt for what he’d done to me. Biting back an additional response, I laid my head against the cool edge of the tub. I began slowly lowering my body down, allowing the water to flow over my shoulders.

The wounds beneath my soaked nightgown burned in response, but the temperature, to my annoyance, was soothing.

---