Page 62 of A Bond in Blood

“That depends,Ursa.What is the reasoning behind the questions?”

A tear fell from my eye, streaking down my cheek.

“I wanted—” My heart thumped in my chest. “I wanted to write my father a letter.”

“This is your request?”

“No!” I exclaimed. “No, notthatrequest tied to our deal. But yes, it is a request.”

“I haven’t prevented you from writing any letters, Brenna.”

He shifted again, the weight of his body moving back to the other side of the bed. I stared through the darkness, trying to burn a fire of irritation through his scalp.

“Tell me about him,” Ulrich said quietly.

I startled. “My father?”

He laughed again and the bed shook with the movement. “Not him. The other man in your life.”

“Oh.” My heart grew heavy. “I don’t wish to speak of him.”

“Are you not mourning?” he asked.

“You know, Ulrich,” I scoffed. “I was just beginning to believe we were having a rather pleasant and cordial conversation.”

I flipped onto my side, throwing my hair over my shoulder and pulling the covers over my head. My tears fell silently while I thought back on Leif’s words. His promises. The hope he’d offered me.

The meeting we’d longed for that had been taken from us.

“What did he do to die so brutally?” I whispered.

“I’m bound by my duties,” was all the monster beside me said before silence encroached over the room once more. Leaving me to wet my pillow while my grief threatened to drown me.

Four months.

One hundred and twelve days.

The number close to the age I was in years. Making me feel like an old woman.

I sat on the settee beside Ulrich’s throne, watching the bodies move, bored beyond belief. Above me was the king, with his lap surprisingly empty.

I yawned, throwing my head back.

“Should we retire?” Ulrich’s voice whispered.

I pulled my eyes up to meet his. “You speak as though we are some couple sneaking off into the night.”

His eyes gleamed with amusement. “Could we not be?”

I shook my head. “No. We cannot.”

Twisting back to the dancing members of Ulrich’s court, my eyes found Olen in the crowd. Once again surrounded by bodies determined to gain his attention.

Without allowing myself to reconsider, I hopped to my feet.

“Where are you going?” Ulrich asked.

“To have fun,” I replied.

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