Page 79 of A Bond in Blood

“I tell him that daily,” he laughed. “What else did you say?”

I kept my mouth closed, taunting the beast before me with my silence. My words, yes they had been cutting, but observant enough to send Ulrich into that rage. Confirming he was as much of a coward as I believed him to be. Attacking me all because I’dhurt his feelings.

“Princess,” Olen sang, snapping his fingers in my face.

I slapped his hand away, turning from him.

His hand gripped my arm, pulling my body against him and forcing me to crane my neck to meet his eyes. “What did you say?” he repeated.

His hand landed on my lower back, pressing me closer.

“I—” The heat of him was shocking. It took my response from me.

Olen leaned down, his scarred face nearly touching my own. “We could make a deal,” he whispered.

The word snapped me out of my daze. With a scoff, I shoved him against the chest.

“Stop!” I demanded, running my hand through my knotted hair. “I’ll tell you.”

Olen’s eyes ran up and down my body, causing my knees to go weak. “But we were just about to have fun.”

“You were teasing me, trying to gain some self-satisfaction,” I replied.

I sat on the bed, pulling my knees against my chest and repeated what I’d told the king on the beach hours before. When I finished my recount, I met Olen’s eyes, finding a gaze that was wide with both shock and rage.

“Why in the Gods would you say that to him?” he grumbled.

“I’m not wrong,” I countered.

“You could never be more wrong,” Olen groaned and rubbed his hand across his jaw. “Fuck, princess you really must have a death wish.”

“I wish for him to die,” I replied coldly.

Olen had my back plastered against the bed with his hand around my throat before I could take my next breath.

“Do not,” he warned.

“Get your hands off me,” I choked out.

“You will stop threatening my king. Do you understand?”

Olen released me, then leaned against the window by the bed. His arms crossed over him while he stared, waiting for my response.

“Stop speaking to me like I am a child,” I snarled.

The hidden door slammed open, and Ulrich’s presence filtered through the room. My head snapped in his direction, scowling at the death mask on his face again.

“You are a child, Brenna,” the king chuckled.

“Spying?” I snapped.

Olen stood straighter, nodding his head. Once again becoming the unflinching pet at Ulrich’s side.

“I require your assistance,” Ulrich said.

“No,” I replied, standing from the bed.

The king smiled. “Brenna, you do not have a choice.”

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