Page 56 of Rapunzel's Gambit (All That Glitters)

“No! Let me go!”

“Be gentle. She isn’t thinking right,” he crooned, hand up to his bloody nose. “The beast has addled her brains, but we’ll be ready for it when it comes.”

Tears of anger gushed out as I pulled against the guards, desperate to fly at Griffin, to punish him for what he had done.

“It’s like I told you all before,” Griffin said, the kind, patient tone back to his voice. “My wife needs time to recover from such a traumatic event. She isn’t to be blamed for her actions…the dragon is, and we will make him pay. Make sure the door is locked until she improves so she doesn’t hurt herself or anyone else.”

This match was no longer being played out on a chess board. I was the future queen, and I was trapped.

CHAPTER23

True to his word, Father came to visit me only a few hours later. I heard him speaking in a low, concerned tone to the guard before a hesitant knock came at the door. “Rapunzel?” he called softly. “Are you awake?”

“I am. You may come in.”

He did so, nervously peering around with a hand up to shield his face as he did so. Word must have spread about Griffin’s nose.

“I’m not going to attack you,” I told him as calmly as possible. “But I would like to talk.”

“As would I. I meant to come earlier, but I had some meetings to?—”

“I understand. You have a lot of duties.”

“And yet I’ve failed as a father.”

Startled by his unexpected confession, I stared at him. I hadn’t heard him admit fault for years. “Have you?”

“I’m afraid I have,” he went on, crossing to sit beside me and pat my knee. “I’ve had a change of heart in the recent weeks. It’s why I amended my original proposal and allowed anyone, regardless of rank, to rescue and marry you. I thought you and Griffin had a connection.”

“I thought we did too, but I was wrong.”

“I see that now, but also…”

“Also what?”

He heaved a deep sigh. “Griffin has worked the hardest to rescue you and has proved time and again that he cares about you and about the kingdom.”

“But I don’t love him. He’s using me.”

“We can get your marriage annulled if you wish it?—”

“Yes, I want that. You never should have signed a marriage license on my behalf.”

“But…”

“There’s no but!”

“Rapunzel, please listen to me.” Father was so calm and kind that it unsettled me. Where was the calloused, ruthless man I’d become accustomed to? “You don’t need to marry him. But, as much as I love you, I need to put my fatherly feelings aside and do what is best for the kingdom.”

“What are you saying? You’re stripping me of my title?”

“No, darling. But until I have proof that you have overcome your dragon fever?—”

“I don’t—” I stopped short of shouting and inhaled deeply, determined to prove my sanity. “I don’t have dragon fever. I’ve never even heard of it. If this is something Griffin told you about, doesn’t it seem rather self-serving that he is the only one benefiting?”

“It does, and I’ve considered that,” Father acknowledged. “But there are other factors as well.”

“Like what?”

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