Page 40 of Taken By The Dark Three
She studies me. “You realize the council might object if they learn you’ve softened my captivity.”
I stiffen. “The council trusts my judgment. I’ll argue that fear and chains breed resentment, while proper accommodations cultivate cooperation.” The explanation tastes hollow, but I cling to it. She can’t know the deeper conflict gnawing at me. “Besides, last night showed me you’re no ordinary prisoner. You deserve more than a musty cell.”
Her mouth twists wryly. “I see. So I’m ‘worthy’ enough to be caged in a nicer room. Thank you, Commander, for such benevolence.”
A low growl escapes me. “Don’t push it, Selene. This is for your benefit and Orthani’s. I’m still within my rights to clamp irons on you if you provoke me again.”
She steps closer, posture defiant. “Did last night feel like mere provocation to you?” The question coils around us with a potent bite. My heartbeat spikes, remembering how we rutted against each other with savage abandon. I curse inwardly at how the memory sizzles through my body.
I let out a tight breath. “It was… complicated. I won’t pretend it changes everything between us. But I won’t ignore it either.” My voice drops, tension knotting my throat. “We both needed that release, evidently.”
Her eyes flick with a swirl of emotions—anger, desire, something else. “And now?”
I press a hand to the window frame, gazing out at the city’s distant spires. My reflection in the glass reveals a man struggling to maintain composure. “Now, we continue with our roles. I train you, you assist Orthani’s campaigns. But you have this private chamber. If you choose to remain… physically close, that’s up to you. I won’t force it.”
She snorts softly, as if amused by my attempt at politeness. “Physically close,” she echoes, stepping around the table that anchors the center of the common room. She brushes her hand over the polished surface. “You speak like a man who regrets letting lust guide him last night.”
My jaw tightens. “I regret… the confusion it invites. You’re a purna, a sworn enemy of Orthani, yet you fight by my side. This is complicated.”
She lifts her chin, gaze flicking over my face. “It’s complicated for me too. I can’t claim to relish Orthani’s brand of captivity, yet last night I—” She trails off, cheeks coloring faintly. “Let’s just say it’s not a situation I foresaw.”
The hush between us grows thicker. I notice a bruise on her arm, shaped like my fingers from our violent spar. My heart feels heavy at the sight, a swirl of guilt and possessive heat. “You’re not badly hurt?”
She half-smiles. “Just bruises. That’s normal in this twisted arrangement. Are you nursing wounds?”
A half-laugh escapes me. “I’ve a few. Nothing I can’t handle.” Then I gesture to the corridor behind me. “Let me show you the room I’ve readied. We can finalize details there.”
She nods warily, following as I lead her down a short hallway branching off the common room. We pass a pair of large windows that let in a flood of daylight, the estate’s walled gardens visible below. I stop at a heavy oaken door. Unlocking it with a small key, I push it open, revealing a modest suite. The bed is larger than the cramped pallet she had in the dungeons,the floor lined with a rug, and tall drapes mask a single window. A writing desk stands against the wall, and a small brazier sits in the corner for warmth.
She steps inside, scanning every detail. Her posture remains tense, but curiosity flickers in her eyes. “This is… actually livable,” she mutters.
I linger near the threshold, arms crossed to steady myself. “There’s a lock on the inside, but I’ll have a guard posted in the corridor. Don’t think you can slip away unnoticed.” My voice remains gruff. “Still, this is far better than what the council intended for you. You can appreciate that or not, but it’s a fact.”
She gives a small nod, though no gratitude forms on her lips. Instead, she approaches the window, drawing back the drapes. Weak sunlight spills in, illuminating a swirl of dust motes. “At least I won’t feel like a caged animal in a damp cell.”
I shift uncomfortably. “Yes, well, caged might still describe your situation, but I suppose this is an improvement.”
The tension builds as we stand in the hush of the suite, my presence behind her, her silhouette framed by the window’s light. A memory of last night’s sweat-slick bodies returns, a coil of desire tugging low in my gut. I swallow, refusing to let it overshadow the moment. She glances back at me, eyes keen, and I realize that swirl of tension is mutual.
She breaks the silence, voice taut. “So, we carry on like before? We train, we fight for Orthani, we pretend last night was just a random slip?”
I flinch at her bluntness. “I’m not sure how to handle it. I’ve never allowed myself to… fraternize like that with a captive.”
She arches a brow, crossing her arms. “I’m more than a captive. You needed me in your ranks. And now, apparently, you want me in your bed. Or do you?” The challenge in her tone sears me.
My pulse kicks harder. “I didn’t plan this,” I admit roughly. “You’re a purna, and every fiber of me knows I should despise you. But your defiance keeps drawing me in. I can’t pretend it doesn’t matter, nor can I let it overshadow my responsibility. So we compromise. You remain here, under guard but with dignity. We continue training. If we… find ourselves in another intimate moment, we handle it discreetly. The council must not suspect we’ve crossed lines.”
She regards me for a long moment. “If you expect me to bow, be the docile lover behind locked doors, you’ve mistaken me. I won’t surrender my power, Vaelith, not for Orthani, not for you.”
I grit my teeth. “I know. But letting you roam the entire estate unguarded also risks sabotage. Don’t think I miss your cunning. I see glimpses in every war council how you manipulate details. I suspect you scheme more than you admit.”
A faint smile curves her lips. “So you do notice.” Her voice lowers, turning almost sultry. “And yet you grant me this room. Are you not worried I’ll gather secrets, plan an escape?”
“Of course I am.” My hands clench at my sides. “But I’m gambling that your partial cooperation is worth the risk. Because… what we have, that spark, might keep you closer than any iron shackles.”
She laughs softly, a hint of dark amusement. “You think so highly of your effect, do you?”
A flush of frustration colors my face. “Don’t mock me. I’m as conflicted as you. Enough talk. If you accept this arrangement, I’ll respect your space. But you’re expected at every training, every war briefing, and you cannot roam beyond these walls without my approval. Understood?”
