Page 49 of The Sun God's Prize
The princess of the Sun God flinches, eyes wide again, biting her lower lip when she shakes her head.The tinkling of her ornaments is a sweetly musical denial, but a denial nonetheless.
“You’re not a slave here, Remalla,” she says, reaching out to me again, fingertips begging to slide over my wrist.Yet again, I hold still and in that simple act, deny her contact.“You’re meant as a beloved concubine to the Sun God.It’s a great honor to be chosen.”
My flat expression will have to serve to tell her what I think of such an “honor” because it’s the best I can muster.
She retreats again, catching her breath before looking up at me through thick, black lashes.I wonder if it’s a practiced act, if this is all some elaborate scheme, because she’s even more stunningly beautiful in her vulnerability.“I, too, lost my mother,” she says, hesitant, sorrowful, but with hope, for some reason.Hope for what?“She died birthing Theille.”
“Also a great honor, no doubt,” I snap at her, rising to my feet and turning away.“Because pushing the next incarnation of the Sun out of her cunt paved her way to the afterlife.”
Sheelan doesn’t respond, and when I pivot back again, she’s staring at her hands, turning that ring on her index finger again.My thumb slides over the one I wear, and I relent a little, thinking of Brem.She’d find a way to be kind, if crude, and if I’m going to escape, an ally might serve me.
“Why are there guards at every door, if I’m meant as anything but a slave and a prisoner?”I will challenge her, even if I keep my tone soft.
Sheelan brightens.“They are for your safety,” she says.She really believes it.I see it shining in her eyes.This is no act, then.She’s innocent, the princess of the Sun, perhaps as much as I was when I rode from Heald to the headland to what I thought was a wedding of ambition.She’s sheltered, protected from the outside world, and while I was hardened like good steel by battle, she’s been softened by perfumes and pretty clothing.
But no less a naïve and uneducated pawn.
That thought cracks my guard, lets compassion in despite my anger, and I’m sighing over the truth of things.It’s hard not to compare her to the princesses of the Overkingdom, their stupid, pathetic games and spite, except there’s nothing spiteful about her.If anything, she seems eager to connect.It’s hard to hate her as she rises and comes toward me, small and slender of waist, though her breasts are bigger than mine and her hips wider.She’s a gorgeous little thing, ridiculously so.It might be the lingering sexual experience that has me noting her that way, but that doesn’t make it any less true.
I might have a way to bring her closer to me, if she’s amenable, even if seducing and using her feels vile to me.But before I can act on the closeness she’s instigated, the door opens and we’re no longer alone.
He’s accompanied by the order warrior in black, her dark eyes cautious.And now I know that Sheelan isn’t here on anyone’s orders but her own.If anything, she was betrayed by the one whose face is hidden by that black scarf.
“Theille.”Sheelan steps away from me, looking down, her cheeks darkening with a flush.And now I’m certain that I can turn her to me with a few kisses and an orgasm or two.Once I’ve dealt with this new bump in my very complicated road.Because while Sheelan’s quiet sweetness reminds me very much of Atlas, without his confidence, Theille’s prideful strut is far too much Portuk the drakonkin who betrayed me in the first place.And when he stops to look me up and down, the arrogant little shit, licking his lips and thrusting his hips toward me where a small bulge already shows, I’m so disgusted I almost dismiss him out of hand.
He's not even out of his teens, the sorry puke, though it’s clear he already thinks himself a god.And no wonder, considering, but my vow against his father now transfers to him, and if he comes any closer to me with that sad sack between his legs, he’ll be a eunuch so quickly there will never be another incarnation of the Sun ever again.
Not from his loins, at least.
“Take that ridiculous armor off,” he says, voice a little squeaky, narrow shoulders back, barely as tall as my shoulder, as he tries to look down his nose at me.“My property will never wear such filth again.”
“Theille, stop.”Sheelan surprises me by stepping forward, placing herself between me and her brother.Good thing, too, because my snort of derision is about to turn into murder.She doesn’t seem to notice that the order warrior has again half-drawn her dirk, ignoring the woman’s presence altogether, even if she is all I see.Our priorities are clearly dictated by our particular skills.“What are you doing?”
“Get out of the way,” he snaps at her.“Father has gifted this northern woman to me, and I will test her now, tonight.”He reaches for his dick, stroking the front of his robe.“Leave, unless you want to watch.”
I’m going to enjoy choking the life out of him, right after I shove that blade the warrior holds through her judging eyes.But Sheelan’s faster, closing the distance to her brother, and jamming her fist into his nuts.And now I’m staring in surprise, as is the black-clad woman, while Theille bends in half, gagging and crying out, staggering away from her while she scowls at him in disgust.
“Father would do no such thing,” she says in ringing contempt.“Remalla is our honored guest.If you think I’m going to allow you to violate her…” she shakes her head.“You fool, she’ll tear you apart before she’ll let you touch her.”
Well, at least one of the Sun God’s children is intelligent.And is that an approving look for the princess from the warrior behind the still groaning heir?There’s more to contemplate as Theille straightens, wiping at his mouth with the back of his hand, clearly still in pain as he snarls at his sister.
“You’ll pay for that,” he whines at her.
Sheelan crosses her arms over her full chest, and now I’m admiring her despite myself, her lack of fear and obvious commanding presence.Innocent, yes.Naïve, perhaps not as much as I thought.She has no reservations in standing her ground, despite her brother’s elevation over her in power.I shouldn’t find it endearing, but I do.“Go find a willing bedmate, or I’ll summon Father directly.”
He scowls at her, casting that look at me, too.I flash my teeth, flexing my hands.
“Come,” I say.“Try me.”
Theille finally thinks better of things and retreats, but he’s at the exit—and feels himself safe—when he speaks again.
“Shewillbe mine,” he says, his attempted villainy now amusing, though I need to take it seriously, “and when she is, I will ride our armies against the north and crush the heathens beneath my boots.”He flees, slamming the heavy door behind him.
While my stomach knots in understanding.
Sheelan sighs, tossing her hands, dark eyes rolling upward as she turns back to me.“He’s an idiot,” she says, ignoring the fact that we’re not alone, that the black-clad warrior remains, still with her hand on her partially drawn weapon.“He has no idea what he’s talking about.”I highly doubt that.The idea came from somewhere, and I suspect he’s overheard more than she has.“I’ll inform Father of what he attempted.Theille won’t bother you again.”
I doubt very much that’s true, because entitled shits like him often push boundaries despite fair warning, but I’m prepared for it, at least, and if the hill I die upon is killing him before taking his father out, so be it.Because that might have to happen, now that I know the real reason I’m here.
