Page 23 of Kiss of Ice

“I… I don’t understand.”

“I think I’m making myself perfectly clear, Lady Morenna. Undress. Now.”

Panic flared. She looked into his eyes and saw he wasn’t joking. White wisps of smoke started to drift from his arms. He was unfurling his power, she realised. A power she had no defence against.

“Until we’re married you have no right to… to my body.” Her voice cracked. She licked her lips and tried again. “Or do you intend to force me against my will? Is that what you are, your Majesty? A rapist?”

He straightened so suddenly that she almost lost her footing as she stumbled backwards. His face darkened with anger and clouds boiled around him.

“Watch what you say, Marid. Now take your dress off or I will do it for you. You have ten seconds to comply.”

His tone was implacable. She cast around wildly but she knew there was no-one to help her. Even if she cried out, the guards wouldn’t come to her aid. They only obeyed the Emperor. She was alone and at his mercy.

She closed her eyes. Shakily, she reached for the buttons and ties on her dress and began to undo them, one by one.

Eleven

The gown dropped to the floor. She heard it rustle as it fell but kept her eyes shut, trembling with anger and humiliation. The only thing protecting her modesty now was her chemise, a thin slip barely covering her breasts and thighs. She imagined the Emperor staring at her. At her over-blown figure.

Instinctively she pulled in her stomach and immediately hated herself for doing so. What did she care what he thought? Then she crossed her arms over her chest in a defensive gesture. Totally pointless against someone who could spreadeagle her on the floor with a mere thought, but she couldn’t help herself.

“No,” he said. “Don’t hide yourself.”

She gritted her teeth. He wanted to prolong her torture and there was nothing she could do about it. She was helpless. Face burning, she dropped her arms and let the Emperor inspect her.

He took his time. He lingered on the full breasts almost spilling out of her chemise. Then trailed downwards over her abdomen, where the thin material barely contained the thrust of her hips.

Her waist was surprisingly small, giving her an hourglass shape. And her stomach, which he saw she was trying to hold in, was softly rounded.

Compared to the women he regularly bedded, she was much more voluptuous. Full-figured but not flabby. And tall enough to carry it off.

Unexpectedly, he felt a tug of lust. For the space of a heartbeat he imagined losing himself in her luscious curves.

Ren cracked open an eyelid and peeked at the Emperor. He’d been silent a long time. Overcome with revulsion? Pity? But his face was immobile and she couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

“You don’t have to do this.” Her voice brought him out of his reverie. “If I’d known this is what you intended, I would never have consented to the marriage.”

His expression hardened.

“But youhaveconsented. And that means you’re mine to do with as I please.”

Fear ran down her spine. For a moment she stood, paralysed. Then her fear turned to anger.

He won’t break me.She lifted her chin defiantly.

“If you’re going to fuck me, there’s something you should know. I’m a weft.”

He frowned.

Wefts were rare. They cropped up among the jinn every six or seven generations, though no-one knew why. It wasn’t genetic and it didn’t run in families. But it left the jinn with either no powers whatsoever, or a twisted version of the ability theyshouldhave had. Kam tilted his head.

“Interesting. You have no Marid abilities at all?”

“No. But Icando one very specific thing. And if you force yourself on me, I’ll do it.”

There it was again. That unexpected flash of fire. His eyes glinted.

“And what might this dire ability be?”

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