Page 4 of Brighter Than Gold

My sour mood had not improved hours later when we arrived at the inn. I noted Callan’s left hand now donned the ring that matched my own. My lip curled into a sneer seeing it on him.

“Follow me,” he ordered once we were inside. Callan carried our belongings down a long hall, on the second floor. He produced a key from his pocket and unlocked it, allowing me to enter first.

I turned to him, surprised. “There are two beds?”

“We don’t have to continue the ruse behind closed doors,” he said, setting down my things. “Did you think we would have to share a bed as well?”

I swallowed my embarrassment. “I didn’t knowwhatyou had planned,” I said defensively.

“We are taking certain liberties to ensure your safety, but you are still the wife of my King.”

I stood by the bed, too uncomfortable to say or do anything.

“Reyah,” Callan started uneasily, his dark eyes laced with a pained exasperation. “I’ve gathered I’m not exactly your favourite person, but we are going to be stuck with one another for a while. Is there anything I can do or say to make this a little less miserable for you? Forbothof us?”

His blunt honesty was slightly shocking to me. “I don’t think so,” I answered as haughtily as I could.

A muscle in Callan’s neck flexed. “May I ask then, why you have such a distaste for me?” I could tell he was fighting to stay as cordial as he could, and my curt snideness was making it difficult.

Good.

“Well, there was the time you absolutely man-handled me in a market.”

He looked at me crossly. “Iman-handledwhom I thought was a thieving courtesan in the market.”

“I’m glad you can at least admit your volatile nature. Let’s not forget the time you broke a poor boy’s wrist as he begged you not to,” I spat.

“That’s what all this is about?”

“Meaningless violence isn’t enough of a reason to despise you?”

He laughed. “Those boys come to learn discipline, when they fuck up, what do you propose we do? Write a letter home to their mothers?”

“There is discipline and then there is malice, Callan. I’m not entirely surprised you don’t know the difference.”

“Well, I wasn’t terribly concerned about how highly the kitchen wench at the inn felt about me.”

I stood stunned at the insult.

“How did you come to be at The Bullfrog, Reyah?” he continued maliciously. “A young woman living at an inn who happens to fall pregnant with a King’s child?”

“Howdareyou …”

“I never mentioned to Burke that I’d seen you there of course, and I noticed you didn’t either.”

I strode two long steps forward and smacked him hard across the face. Rage roiled and tears burned in my eyes. We were both frozen in place by my violent outburst.

“I…apologise,” Callan said tensely. “I didn’t mean that, Reyah. I’m sorry. And I’m sorry if I hurt you in the market.”

“Asshole,” I spat, as the tears fell.

“That will never happen again.”

For the first time I saw something solemn behind his eyes, a true regret for the words he had spoken. It didn’t soften any of the hatred I felt for him.

“I’ll leave you to change for supper. I’ll be just outside the door if—”

“Just, get out!” I barked through tears.

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