Sighing, she staunchly stared down at the pages and ignored Lust after that. He tried his best to get a reaction out of her, though. Because what immature child wouldn’t?
First it was just little sounds. Grunts, angry sighs, all of which eventually turned into a mockery of lovemaking as he tried to get her to look at him. She did not. Then he adjusted himself in his pants, multiple times, as though by touching himself he would scandalize her. Considering he didn’t whip himself out and flail his cock around, she did not move her gaze from the book. Even when he started talking, she simply continued reading the novel that Ursula had handed to her.
Not that she’d absorbed a single page with the man child in the carriage. But that was another matter entirely.
Finally, he let out an enormous pulse of his power as though that might break through her magic. She mused that he must think she had a shield or something similar, and if he used enough of his power, then he might break through it. He must not have ever come in contact with a power like hers.
Curious.
She merely turned the next page. He frowned at her and then let out another massive burst of lust that made ripples form on the icy sheet covering her lake. Not good.
Finally, she looked up from her book and said, “Can I help you?”
“That didn’t affect you at all, did it?”
“No. But I do request that you stop or your carriage driver will take us off the road. I’d rather not be traveling in the dark.” She glared at him. “You’re acting like a child.”
He ignored the jab and leaned forward. With his sleeves rolled up to his elbows and his forearms braced on his knees, he was altogether too close. She could see violet flecks in his eyes and wondered if they changed color with the seasons.
“Are you asexual?” he asked.
“What is that?”
“Do you not find yourself attracted to anyone at all?”
She arched a brow. “I find myself attracted to some men, but not all of them.”
“So you’ve felt attraction.”
“I’m interested in men, yes.” When she wanted to be. But Selene didn’t enjoy the sensation and hid those emotions the older she got. “I’m just not interested in you.”
He leaned back again, legs spread wide and confusion marring his pretty expression. “So you do feel.”
“Yes.” Selene lifted her book into the air. “If that’s all?”
“It’s not.”
“What a shame,” she muttered as she turned back to the story in her lap. “One might think you were getting angry with me.”
“I am.”
“If only I was listening.” Selene then ignored him for the rest of the ride, no matter what he did. If he wanted to make his driver’s mind break, then he could. She would not care in the slightest.
It took the better part of the afternoon to get to the castle, but they moved faster than she expected. Perhaps he had his own roads, so he didn’t have to worry about other carriages with broken wheels or wagons with aging donkeys trying to pull them. Her thoughts drifted, and she turned the pages as though she were still reading.
Still, it was too soon once the carriage rolled to a halt in front of the castle. Lust always had a flare for the dramatics, and this building was not any different. She stared up at the gleaming columns, pointed peaks, and the thousands of windows that let in all the natural light, and sighed.
If only a fraction of that money had gone to the rest of his kingdom, what would it look like?
He got out of the carriage by himself and held out his hand for her to take. “I know that look.”
“What look?”
“The one that says you think this castle is too extravagant and that it should go to the rest of the kingdom. I’ve seen it a hundred times before.” He grinned, even though that should have been an insult. “In case you haven’t noticed, every town is very well funded. They don’t all live in a castle like myself, but they live comfortably.”
Not according to what her mother had said, but Selene didn’t want to get into another argument with him. She needed time to figure out a plan, and he hadn’t given her that on the ride here.
Ignoring his hand, she stepped out of the carriage on her own and followed him as he turned. Considering the stiffness in his spine and the pout on his lips, she had a feeling he was more insulted that she hadn’t let him touch her.