Page 66 of Bound By Deception

Skaal, who’d followed mac Brochan inside, sat down near the entrance, silently barring the way out. Meanwhile, the chief-enforcer advanced on Bree.

She held her ground, even as her pulse went wild. “Why the foul temper, husband?”

“Enough with this fucking mummery,” mac Brochan ground out. He skirted the edge of the table and crowded her. “What did you do with the letter?”

And despite that she wasn’t afraid of him, Bree backed up. Lifting her chin, she met his narrowed gaze. She had no choice but to brazen this out. “What are you talking about?”

“So, you want to play a game, do you?” The menace in his throat did make a frisson of fear skate down her spine then.

“No … I just—”

“The letter that came from the House of Maids.” He continued to advance on her, stalking her now. “I didn’t believe your tale about learning to fight … and so I sent a missive to Baldeen, asking Mother Gelda to confirm my suspicions. She responded, and her letter was left in my meeting alcove.”

“I only left you some wine.” Bree’s spine hit the wall. There was nowhere to go; the bastard had her bailed up, and her pulse leaped into a canter. “I thought you might appreciate it upon your return. I didn’t see any letter.”

He leaned in, placing his hands on either side of her, caging her in. “Liar. What did you do with it?”

“Nothing.” Bree leaned her head back against the wall, craning her neck now to maintain eye contact.

His fury blazed. This close, she could taste it.

And her anger answered its call, expanding like an unfurling fern in her chest. How she wanted to lash out at this enforcer, to drive her knee up into his groin, and to slam the heel of her hand into his nose as she’d shown Mirren.

She was done for, yet she’d go down fighting.

“While he was at the House of Maids, Torran discovered that your escort never returned home,” he growled. “What do you have to say about that?”

Bree’s stomach dropped like a stone.

Shit.Of course, they’d wonder what happened to the men Gavyn and his Ravens had slain. She should have expected this.

“The roads are dangerous,” she replied, her mouth suddenly dry. “Perhaps they fell foul of the Shee.”

The chief-enforcer leaned in closer, his scent crowding her senses. Damn him, he was too close. Their bodies were almost touching, and his heat engulfed her. “Another falsehood.”

“I don’t know what happened to my escort,” she gasped, her pulse thundering now.

“Lie after lie,” he bit out, his blue eyes drilling into her. “And all the while, you constantly push me.”

Bree flushed hot. “I seek to form a bond with myhusband,” she shot back. “Is that wrong?”

“I made our arrangement clear … but it appears you have a purpose of your own.”

Bree started to sweat. “You tricked me!” She threw the accusation at him. “I wouldn’t have accepted your proposal if I’d known our marriage was to be a ruse.”

The chief-enforcer’s lip curled. “Don’t try and make this about me.” His eyes hardened. “Your lying ends here. Tell me the truth, woman. All of it.”

Bree glared up at him, her fingers curling into fists at her sides. Her limbs tingled now, and heat washed over her. Things were about to get ugly.

“Mac Brochan,” a gruff male voice intruded then, carrying through the curtain in the doorway. “The High King summons you to supper.”

“What?” the chief-enforcer snapped, yet his attention never strayed from Bree’s face. “Now?”

“Aye. All the druidic council have been called.”

“Again?” Mac Brochan swore softly, his face twisting, before he answered, “I’ll be there shortly.”

The guard on the other side of the curtain cleared his throat apologetically. “The High King requires your wife to join you.”

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