Page 52 of Lycan King's Captives
“Father, please, I will convince him. You don’t need to send for me.” Carina’s voice echoes through the door, laced with desperation.
A cold, harsh voice responds, though it is crackly, so I definitely know it’s the loudspeaker on her phone. His voice sends shivers down my spine. “You should’ve thought about that before you jeopardized the treaty, Carina. If Xandros doesn’t marry you, or you haven’t fallen pregnant by next month, you’ll have to face the consequences.”
My heart pounds against my chest as I listen in, fear coiling in my stomach like a venomous snake. I’ve never heard Carina sound so vulnerable, so scared. I quickly retreat, not wanting to be caught eavesdropping.
Later that day, I find Carina in the garden, her face pale and eyes red-rimmed from crying. As much as I despise her, we’re both pawns in this game, trapped in a life neither of us chose.
“What’s going to happen to you if you go back home?” I find myself asking. She doesn’t answer for a long time, her gaze lost in the blooming roses. She lifts her head and raises an eyebrow at me. “I overheard you, speaking on the phone this morning,” I admit, and she sighs heavily, returning to staring at the gardens.
“I can’t go home, Sienna,” she finally says, her voice barely a whisper. “If Xandros doesn’t marry me or give me a child, I might not have a choice.”
For the first time, I see a glimpse of the woman beneath the façade, a woman trapped and scared, much like me. I don’t ask any more questions, and we spend the rest of the day in silence, each lost in our own thoughts, each grappling with our own fears.
When she heads back inside, I follow beside her when we spot Xandros. He pauses and so does his mother as they walk down the stairs toward us. “Did you just come from the gardens, dear?”
Carina nods. Queen Adina eyes me, her lips pursing before she turns her attention back to Carina. “Well, the weather is lovely today,” she says, the tension in the room becoming suffocating.
“Tea, Adina?” Carina asks her and Queen Adina smiles. “Sounds lovely,” she answers, and Carina turns to me. “You are finished for the day,” she dismisses me, and I watch her leave with Queen Adina; however, Xandros remains. I glance at him.
“Did you really postpone the wedding?” I ask and he watches me for a second.
“Yes, I pushed it back a month,” he answers. I clench my teeth, and swallow down the strange lump that forms in my throat. My bond aches for the man, and I despise it just as much as I despise him.
“Sienna?” he murmurs, stepping closer to me, and I take a step back. “I have chores,” I whisper, stepping around him when he grabs my arm. He pulls me back in front of him, dropping his head to lean closer. “I… everything will work out, I’ll keep you safe,” he whispers.
“From whom?” I ask. Does he not realize the pain he causes me by forcing me to watch him play house with another woman.
“From my mother, Carina. Who else?” he whispers.
“And who will keep me safe from you?” I ask him, and he stands straighter, staring down at me. His lips part and I hate how my eyes instantly go to them.
“I won’t hurt you, Sienna.”
“You already have, you do, by forcing me to remain here when clearly you don’t want me.”
“That’s for your own safety, I have to keep my distance. Do you think the bond doesn’t affect me?” he growls.
“You’re not the one who sleeps alone every night, you’re not the one forced to watch me be with another,” I whisper, my eyes stinging at how much those words hurt leaving my lips.
Hearing footsteps, Xandros lets me go, and I make haste to get away from him, climbing the steps and rushing to my room.
28
I spent the rest of the day in my room, only leaving when it was time to help with dinner. As usual, I lean against the wall waiting to be called on by Carina. Xandros doesn’t touch his food, instead stares vacantly at the wall, as if deep in thought. His parents try to rouse conversation out of him, it only gets them short answers.
“Do you have any plans tomorrow, Carina? I am planning to go into the city to find my dress for the wedding.” Queen Adina states, taking a bite of her dessert.
“Actually, tomorrow I am leaving. My father wants me to go home for my mother’s birthday. I’ll be gone a week,” she answers, which grabs Xandros attention.
“You didn’t tell me you were leaving.”
“My father called this morning. I’ll only be gone a week,” she shrugs.
“Well, you should take Xandros with you, it would be good to get away from all the drama here,” his mother says, her eyes flicking to me. Carina’s face lights up as she looks at Xandros like a deer caught in the headlights. I swallow at the thought, it is painful enough with Xandros being across the other side of the castle, let alone gone an entire week.
“Hm, Father would like that?” Carina answers, staring at Xandros who clenches his jaw.
“I can watch your maid, no need for her to tarnish your time away,” Adina states, and his father clears his throat awkwardly, earning a glare from his wife. “Well, then glad that is sorted, you can both go away for the week, tell your mother I said happy birthday.”
