Page 56 of What Fury Brings
How had Glen turned the conversation so quickly? She was a master with her words. Sanos should avoid going head-to-head with her.
Glen lowered a hand to Athon’s throat. She stroked it. Squeezed it. Dug in her fingers. Athon would wheeze for air, and then she’d let him be. Soothing the attack with slow circles of the pads of her fingers.
Sanos pulled at the manacles behind his back.
He shouldn’t care. These men were Amarran. Athon chose this.
But the whole thing reminded him too much of his father, who would harm his sons whenever fancy struck him. Sanos couldn’t do anything about it. He couldn’t move. Couldn’t attack. He could tell that’s exactly what Glen wanted him to do. This was all a display meant for him.
He hated it. But he was no young lad easily egged into violence. He could behave no matter how much he wished otherwise. He endured the rest of breakfast and didn’t look across the table at Olerra’s cousin again.
When Olerra rose to leave the breakfast table, Ydra asked, “Do you need help with anything today?”
“If you could continue to fill in for me while I show Andrastus around, I would appreciate it,” Olerra said.
“Of course. Where are you off to today?”
“The market and then the pit.”
Ydra turned her gaze to Andrastus before looking at Olerra once more. “You sure he’s up for that?”
“Of course he is,” Cyssia responded for her. “It’s healthy for a man to remember that actions have consequences. They’re so terribly behaved outside of our borders. The pit builds character.”
“Let’s go,” Olerra said to him.
When Andrastus didn’t rise right away, she hooked a finger in the chain connecting the nipple clamps and gently pulled upward. The breath rushed out of Andrastus as he rose, his eyes darkening.
“See you all later.”
13
Once Sanos didn’t have to spend all his willpower ignoring Glenaerys, he had the energy to again be upset about his current predicament.
I am a prince. The crown prince of Brutus, and I’m wearing a godsdamned nipple chain.
It wasn’t uncomfortable. His nipples weren’t particularly sensitive. It was just humiliating to have so much jewelry hanging off him.
Olerra made him follow her outside. The stones were warm beneath his bare feet, and he had to take more care to ensure he didn’t step on loose rocks or other sharp objects. His soles would be filthy once they finished running her errands, whatever they may be.
Olerra took one look at his bare skin before calling for some kind of oil. She rubbed it all over him, assuring him it would prevent him from burning. Then she led him into a carriage, sitting close enough to him that their thighs brushed.
“That was well done back there,” she said when the carriage took off. “You have a level of intelligence that I find admirable.”
“Great, I can die happy now,” he deadpanned.
“Your sense of humor is somewhat lacking, but I will take it given the current circumstances.” She laid an arm along the back of the carriage seat and used it to run her fingers up and down the side of his neck.
His skin burned at that touch. Realizing that he was enjoying itall too much, he pivoted to sit on the opposite bench of the carriage. “Keep your hands to yourself,” he said to her.
“Is that what you prefer?” she asked. “Would you rather watch while I touch myself again?”
“No,” he said, if a bit too loudly.
“Shame,” she said. “It was better when you were watching me. I’ve never come so quickly in my life.”
Sanos closed his eyes against the memory that presented itself in his mind. “Must you speak?”
“Must you continue to pretend you don’t want me?”
