Page 52 of Unrivaled
I didn’t dare look at the smoldering violence in my heart.But I could feel it there now, with her reminder, with her disbelief.“It’s why we were here, last year.We were going to support him.”
“To kill my father and marry me?”she asked, new-found venom in her words.I hated it.I hated it, but I knew it was needed.“Not to compete, of course.It’s none of your business who I trust and who I don’t, Chay.Not anymore.”The note of finality in that made the ground open up beneath me.“Get out.”
I tried to breathe.“Audrey?—”
“No.”She tossed down the quill, standing with so much violence the chair scraped back.Relief rushed through me at the sound while at the same time, my heart broke.Take the warning and then defend yourself.But her eyes, those bewitching whiskey eyes, burned.“No, you don’t get to come in here, tugging me hither and fro.That man’s sworn ablood oathto me, Chay, same as you.Iknowwhat sort of leech he is.You, though—youkeep surprising me.Get.Out.”
She’d come around.The blood hammered in my temples.She was hurting right now, but she’d see what I said made sense.It was the truth, total and unadorned.“The blood oath won’t trigger unless he knows he’s doing harm to you.It’s perception-based.”Which is why I’d been able to lose myself in her, before I’d known.
Even were it not for the oath, I wouldn’t do it now.No matter how much I wanted to hold her, to feel those tight muscles softening for me as the tension of the day drained, I wouldn’t.
She deserved more.
She deserved peace.
“I’m not doing this.”She strode toward the door, her long legs kicking up the layers of fabric, making it swirl around her favorite boots like waves against the shore.She yanked open the door.“I do not have time for you,” she said, enunciating each word clearly.“I do not wish to speak to you.Leave.”
There were tears in my throat.If I shed them, she’d soften.
I couldn’t let her soften.
If she tried to touch me, by the One, I didn’t know if I could resist.
“He’s manipulating you.”
“Last night was the first time hehasn’tmanipulated me,” she said.There were tears inhereyes, but not of grief.“Because I’m a fool for the dreams you all dangle in front of me.I’m not dreaming now, sir.”
As a tear spilled over her cheek, there wasn’t a force in the kingdom that could’ve made me turn my back on her—no matter that her chest rose and fell, no matter that her hand was fisted by her side and those tear-filled eyes spat fury at me.That rage was a balm from the terrified, shrunken woman I’d browbeat days ago.I wished I could tell her to always bite and never cower.
“What else do youwant?” she demanded, her hands going to her head.“What else must youruin?”
The blow hit home.I swallowed down bile.
The lock turned in the door.
For a moment, I thought it was Isolde returning.I pictured the dozen ways she’d kill me for those tears on her charge’s cheeks.
But it was Thomas who stepped in, tabard crisp and eyes sharp.
He froze when he saw us, his eyes going between Audrey and I.Then he closed the door behind him.
Before she could order me out again, before she could ask him to get me, I managed to unstick my own feet.
I’d done enough damage.
“Thomas, pack your bags,” she said, her voice shaking.“The two of you are going to your lands.I need reconnaissance and you need to check on your family.”
I felt my muscles jerk.She was sending me away.
“My lady, that’s?—”
“NOW.” The word boomed and broke.
There was no arguing.I had nothing left to give.
I bowed, pressing my fist to the center of my chest where my heart thundered.While it beat, I’d do as she bid.
She turned, fleeing up the stairs, sobbing.
