Page 58 of Kingdom of Chains

‘I have built a solution.’

‘Can you not see the damage you are doing to these people? There are families locked in here whose only crime is surviving at a time when most were dying. And this is how they are rewarded.’ She stood. ‘The rain has stopped. The food has returned. These people should be out there rebuilding their lives. You are taking advantage of their misfortune.’ She searched his eyes. ‘Can you not see that?’

He stepped up to her—fast, bringing his face close to hers. ‘You cannot possibly understand what is happening here, because you have lived the last five yearsshelteredby my father’s kindness and my undying love for you.’

‘Perhaps you are right.’ Her eyes moved between his. ‘Perhaps now is a good time to tell you that I no longer wish to besheltered. It is time for me to make my own judgements about the world and life decisions.’ She paused because she knew she should not say it. ‘Including whom I marry.’

He grabbed hold of her face, squeezing so hard she feared her teeth would shatter. She clawed at his arm, but it was futile.

‘I love you tirelessly,’ he said, face close to hers, ‘and this is how you repay me.’ His mouth came crashing down on hers, teeth scraping. She tried to push him away, but he was too strong.

Finally, he broke the kiss and looked at her. ‘Think carefully about what comes out of your mouth. Words cannot be taken back.’

Tears fell down her cheeks now. ‘I hate you. I hate you for the things you did back then and the things you are doing now.’

His eyes were two flames ready to torch her. ‘You hate me? For the things I did back then?’ He squeezed her jaw. ‘I did that for you!’ Spit hit her face. ‘I did it for your family! For us!’ He released her with a shove.

Her hands went to her cheeks. That should have been the end of it, but apparently she had a death wish. ‘I hate your voice, your face, the feel of your hands on me.’ She swallowed down the sob in her throat. ‘But most of all I hate myself for not telling you that sooner.’

Years of resentment, layer upon layer, suppressed until it had solidified, came pouring out. It had poisoned her for too long.

Oh, the relief.

Hodge was stunned by her confession. Visibly sickened. He blinked a number of times as her words penetrated. ‘You are angry. You are angry and trying to hurt me.’ He swallowed audibly. ‘The woman I know, the one I chose to marry when I was barely a man, would never say those things to me.’

If she had just remained silent, said nothing, she may have been able to salvage the situation. But it was not the day for silence. ‘Thewomanyou chose to marry? I wasfifteen. The woman you fell in love with did not even exist yet. She was a figment of your imagination, a fantasy you manipulated into reality.’ She laughed. ‘And I have wasted five years of my life aiding your delusions.’

His hand met her face with full force—and she had the audacity to act surprised. She had known those words would be too much for him, but she wanted to be sure he understood her. The problem was she had never been struck before and was not prepared for the stinging skin and ringing in her ear that seemed to go on and on. She certainly was not prepared for the shame that swelled inside her or the laughter that erupted from her.

Laughter.

He did not like that.

This time, he took hold of her throat. He was so lost in his own rage and fear that he barely knew what he was doing.

And the strangest thing happened as his fingers tightened around her throat. The fight left her. She stood there, unable to breathe, with her hands at her sides. She stared him straight in the eye until her vision began to blur. The lack of response must have frightened him because he released her suddenly, as though her skin had burned his hand.

She doubled over, half coughing and half dry retching. He moved to help her, but she raised a hand to stop him. Straightening, she held her throat and tried to breathe normally. He looked down at his hand with absolute horror, as though it were a thing he was not in control of and he could barely believe what it had done.

‘My beloved,’ he whispered. ‘Are you all right?’

Her breaths continued to come in ragged bursts, and she knew speaking would only set her off coughing again. She watched him back away to the other side of the tent, swallowing repeatedly. His anger had dissolved into embarrassment.

‘I am going to fix this,’ he said quietly. ‘I need a moment, and then I am going to fix this.’ He looked to the exit. ‘There is a path back to each other, I assure you.’

She said nothing.

‘I just… I need you to stay here. I cannot be worried about you wandering away again.’ He walked over to her, removing his belt as he did so.

‘What are you doing?’ she croaked.

He reached up and stroked her hair. ‘I am sorry. I love you. Give me a chance to fix this.’

She turned away from his touch. He took her hands, surprisingly gentle now, and led her to the centre post. Her face collapsed when she realised what he was doing.

‘Shh,’ he said. ‘Please do not cry. It is only until I return.’ He proceeded to guide her hands to either side of the pole and then bound them together with his belt. Now she truly belonged in that camp. In moments, she had gone from straddling two worlds to feeling like a wastelander.

‘I will be back soon, I promise,’ he said, touching her reddened cheek. Then he turned and exited the tent.

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