CHAPTER FORTY-SIX #4
“So the price goes up.” Ethenn shrugged, waving away the comment with flippant nonchalance.
“What’re they worth to you? You paid thirty gold for Terrina.
Would you like to double it? And what about your child?
We’ll sign over any rights to inheritance so you can sire another heir and not have to worry about us coming for your money. ”
“Ethenn!” Terrina objected.
He ignored her. “Forsaken rights and, what? A hundred gold?”
“Two hundred,” Bastien said. “Each.”
Ethenn grinned. “Four hundred gold and a letter denying inheritance. Deal.”
Terrina stared at him, dumbfounded.
Bastien narrowed his gaze again. “You don’t have that sort of money.”
“Don’t I?”
“I know about you, Slayer,” Bastien said. “I run the fighting pits as I run this whole town. You made a good profit, but not nearly that much.”
Ethenn smirked. “I don’t think you heard about my new job.” He tapped the insignia on his coat. “I work for King Ephren now. I’ve got plenty of gold to spare.”
It was a lie. In total, Ethenn had about two hundred and thirty gold stored in the Loclight royal bank thanks to the king’s reward, his earnings from the fights, and his pay from the army.
But he knew after his appointment as Highlord Commander at Ilain’s side, he’d have more than enough to rescue his sister.
Bastien blinked, uncertain of how to respond. His eyes latched onto the patch. Terrina took a step away from his chair, but his hand shot out, capturing hers and pulling her back. “No,” he said flatly.
“What?” Ethenn demanded.
“No, you cur,” he hissed. “I’m not selling my wife and child to you or anyone else. Now, get out of my house.”
Ethenn took a threatening step forward. “I’m not leaving without her,” he said, though he knew it was a foolish demand.
Terrina couldn’t join them on their journey, pregnant as she was. And without a formal letter granting him authority over her, Bastien could recall her at any time with the lawmen’s help. Until Allund came to be, Ethenn was powerless.
His sister looked conflicted, her expression pinched as she stared between her husband and her brother.
“Get out,” Bastien replied, the threat returning to his voice. “Or I’ll call the guard.”
Ethenn raised his brow. “Not if I kill you first.”
Bastien scowled, but Terrina stepped in front of him. “Stop it,” she ordered. Her fierce look reminded him of their mother, and his heart winced. Tears sparkled on her lashes, but her voice remained steady as she spoke. “I don’t know why you’ve done this. Why would you want me to lose my husband?”
“Because he’s a liar, Rin,” he shouted.
The tears slipped down her cheeks. “But he’s my husband,” she said.
“And I can either choose to be happy with him, or I can spend the rest of my life in misery. I’m sorry if you don’t believe him, but I have to.
I must believe that no matter what he’s done or who he once was, he might love me enough to become a better man. ”
Ethenn shook his head, ready to fight her. But she cut across his words. “Leave.”
The pressure of his anger flared. “What?” he gaped.
“Leave,” Terrina repeated, silent tears staining her face. “And don’t bother coming back until you can accept my husband as I have.”
His heart stuttered, the anger receding under the shock of hurt. “Rin—”
“Goodbye, Ethenn,” she said with finality. Then she turned back to her husband.
The merchant took his wife’s hands, holding Ethenn’s gaze with a triumphant expression. A slight smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. But when he turned to Terrina, his gaze did soften. Could his feelings for her possibly be genuine?
Dismissed, Ethenn left. He climbed over the edge of the balcony, descending back down the trellis.
It wasn’t possible. Bastien couldn’t be a good man. He couldn’t change that quickly.
Bastien had purchased Terrina; he’d used her. He didn’t care about her love. Did he? But for Terrina’s sake, Ethenn had to hope his claims were true. He had to hope they could find love.
Ethenn walked through the dark night as a light breeze swept through the hilly valley.
He shivered. Could they grow to love one another?
Or was Terrina destined for a loveless marriage, no matter how hard she tried to feel something for her husband?
And even if she did, Bastien was still a scoundrel who worked underhanded deals to grow his empire in the small town.
How could Ethenn leave her to that fate?
He entered the town, taking the long way to the inn to avoid the smithy again. When he approached The Shepherd’s Rest, he looked up at the second story. The window he’d climbed through an hour ago was glowing. He hadn’t thought to light the lamp before he’d left.
Ilain was inside, then. She would have discovered that he was gone, and she would be waiting for an explanation.
Ethenn’s heart squeezed with sudden understanding.
Same as Bastien Muirren, he was trapping a woman into marriage with him simply because he wanted her.
It didn’t matter that Ilain didn’t love him; he was allowing her to sell herself for the success of the Alliance’s plans.
She deserved so much more. A man she loved.
A Warrior of value worthy of her. An honorable man who could lead justly beside her.
But Ethenn was a murderer. He was a wretch. And he was no better than Bastien.