Chapter 29
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
The girl could barely walk by the time they got back to her room.
He had pushed her in that relentless way of his.
Her injury was a hindrance—not a barrier.
She had performed every physical exercise he asked of her until her hair dripped with sweat.
It was far from perfect, but the effort was there.
She didn’t even complain, although the glares she supplied him with let him know she was tempted.
Progress, today was progress.
He had in no way expected her to come knocking at his door so soon.
After explaining his plan to her, he had thought she would turn back to a place of solitude.
She had surprised him tonight. The persistent looks she gave his body were also a surprise.
He was not naive to the thoughts of women, what he looked like to them.
He just thought she hated him too much to succumb to ogling.
There was a tray of food waiting for her when they returned, just as Theo had ordered.
“Eat.”
She gave him an annoyed look, sitting down on the edge of the bed. But she began picking at the meal, starting with the bit of honey cake on the edge of the plate. He made a mental note that she liked sweet things.
He watched every muscle in her shake and tremble from the exercises.
She gulped down a cup of water next, then another. “You could have gone easy on me, you know, being my first day and all.”
He crossed his arms, observing her. “Ah, yes, that’s exactly what you need, more coddling. Did you not get enough of that in Oakmire?”
“It’s not coddling . . . it’s compassion, a quality you sorely lack.”
“Brahm didn’t put me here because I possess immeasurable mercy, Highness.”
“You’ve made that blatantly obvious.”
This was going so well. When he had helped her harness her shadow, she had looked at him in a way that made his insides unravel.
He thought there was something between them.
Evidently, that something was gone now. He had pushed and pushed, so hard that whatever attraction he thought he saw in her eyes had evaporated.
“Tell me, was it an act of compassion to ship you off to the furthest lands possible? Was it mercy that put you on some of the most dangerous roads the night we came to you?”
Her whisper was so low he barely heard it. “No.”
He could tell by her change in posture she was already desperate to leave this exchange. He wasn’t going to let her get off that easily. Though he did attempt to make his voice less threatening. “The night we met . . . you didn’t look like a joyful bride on her way to meet her betrothed.”
She stilled. “It’s the duty of a princess. A marriage means alliances. I was helping my people.” She sounded like she was trying to convince herself of that fact.
He wanted to understand, so he took a chance and prodded for more. “You agreed to the marriage willingly to help your people . . . but had no intention of actually going through with it?”
She covered her face with her hands. “It’s complicated.”
“Explain it then.”
She glowered at him suspiciously. “I didn’t agree to any of it. King Oren has kept me shielded in that castle since I was a child. I thought . . . I was told going anywhere else was too dangerous.”
He didn’t miss the fact that she referred to him as King Oren instead of Father.
“I was convinced I would never leave—I had been told countless times I couldn’t, that I had to stay.
” Her voice got quieter, smaller. “But I did something unforgivable. My family shattered because of me, because of what I am. So they sent me away, as far as they could. The decision to marry was never mine.” She hugged her stomach like she might be sick.
Theo was sick too. Feel her. Touch her. Comfort her.
But he had a purpose to uphold and a legion to protect. So he shoved the inner voice down.
Touch her.
His hand twitched at his side like it might reach for her face. He forced it to still.
“When do I get to go aboveground?” she asked, clearly ready to change the subject.
“When you agree to my conditions.”
She pursed her lips. “And what would those be?”
“One, you will not attack any soldier here. You save that for the training valley above.” Her unpredictable violent streak ended now.
She crossed her arms. “And the second?”
He gave her a once-over, lifting his head up and sniffing dramatically. “You take a proper bath.”
He saw the flush of embarrassment creep up her neck. She narrowed her eyes. “Then show me where,” she grumbled, heading for the dresser and rummaging through its contents. Once she found what she needed, she gave one last side-eyed glance at his abdominals and strode out the room.