Chapter 16
DAHLIA
I’ve never seen a carriage drive so fast. After the demon’s interruption, I was whisked out of the gown shop and through the night markets before I could utter a word.
With no time to change, Tauren threw his cloak over my shoulders. I grip it tightly as the carriage pulls to a halt outside his castle.
Pumpkin whimpers in my lap.
“I’ll prepare the messenger to see you in your throne room,” Tauren’s adviser says, stepping out of the carriage. His name is Kennix, apparently. Or at least that’s how Tauren kept referring to him as they spoke in angry, hushed whispers the entire journey back.
Tauren nods. “I’ll be waiting for him.”
I don’t know who Lord Elheart’s messenger brought with them to the castle. I can only assume it’s not someone Tauren wants to see, based on the tight set of his jaw. Even Claren seems especially nervous, not daring to answer any of my questions since we left the gown shop.
The pretty orb lights of the night market suddenly feel very far away.
“Claren, take the dog,” Tauren orders, leaving the carriage.
I almost hold her tighter until Tauren shoots me a look that makes my whimper match Pumpkin’s.
After passing her over to Claren, I follow Tauren outside, but it’s hard to keep up with his furious strides.
“Slow down,” I wheeze.
With a scowl, he slows down a little. But he doesn’t speak, or even look at me until we’re outside two giant oak doors that I assume lead to the throne room.
As the horned guards heave them open, he finally turns to me.
“What’s happening?” I ask, hating the weakness in my voice.
“Your fiancé is not playing by my terms,” he bites out. “The fool assumes he can just buy you back from me, as if any price could ever be high enough to repay what he stole.”
“What does that mean? What are you going to do?” I pull my cloak tighter.
“I will have to remind him what is at stake here.”
I don’t like the anger in his tone. Or the way he won’t meet my gaze.
But all I can do is hurry after him as he charges into the throne room.
Demons bow to us, or I suppose more to him as he marches down the long, crimson carpet. My knees shake with every step behind his imposing form.
We’re in the same dark-walled throne room I landed in on the night I arrived here.
Iron chandeliers light up the regal clothing of the demon nobility filling the hall.
Near the back of the room is a huge throne.
Its carved obsidian back gleams in the candlelight, while huge black pillars stand guard on either side, holding up the vast, ebony ceiling.
I had no doubt when I first opened my eyes here that I was in a castle full of monsters. And as Tauren takes a seat in his throne, sweeping his furious gaze over his court – the word monster is all I can think about.
“Come here,” he compels me.
The other demons in the hall fall silent. All eyes follow me as I move under their lord’s spell.
When I reach him, he hooks his finger around the clasp of my cloak. For a moment, I wonder if he’ll pull me into his lap, and my heart flutters. But then his hands drop to my hips, and he twists me around, ripping the cloak from my shoulders.
Eyes attack me from every direction.
I gasp, covering my exposed belly.
“Kneel,” he commands. I barely hear him over the roaring of blood in my ears.
His magic makes my legs crumple, and I drop to my knees at his boots. This dress didn’t feel so revealing back at the gown shop – if anything, I wanted it to be more scandalous. But now, with demons leering at me from every direction, I may as well be wearing nothing at all.
“Tauren, please.” I glance up at him, but the demon lord ignores me.
Signalling a nearby servant, he swipes a goblet from a tray. “Summon the messenger,” he says, taking a sip of his wine.
While the servant hurries off, Tauren keeps his gaze fixed on the double doors. I take that as my cue to give up on searching for any of the warmth he gave me only an hour ago.
Clearly, I’m his prisoner now.
A stupid prisoner.
I should’ve taken Girabalt’s offer of help when I had the chance.
The creak of the double doors makes my chin lift. A stocky human marches in, a brilliant gold and blue tabard decorating his chest. In his aged hands, he carries a scroll, which he unfurls once he reaches our end of the carpet.
I don’t listen to his introductions as he greets Tauren. I can’t. Because I’m too busy watching the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen saunter up beside him.
Long dreamy curls, the colour of sunrays, cascade down her shoulders. A cream-coloured lace gown teases her figure, cinching her in all the right places and showing off just enough sun-kissed skin to make any sane prince forget his own name.
My eyes narrow as a bitter taste fills my mouth.
I know girls who’d kill for a body like hers. Me being one of them. Judging by her smug grin as she looks down her perfect nose at me, she knows exactly how jealous I am.
“Lord Elheart has received your wedding invitation and expresses his profound disappointment.” The messenger’s nasally voice forces my attention away.
“However, in a display of his considerable generosity, he offers you a new trade.” He gestures to Miss Perfect beside him.
“In return for Princess Dahlia, he offers his finest whore.”
My lips pop open as she bows. Keeping her chin high, she gives everyone a good look at exactly why she’s been named as his ‘finest whore’.
I almost roll my eyes. If her breasts were anymore ridiculously huge she’d topple over.
Still, I can’t bring myself to look at Tauren. The thought of him lusting over her like every other demon in this hall makes me queasy.
At least they’re not staring at me anymore.
“He hopes that Lady Urma will satisfy you enough to consider returning Princess Dahlia to her rightful place at her true betrothed’s palace.
” My stomach sinks at his words. “He sends his regards and hopes Dahlia will be with him by the morning. He also encourages you not to disappoint him again.” The messenger rolls up his scroll as Lady Urma finally rises from her bow.
“Elheart thinks he can replace what he stole from me with a common whore.” Tauren’s tone makes my blood freeze.
Urma frowns, and the messenger twists his fingers around his scroll. “I think you’ll find that Lady Urma is an exceptionally talented lover—”
“He believes he can replace our Maeve with a WHORE!” Tauren shoots up from his chair. Snarls fill the hall, his court’s vicious shouts attacking the pair from every direction. Even the guards behind his throne are growling.
I don’t have a chance to think about why they’re so upset, who this Maeve is. Fear shudders through me. No. Not fear. It’s something powerful enough to make the dais tremble.
Demon magic.
“D-do something!” sputters the messenger to Urma. “Please him.”
She takes a hesitant step onto the dais, and Tauren snarls, “Touch me and I’ll slice you open, whore.” His magic slams into her.
I can’t help but scream.
Her body is flung backwards, landing against the messenger in a mess of flailing limbs, while demons cheer.
I cover my open mouth.
“Tell your lord that his generous offer insults me,” Tauren roars at the pair. I gasp as his hand grabs my arm, pulling me up. Panicking, I thrash against him, but he holds me firm. “The only way his bride will be released is if he accepts the generous trade that I offered to him.”
The demons roar in agreement.
As Lady Urma struggles to her feet, the paleness on my face matches hers. Any smugness she may have shown before is long gone now, replaced with something that makes tears blur my vision.
Pity.
Tauren drags me towards his throne and sits down, forcing me into his lap. One of his arms curls around my thigh while the other wraps around my hair, pulling my head back.
I yelp.
“I haven’t taken her virtue yet,” he growls to Lady Urma and the messenger.
“But I will soon enough, after I marry her myself.” Warmth seeps through his shirt, but it’s not enough to stop me shivering.
With his hand forcing my thighs apart, all I can think about is how little fabric is covering my sex and how my hardened nipples are on display for everyone to see.
“Tauren, please.” My voice breaks. “Please stop this. You’re scaring me.”
He tenses behind me, but doesn’t stop. Keeping my head pulled back, he growls at the messenger, “Tell Lord Elheart he has until the wedding to give me what I want.”
“Of course, Your Highness.” He drops into a bow, yanking Urma down with him. “I will return to his palace immediately.”
“Take your whore with you.” Tauren’s lips find my neck and he sucks hard.
Arching my back, I whimper. My neck throbs with pain, but the feeling of everyone’s eyes on me hurts more. The embarrassment could burn me alive.
When he finally pulls away, I don’t need a mirror to know he’s left an angry, possessive mark on my skin. The horror on the messenger’s face is enough to tell me that.
“Leave us,” Tauren snarls at them. I hold back tears as the pair hurry out of the throne room.
The second the huge doors swing shut, he releases my hair.
I bolt off his lap.
“Dahlia,” he shouts, but I’m already sprinting through the small exit archway. Embarrassment scorches my cheeks and neck.
I’m such an idiot. How could I have let him do what he did in the wedding gown shop? How could I have wanted him to?
My frantic breaths echo through the stone corridors. Servants watch me with confused eyes.
I don’t even care about my revealing gown anymore. I just want to get out of here. I need to find Claren, make him take this stupid collar off, grab Pumpkin, and—
“Dahlia, stop.” Tauren’s deep voice makes me stumble. It takes him seconds to sprint up behind me, catch me by my waist and tug me into a private alcove.
My chest heaves as my back hits stone. Two strong arms trap me against the wall, his palms either side of my shoulders. Moonlight streams in from a window beside us, illuminating the sharpness of his features, the softness of his full lips.
“You will not run from me.” He draws closer, the warmth of his body seeping into mine. “While you are in my castle, you belong to me, and I am ordering you not to run.”
“You humiliated me in there. How can you expect me not to want to run from you?” I spit. “I told you to stop and you didn’t listen.”
“I know.” His jaw hardens as his gaze falls over me.
“Why did you do it?” I shudder at the memory of everyone’s eyes on me. The way he’d had my legs spread over his thighs. Shame feels like fire under my skin.
“I didn’t have a choice. Lord Elheart has Maeve, and he won’t give her back unless—”
“But who is Maeve?” I snap. “And if you miss her so much, why didn’t you just send that stupid magic horse over to his palace and capture her instead of me?” I hate the sadness that pools in his eyes. Whoever Maeve is, she must be very important to him. “Were you two lovers?” I ask, my voice tight.
He shakes his head. “We’re not lovers, and Elheart has built a salt barrier around his palace. It’s impossible for our magic to get through. I can’t rescue her myself.”
“So you’re using me as leverage to get her back…” I think out loud, scowling. “I hope she’s worth all this trouble.”
“She is.”
My scowl deepens. “Take me back to your tower. I want to go to bed.” I’m not tired at all, but if I can wait until he falls asleep, I can sneak out and find Claren.
A muscle flexes in Tauren’s jaw. “I’m sorry, Dahlia.” He lifts his fingers to my cheek. “I shouldn’t have been so cruel to you in there. I was upset about Maeve, but that’s no excuse. I should’ve done this differently.”
“But you didn’t.” I challenge his stare. “Now leave me alone or take me to your tower. I’m tired.”
Tauren swallows, but thankfully doesn’t argue. Wrapping his arm around my waist, he leads me out of the alcove.