Any Other Name (The Split Worlds) - By Emma Newman Page 0,29

going to let you sleep with me.”

He blinked. “I beg your pardon?”

“I know you’re expecting it, but I think that would be wrong.”

“How can it be wrong for a marriage to be consummated on the conjugal night?”

She threw the veil over the back of a nearby chair. “Look, I know this might be hard for you to grasp, but having sex with someone I barely know – and didn’t want to marry – is not something I want to experience.”

“But it’s–”

“In fact, I think it’s shocking that they put a Fidelity Charm on me to stop me running off and shagging the first man I meet, yet expect me to leap into bed with a man I barely know just because we said some words in front of a tree.”

“You swore an oath to have my children. That will be very difficult if we don’t share a bed.”

“I swore that under duress. It doesn’t count. And if you try to force me–”

He held up a hand. “I don’t think you realise how lucky you are. Most men wouldn’t listen to your feelings on the matter, and certainly wouldn’t entertain a conversation with you on the subject.”

“I’m not going to thank you for not raping me yet.”

His fingernails dug into his palms as he struggled to contain his anger. “It wouldn’t be rape. This is one of the most fundamental duties you have as my wife.”

“What I choose to do with my body is up to me. I don’t want to have sex with you, therefore if you try to force me it’s rape, regardless of whether you’re my husband. It’s against the law for you to–”

“What law?” he demanded.

“In Mundanus it’s–”

“Their laws don’t apply to us!”

“I’m not just going to lie back and think of Albion!” she yelled, moving to put the table between them.

“How dare you force me into being monstrous just to take what is my right to have!” Will gripped the back of the chair in front of him, seething. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be, not how he planned it at all. He must have been the first man in Society to be faced with such an unbearably difficult wife. “It’s my duty as much as yours,” he said, trying to sound calm again. “The first child is a critical milestone. They’ll want to see you pregnant as soon as possible. If you refuse, you place me in an impossible position.”

“Sorry.” She folded her arms. “You’ll just have to deal with it.”

“No, you will.” He took a step towards her, but the way she flinched made him pause. What was she turning him into? This wasn’t the kind of husband he wanted to be. He shut his eyes, not able to look at her a moment longer. “You need to give your attitude some serious thought,” he said, picking up his jacket from the floor, desperate to get out of the apartment and away from the way she was making him feel. “I’m not going to wait forever.”

6

A muscle near Sam’s eye twitched as Poppy stared at the five poor bastards he’d dragged back into Exillium. They were barely able to stand, their legs spattered with dried mud spots from the motorway, their hair lank and messy.

“Well… I suppose I could find a use for them. If they were cleaned up and dressed properly…”

“And given some food and something to drink, for Christ’s sake.” Sam was losing his patience.

“And if you’re willing to give me something in return.”

Sam knew that was coming a mile off. “Yes, if they’ll be cared for and treated well.”

Poppy’s smile was broad and reminded Sam of an alligator eyeing up a lone water buffalo. “Let’s see… there are five little waifs so I would ask for an utterly trivial five years of your life. One for each.”

Sam clenched his fists. Clare was staring at him.

“It’s such a generous offer,” Poppy said. “Take this poor thing.” He grabbed Clare’s wrist and pulled her away from the others. She started to shake. “I’ll have to feed and clothe her, give her somewhere safe to sleep – mundanes have so many needs – for eternity. Only one year of your life is a trifling amount in comparison, wouldn’t you agree?”

Sam looked into her eyes. She was more than terrified, she was angry and blaming him for the latest indignity they were being subjected to. Five years off his life wasn’t so bad. It would be easier to avoid some of the creeping