from lashing out at him like I wanted to at being treated like a damn dog! But then being smart about this meant a chance of discovering the purpose of why he was acting this way. The details of which I hoped were explained to me very, very soon.
So, I did as he demanded of me, which meant that when I lowered this time, I did so without taking my eyes from his. And my reward for this was that crimson glow that told me he liked what he saw, despite the charade he was supposed to be playing. I swallowed hard at both the heated gaze that held nothing but carnal promises and the knowledge that there was his Kingdom at my back. Because right then I felt about as far away from the title of his Queen as I could possibly get. Something that left a bitter taste in my mouth seeing as he was the one purposely putting me there. It was messing with my emotions, as trying to rationalise every minute that ticked by was becoming harder to do with every seemingly heartless action he made against me.
Once I was down, he nodded to the demonic looking leash and the second I glanced at it, he tutted, flicked two fingers up and mouthed,
‘Eyes’
So, I braved narrowing my own briefly, before feeling out with my hand for the leash, and the second I found it, yelped in pain as it pricked my skin. I wanted to growl at that arrogant raised brow of his, the one that silently challenged me. But instead of cursing his name, I concentrated on the degrading task at hand. Which meant that without looking at what I was doing, I felt around for the collar, thinking this was a safer choice…despite knowing what it was destined for.
“Oww,” I muttered making him grin sadistically before flicking two fingers, telling me to rise. But then the moment I was up, he took the collar from my bleeding hand and started to stretch it, making it slightly bigger and doing so with startling ease. Then he put his hand through the metal loop, so it was resting at his wrist, which freed up his heavy gauntleted hands. This was done so he could gently shift my hair before he placed the collar around my neck. I knew he locked it at the back the second I heard a click and his hands lifted from my neck.
I raised my hand up to touch it, feeling the inch-thick ring along with the weight of it now laying heavily against my skin. However, I now noticed that due to it being stretched it rested lower than my injury so it would not rub against where the prison guard had tried to strangle me to death…which meant he cared.
After this he picked up the leash, obviously not fearing injury like I had, and wrapped a section around his fist that thankfully was enough to cause tension and lift the dangerous spikes away from touching my body. Then he ordered,
“Come, my troublesome little Mortal, it is time to sit by your Master’s feet.” I swear my eyes nearly popped out of my head at this. But he had turned towards his throne and after a slight tug, I was prompted to follow behind him, like the slave he claimed me to be. But then he continued on a few steps beyond his throne and I was left frowning in question as to what he was planning next? However, one question soon morphed into another as he reached up with his free hand so he could fist the length of crimson material behind his throne. And it was now that it finally hit me where I had seen that image at its centre before…
Lucius’ sigil.
How the hell had I missed that from when I first arrived at this Gods forsaken place! I flinched when he suddenly tore it down and dragged the length of it behind him back to his throne where he dumped the mound of it at the foot of his colossal horned seat. Then it became clear his intentions as he nodded down to it and so everyone could hear, he ordered,
“You can sit there, my slave, for we wouldn’t want you going numb before your punishment, now would we?” Then he grinned and welcomed the room of sniggers that hit my eyes along with the wave of sound. But then, with a brief look, I could see