“I was in their presence, my Seoafin, but I’m sorry, not long enough to know their auras and be able to feel them,” she answered.
“All righty,” I whispered, sucked in another breath then looked between them both. “Do you know anything else? Who’s doing this?”
I asked this as a key scraped the lock, all three of us looked to the door then it was thrown open and I couldn’t believe my eyes or stop my mouth from dropping open when I saw Broderick saunter in followed by his lover Phobin.
No.
It couldn’t be.
But it was. He was right there and he wasn’t entering to be imprisoned.
Broderick took one look at me, his face grew hard, my heart started pumping and he turned on his lover.
“What is the matter with you?” he snapped. “She is of my blood, she is princess and she sits in filth?”
“She is prisoner,” Phobin retorted coldly.
“She is princess,” Broderick shot back then turned to address the two guards that entered with them and stood at the door. “Take the Winter Princess to my quarters. Find women to draw her a bath, find her a decent gown and bring her proper food.”
“You cannot do that, Broderick,” Phobin stated and Broderick turned on him.
“I cannot? I’m sorry; I thought it was me who just became king of two lands. Did I miss something? Was it you?”
“I’ve told you. She is of the elf, the witch said so,” Phobin clipped. “We cannot take the chance she holds any magic and escapes.”
“She is my cousin and she is princess and she will not sit in filth,” Broderick returned and Phobin’s face went hard and his eyes grew so furious and so cruel not only I shrunk back but so did Lavinia and Valentine.
Then, he strangely whispered, “Come to heel, Broderick.”
Broderick head twitched, his face going blank for a moment before his eyes flashed, he glared at Phobin and stated firmly, “A king does not heel, Phobin.”
Phobin got closer, his voice got lower and he repeated, “Come to heel.”
Broderick smiled then and, speaking softly, returned, “You fool. Did you honestly think our play in bed translated to my rule of a vast kingdom?” Broderick got closer too and his voice got softer but not so soft we couldn’t hear. “Yes, my lover, I will beg to suck your c**k and I will beg you to do other things with it but outside our bed, Phobin, hear this and know it, I rule and you come to heel or I’ll find a lover who will play like I like in bed and know his place out of it.”
Phobin’s stunned face had paled but Broderick ignored it and the three of us on the pallet, turned and walked to the guards, stopping in front of them.
Then he ordered, “Take my cousin to my chambers, she is princess and treated as such. Keep guards at the door and for the gods’ sakes, give these witches some decent blankets, palatable food, wine and water to wash up with. I do not reign like my father, learn that now and part of what you need to learn is that this treatment of women is unacceptable.”
Then he swept through the guards, leaving the cell and leaving behind a still shocked and immobile Phobin.
Then we heard from the hall, “Phobin! Come!” Phobin’s body jerked, he looked confused for a moment then he rushed out of the cell.
“Come!” one of the guards grunted at me and my eyes shot to him.
“Go, Seoafin,” Valentine whispered. “We’ll be all right.”
“Come!” the guard grunted again, starting to move forward.
I quickly glanced at Lavinia who smiled reassuringly at me then Valentine, who did the same and I set the cup I still held aside and started to get to my feet.
Then I turned to Valentine and Lavinia and whispered, “I’ll be back.”
Then I gained my feet, straightened my shoulders, tossed my hair, nodded regally to the guard and swept out of the room.
* * * * *
I tortured myself.