A Savage Debt (The Beholden Duet #1) - Zoey Ellis Page 0,6

staged this farce? Riches? Gold? Is it land you’re after? Perhaps a pardon for your sorry life?”

“All of those things are irrelevant and unnecessary,” Maddoc growled. “There is only one thing of unmatched value that I want.”

“What is it?”

“Your daughter. For three nights.”

2

The air in Ana’s lungs turned thick. Her chest tightened and her breath hitched in her throat as she tried to make sense of the words she just heard.

“My… What the fuck did you say to me?” her father bellowed, rising to his feet.

Maddoc remained still. The guards watched him closely, tightening their fists on their weapons, but none of them moved.

“I will not negotiate my daughter,” he bellowed again. “You will fucking die before you get in a room with her.”

Ana gripped the arms of her chair, trying to find a way to take a breath. Her? What could he possibly want with her?

“Three nights,” Maddoc repeated.

“Arrest him!” her father roared.

The royal guards moved in, but Maddoc still didn’t move. His fierce gaze remained on the king, and the way he looked at him, Ana was sure he saw something about her father the rest of them couldn’t see. She didn’t like it what it implied.

“What is worth more to you, Orick?” Maddoc finally said, his gritty voice quiet. “Your daughter’s honor or your throne? If you renege on the promise, your reign is over. You know it. You can arrest me, you can blame me and my men for it. But it doesn’t change the fact that you will be the king who denied a commoner, a man who saved your life, the Royal Promise.”

At that, the court quietened again. Even the guards, who the king ordered to arrest him, stopped when they surrounded him, waiting for the king to reaffirm his instruction.

“I am not asking you to give up your kingdom, your wealth, or your reign. I’m not even asking you to give up your alliances or make use of them for my cause. Just three nights with your daughter.” He paused. “You can understand that an Alpha has needs.”

The heat that rushed to Ana’s head made her dizzy. She lowered her head as her cheeks burned. So that was what he wanted. Of course. How foolish of her not to immediately think of it.

“You are a fucking savage,” the queen said, her face contorted with disgust. It was the first time Ana heard her mother speak in such a way,

A dark leer entered his tone, even though his expression didn’t change. “A savage keen on trying royal pussy, yes.”

A murmur rippled through the hall again, and the queen wrinkled her nose as she turned away. A fresh rush of blazing embarrassment clawed up Ana’s neck.

“That is not an appropriate request,” the king thundered. “My daughter is not—”

“I don’t give a fuck what you feel is appropriate,” Maddoc interrupted, his voice rising above its low tone for the first time. “She is over twenty years old and well over the age of an adult, as set by Allandis law. In some parts of this kingdom, women her age are working, with six or seven children running around their feet while carrying the next. I assure you, your daughter is well-equipped to handle me for three nights—at least we shall see if she is.”

Frantic desperation rose as Ana twisted her fingers around each other in her lap. Father had to find a way to get rid of him. It was not possible for her to spend any time with this man at all. Her father couldn’t allow it. He just couldn’t.

“I don’t care about what is happening elsewhere in the kingdom,” the king stormed. “We are discussing my daughter. She’s not only royalty but an Omega, not some cheap whore you can rent by the half hour. She will not lay with you.”

“Then you are refusing?”

In the silence that followed, Ana dared not to look anywhere else but at her father’s face. Although he was usually impassive at court events, rage had twisted and reddened his face, making him more expressive than usual. His feelings were clear—he didn’t want this man to have access to her, but when he did not immediately answer yes, Ana’s heart began to pound.

“Good,” the outlaw said, gruffly. “The repayment terms for your debt are three consecutive nights with the princess, dusk until dawn, in a room in the palace with an east facing window. I’m sure you have a room suitable.”

With each word from his mouth, Ana’s panic grew. Her