I ball my fingers into fists and wince at the throbbing in my arm. My injury still hurts. “Surely, that’s not acceptable. After all, she’s to marry the nephew of your leader.”
“It’s not acceptable.”
“What are you going to do about it?” I cannot act, but Gabriel can.
“What would you like me to do?” No mockery lingers from Gabriel’s words. Only sincerity.
In one fluid motion, I roll to my side and prop myself up on my elbow to get a better look at him. “Kill them!”
His brow rises. “You want me to murder someone because they threw food at Kassandra?”
Of course, I don’t actually want him to murder people for throwing food.
“It was rotten,” I say through my teeth. “And it upset her.”
“You…” He brushes his fingers against my jaw. Slowly. Tenderly. “...are full of spite and vengeance.”
“I don’t actually wish them dead.” I grab his hand, holding it against my cheek. Tingles spread through me at the gentle contact. “I just want you to make an example out of them.”
“How would you like me to do that?” He pulls away and rotates to his back.
I roll my eyes. “Must I think of everything?”
“If I allowed you to think of everything, I would have to murder an unnamed offender,” he says dryly.
“I said I don’t want you to kill them.”
“I know.” Sarcasm lines his tone, as if he doesn’t believe me.
“Tie them up.” I punctuate each word with a jerk of my hand. “Parade them through the city. Then, lock them in the pillory for the night.” In a pillory, they would be forced to remain standing. Their arms would be shoved into wooden slats. They wouldn’t be able to move. Wouldn’t be able to protest when people walked past and threw insults their way.
“It shall be done,” Gabriel says, his tone sincere and forthright.
That easily?
Is he jesting with me?
I inch back a fraction and study his face. Genuineness shines in his eyes. Determination deepens the lines across his forehead.
“Truly?”
“Yes,” he says with a nod. “I will look for the people responsible, then I will carry out your wish.”
Can he do that?
“They will let you?”
A smirk tugs at the corners of his mouth. “Let?”
“Will you have to ask Alden for permission?”
“Why are you full of so many questions?” Gabriel asks, his voice a tease, a reminder that I’m not supposed to be so revealing.
A sigh escapes me as I sink back against my pillow and stare up at the ceiling. “Why are you so evasive all the time?”
He doesn’t answer. Not that I believed he would.
“Gabriel.” I shift closer and brush my fingers against his arm, the one covered from shoulder to wrist in a tattoo. “Will we leave Astarobane soon?”
