My resolve hardens, and I lift my chin. “No.”
His jaw tics, his patience fraying. “What has gotten into you? You're my wife. It is your duty to return with me."
I'm not your wife.
I'm not your anything.
Those words beg for a voice, but I dare not utter them. Not when those men in cages, especially the one with blue eyes, haunt me. I cannot end up like them—abandoned, left to die.
I allow Jasce to turn me back toward the palace, to the unknown and the game of pretend I never agreed to.
* * *
As Jasce leadsme to his bedchamber, I keep my hands tucked away so he won’t see the way they tremble. He opens the door, and I slip under his arm.
My skin burns as my nerves tighten and coil inside me. He could kill me for this. I have heard of men killing their wives for less.
A shudder ripples down my back as I stroll to the sofa and sink to the soft cushion. Too bad it cannot swallow me and take me away from this man and his withering stare.
Truly, this man’s scowl could make the mightiest of men crumble.
“I’m sorry,” I say in a rush.
He doesn’t speak.
“I’m really, really sorry.” Maybe if I apologize enough, he won’t throw me in a cage along with those men from House of Silver.
He visually stiffens, but he still doesn’t speak.
“Jasce,” I say, trying again. “I’m sor—”
“—stop!”
I flinch and slip my fingers higher into my sleeves.
Frustration sparks behind his eyes as he speaks. “I don’t need you to apologize. I need you to promise to never do something that foolhardy again.”
“I know how to take care of myself.”
“Do you?” He arches an eyebrow. “You were covered in flames when I found you.”
Instinctively, I run my fingertips against my skin. The fire hadn’t harmed me. Not even a little.
“Just because your magic protects you from fire doesn’t mean you should chase trouble. There are other dangers to worry about.”
Lyra is immune to fire?
Jasce widens his stance and crosses his arms, as though he’s fortifying his position and plans to stay for a while. “Why were you in the city?”
“I wanted t-to take a walk.”
He barely gives me time to finish before demanding. “Why did you run?”
“I was afraid,” I say honestly.
“Iwas there. You had no need to be afraid.”
Somehow that thought isn’t comforting, even if he did kill three men for me.
