A House of Crimson palace?
Impossible!
“This isn’t amusing.” I crane my neck, trying to see past him into the hallway. “Tell Asha I want to go home.”
He shrugs. “I don’t know who Asha is.”
I let out a frustrated sigh. “Asha is my sister.”
“You don’t have any sisters.” He steps into the room and allows the door to slam shut.
Maybe I should back up or at least hunt for a weapon. Instead, I lift my chin, trying to be brave,needingto be brave as he crosses the bedchamber to a table and pours himself a goblet of wine.
“I have three sisters.”Well, three that are living.
I step closer to him, taking in as many details as possible. The dark hair. Brown eyes. Bronzed skin. The immaculate surcoat. And the polished, expensive boots. Even the sword attached to his hip. The hilt has a phoenix engraving, like every Hematite from House of Crimson.
“Y-your…” I lick my lips, hating the stammering, the sign of weakness Grandfather loathes so much.
“Only those with a twisted tongue stammer, Annora. Are you weak in mind?”His words pierce more than my ears. They pierce my heart.
The man arches his eyebrow again as he takes a long drink of his wine. There’s something so familiar about his arrogance. So distasteful.
Chills slip down my back as I lower my gaze to the signet ring on his thumb. I have seen that ring in sketches. The Hematite chieftain and his four sons wear them.
My heart slams against my chest as the reality of who this man is dawns on me “Your father is the Hematite’s chieftain. And you’re Jasce, his eldest son.” The second part is only a hunch.
Jasce’s smirk is enough to tell me I guessed correctly.
Don’t panic.
Please, don’t panic.
I slip my trembling fingers into my sleeves instead of following the urge to jump from the window.
“Count, Annora.”Mother’s encouraging voice whispers in my ears.
One.
Does he know I’m from House of Silver?
Two.
Does he know who I am?
Three.
Why am I here?
Four.
Mother’s trick isn’t working this time.
“Am I your prisoner?” I blurt out.
“Prisoner?” He yawns like our conversation bores him. “I didn’t know being my wife made you a prisoner.”
His wife?
