Quickly, one of the guards procures a whip and places it into Caleb’s outstretched hand.“M-my King,” Veronica says quickly, terror making her voice wobble. “I’m confused. If you intend to honor me by whipping this slave, then why remove me as your favorite…?”Caleb narrows his eyes at Veronica. His
Relieved to be alone, I plop down on the stool and breathe. I can still hear the screaming. I think I’ll hear it even after it stops – definitely it will haunt my nightmares tonight.A moment later, another slave enters the chamber. Her garb is similar to mine, but with an additional halter top unde
I don’t roll my eyes, but I really, really want to. Fortunately, having been a servant to my sister Leah these past three years has helped train me to always present an outward poise, even when inwardly, I am disgusted and annoyed.“Tell me again how you wish to please me,” Caleb says, self-satisfie
“I-I didn’t do anything…?” I say, gasping. I reach my hands up, clawing at his where he’s grabbing my throat.“You slipped me a sleeping pill,” he growls, voice spitting fire. “Those are banned.”“I didn’t!”His hand tightens, cutting off my air supply even further.“Please!”“Someone drugged me wit
Nina – the woman my pack previously sacrificed to the Lycan King?“You’re alive…” I am seeing her with my own two eyes and still can’t believe it.No one was ever truly sure what happens the tributes once they were sent off as devotion to the King. Some women, we knew, were selected to be members of
I shiver at the thought, but press my words forward. “He wouldn’t pull anything from me, even under torture. Nina, there’s never been any child. I’ve never been pregnant. If he does have a child, it’s not with me.”Nina flicks her gaze over my face. I keep my expression open, hoping she can see my s
Nina walks out of Harper’s rooms and rejoins her companion Molly who waited for her in the hallway. When their eyes lock, Molly lifts her brow in silent question. Nina smirks in reply.Nina continues past her, making her way to the stairwell. Molly follows in step behind her. They travel in silence
“Enter,” Caleb commands.I open the door and slink inside, careful to catch and close the door again behind me.Caleb’s office sizeable, with a wide desk and floor to ceiling bookshelves lining every wall but the back one, which is made up of windows instead. Aside from the desk, a chaise lounge sit
The loud pop of a gunshot makes me jump. Unfortunately, I’m very familiar with that sound, from far too many close encounters at the palace.I look toward the door. Caleb still isn’t back yet.“Wait!” Cameron calls. Stepping toward us, his hand is raised. “It’s too dangerous!”I don’t have time to w
As Bethany talk, I learn more about her than I ever have before. It makes me feel like a truly awful friend. Bethany has stood by me through thick and thin, yet I still knew so little about her. I’m determined to rectify this oversight, and dive into her life here and now as much as I can.Yet, whil
Holding the note, I moved toward the bed and sat down on the edge. Caleb, finished with his shower, comes out of the shower looking relaxed as can be. The moment he sees me perched on the bed, he tenses again.“What happened? What’s going on?” he asks, his voice all business.I hold up the small not
The stare-off continues for an uncomfortably long amount of time. Around us, I see Gladys’s servants take notice, and my own worry sets in. If this continues, will they attack Caleb? Is Caleb willing to go to war to keep me safe and by his side?I fear I already know the answer to that.Yet, before
Even so, with the drama, I worry about the food getting cold. It does look good and a cook took the time to make it. I quickly cut a bite of the fish and eat it.Though my stomach is in knots, the fish is delicious so I force it down.“Careful, stepmother,” Caleb says, giving weight to the word I’ve
Of all the awkward, uncomfortable diners I have sat through over the years, this one has to be the worst. And that includes the ones right after my public disgrace, when I went from being the pride of my parents to their servant instead, with my sister taking my place.Gladys, Caleb, and I are in th
Caleb releases his hold from around my waist. Instead he takes my hands in his, then brings them both to his lips to kiss the backs of them, one after the other.Still holding my hands, he leads me toward the bed. There, releases my hand to grab one of the lamps from the nightstand. Carefully, he li
“Come with me,” Gladys says, her eyes flitting between Caleb and me. “I’d be happy to give you a tour of my home.”“That would be very kind, thank you,” Caleb says, his voice dripping with false diplomacy. It matches Gladys’s own.“Thank you,” I say, softer.Gladys turns and slowly leads the way out
Looking out the window, I watch as the car follows the winding tunnel road up and out of the underground.Caleb and I sit in the back seat while a driver sits up front, hidden from us, and us from him behind a partition.The view sends me back to the last time Caleb and I left the capital behind, wh