Chapter Thirty-Seven: Don't You Think…?

Juniper stiffens at my change of tone.

"You don't care about anyone else, do you? There are children working under your husband, children as young as eight being explo-"

"They need to make a living somehow. Do you hate him for creating employment? What has yours done besides putting him in a hospital? "

"Yeah..."

I answer with a chuckle.

"Right? My husband is the worst, but I know he wouldn’t ‘create employment opportunities’ amongst kids who should be in school. I know he wouldn’t exploit them for cheap labour and steal their chances at literacy. There is free public education in Devnia, darling; your argument isn’t fooling anyone."

"Do you think I hate your husband? I don’t.”

I ask, and answer my own question with a sigh.

“Especially since mine shot his dominant hand, so there is no way Benjamin, or whatever his name is, could have laid a hand on you. Even if he is ambidextrous, a woman in true fear would use any opportunity to escape danger. But how would you know? You’ve never bee