Raynor. You are not to forget that, or your place. You are here for one thing and one thing only. Do we have this understanding?” Those handsome features were taut with fury and his teeth ground together, making a gritty sound she felt all the way down to her toes.
Holy crap. All that reassurance about her worth was nothing more than drivel. He despised her! He might be willing to join with her in order to bequeath an heir, but he hated her, or at least the idea of her. What else hadn’t Bast told her? What had she missed? She thought because Lysett needed her, he would treat her with courtesy, maybe even affection. Something shriveled in the middle of her chest, curling in on itself, and this time, she was unable to contain the sudden tears welling up from deep inside of her. Stupid heart. Stupid hope. She closed her eyes and retreated, managing a tiny nod. Get it over with.
“Master.” Bast’s reproachful voice danced on the edge of her consciousness as she found a place to hide, deep within herself.
“Enough. We will try this again tomorrow. Ensure she is prepared, or face the consequences. I require an heir in one year’s time, or at the very least, evidence a child is developing in her body.”
“I understand.”
When she dared to crack her eyelids again, Lysett was gone. Bast pressed down here and there on the bed, and it released her. He drew a robe over her for modesty as she scrambled free, mortified she’d been naked in front of him now the elixir had worn off. He scurried about, gathering up the Ruler’s discarded clothing and avoided making eye contact.
“Your master is an ass.” At the man’s gasp, Celeste wanted to call her comment back. Maybe they really did cut off people’s heads here for calling the Ruler names.
She decided she didn’t care. Bast had maybe fed her a load of hog slop for reasons she didn’t comprehend—and she didn’t much care about learning those either. She found refuge in anger.
“Lady Celeste—”
“I hope the Ruler has a couple of back up concubines, because if he treats all women the way he treated me…” She tied the robe with jerky motions, tugging at the fabric in an attempt to bleed off her anger. The jerk probably had back up. She wasn’t feeling rejected or humiliated. Absolutely not. What she was experiencing was rage, and that man could just go and find somebody else to beget his heirs on. Jackass. Tears burned at the back of her eyes but damned if she’d let them fall.
Bast blanched, clutching the bundle of clothes to his chest. Okay, maybe she was feeling a little humiliated. He’d been in the room while his master had dismissed her like moldy cheese and he’d seen her naked. She was done with Meridia’s customs.
“If you only give me a moment. My Master has … that is, he has certain responsibilities and—”
“I didn’t sign up for this. I could have stayed back home and let Roy Dupuis treat me like crap.”
“I don’t know who this Roy Doo-pwee is, that you speak of, Lady Celeste, but rest assured the Ruler will not tolerate… I mean to say…”
Where was the sanguine mentor from the past weeks? Her teacher and almost friend? Lysett had clearly upset Bast as well. Unless Bast had held things back from her. Celeste shut her eyes, playing back the conversation while she’d lay spread out like a sacrifice. Of course, he had. Definite hog slop. The Ruler had issues all right, and no amount of preparation would suffice. She shoved the ridiculous hero worship she’d been cultivating to the back of her mind. All of the Ruler’s accomplishments, especially his fair and equitable means of governing, had been touted, including his treatment of those less-fortunate species, and she’d built an exemplary male in her mind. No one was that perfect. She had to swallow the realization she’d made a really bad decision in accepting Meridia’s offer—and to compound it, this particular offer—and now she was stuck
Holy crap. All that reassurance about her worth was nothing more than drivel. He despised her! He might be willing to join with her in order to bequeath an heir, but he hated her, or at least the idea of her. What else hadn’t Bast told her? What had she missed? She thought because Lysett needed her, he would treat her with courtesy, maybe even affection. Something shriveled in the middle of her chest, curling in on itself, and this time, she was unable to contain the sudden tears welling up from deep inside of her. Stupid heart. Stupid hope. She closed her eyes and retreated, managing a tiny nod. Get it over with.
“Master.” Bast’s reproachful voice danced on the edge of her consciousness as she found a place to hide, deep within herself.
“Enough. We will try this again tomorrow. Ensure she is prepared, or face the consequences. I require an heir in one year’s time, or at the very least, evidence a child is developing in her body.”
“I understand.”
When she dared to crack her eyelids again, Lysett was gone. Bast pressed down here and there on the bed, and it released her. He drew a robe over her for modesty as she scrambled free, mortified she’d been naked in front of him now the elixir had worn off. He scurried about, gathering up the Ruler’s discarded clothing and avoided making eye contact.
“Your master is an ass.” At the man’s gasp, Celeste wanted to call her comment back. Maybe they really did cut off people’s heads here for calling the Ruler names.
She decided she didn’t care. Bast had maybe fed her a load of hog slop for reasons she didn’t comprehend—and she didn’t much care about learning those either. She found refuge in anger.
“Lady Celeste—”
“I hope the Ruler has a couple of back up concubines, because if he treats all women the way he treated me…” She tied the robe with jerky motions, tugging at the fabric in an attempt to bleed off her anger. The jerk probably had back up. She wasn’t feeling rejected or humiliated. Absolutely not. What she was experiencing was rage, and that man could just go and find somebody else to beget his heirs on. Jackass. Tears burned at the back of her eyes but damned if she’d let them fall.
Bast blanched, clutching the bundle of clothes to his chest. Okay, maybe she was feeling a little humiliated. He’d been in the room while his master had dismissed her like moldy cheese and he’d seen her naked. She was done with Meridia’s customs.
“If you only give me a moment. My Master has … that is, he has certain responsibilities and—”
“I didn’t sign up for this. I could have stayed back home and let Roy Dupuis treat me like crap.”
“I don’t know who this Roy Doo-pwee is, that you speak of, Lady Celeste, but rest assured the Ruler will not tolerate… I mean to say…”
Where was the sanguine mentor from the past weeks? Her teacher and almost friend? Lysett had clearly upset Bast as well. Unless Bast had held things back from her. Celeste shut her eyes, playing back the conversation while she’d lay spread out like a sacrifice. Of course, he had. Definite hog slop. The Ruler had issues all right, and no amount of preparation would suffice. She shoved the ridiculous hero worship she’d been cultivating to the back of her mind. All of the Ruler’s accomplishments, especially his fair and equitable means of governing, had been touted, including his treatment of those less-fortunate species, and she’d built an exemplary male in her mind. No one was that perfect. She had to swallow the realization she’d made a really bad decision in accepting Meridia’s offer—and to compound it, this particular offer—and now she was stuck
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