Rule (Roam Series, Book Five) (13 page)

“
Etiquette?
I-…,”

“Be silent.” He snapped, and I closed my mouth, glaring at him. “You’ll have an opportunity to ask questions. I don’t care for your iniquitous tongue this evening.”

I bit the inside of my cheek, giving him a defiant stare.

“You’ll break to take your midday meal, and then proceed to your grandfather’s quarters for lessons in magic. Your kingdom responsibilities begin after magic; you’ll be working with my personal physician, Alexander. You’ll be able to express your artistic talent and aid him in his journaling.”

“I can barely contain my excitement.”

He moved around the bed, leaning forward to cage me in both of his arms as his palms flattened against the headboard. “When your king is speaking,
you are silent.
And despite your juvenile rant moments ago-
I am your king.
If you do not agree, then you do not recognize your responsibilities as queen.”

I lowered my eyes; I couldn’t help it. His authoritative tone- and bare chest- quickened my pulse.

“Yes… my lord.”

“After your work with Alexander, you’ll either choose- or I’ll assign you- a humanitarian task.” He must have recognized the confusion my expression. “Charity, volunteer work. Your people need a compassionate queen.”

“Every evening, you’ll join my side in the hall to dine. You’ll retire to your chamber with your women, and you will not attempt to come to my bed.”

The flush of rage that immediately swept over my bare neck and chest was not lost on him.
Uninterrupted time with your whores? Are you kidding me?

He pulled away,
softening his tone. “If you need me, at any time, you may ask for an escort to my chamber. I will always see you, no matter what the hour. What I mean, Eva, is that you will not parade yourself, dripping wet and naked, in my presence. I have no intention of consummating this marriage.”

I felt the tears burning in my sinuses, and I fought against them with all of my strength. “May I speak?”

“Yes.”

“You promise you won’t sleep with other
girls?”

“I told you, Eva. I will respect your wishes.”

What I
wished
was I could see his face more clearly. The flickering candlelight masked the truth that was always clear in his eyes.

“
I never slept with Liam.” I let the tears fill my eyes, but refused to let them drip down my cheeks. “I don’t love him. I don’t even
like
him. I… touched him… and let him touch me… so I could
stop
him. To make him mad. I just want him to hurt… like he hurt me.”

Even in the
darkness of the bedroom, I could read the pity in his expression.

“Eva,” he lowered to the bed, at my side. I looked down, tracing the intricate designs on my gown. “It is my responsibility to protect you- in every way. You are
not ready for the complications- or the intimacy- of sex.” He softened his gaze. “I must keep my distance from you.”

I lifted my eyes to his. “So you really are attracted to me, but you don’t think I’m ready.”

“Mental maturity comes with age… and experience. Unfortunately, physical maturity arrives much sooner.”

“Will- my lord,” I sighed, and he held his arms out for me.

“Just ‘Will’ when we are alone.”

“Will, I like you.
So much.
I just want you to know that. Sometimes… when I get… possessive… I act a little… crazy.”

“And that is a quality that I accept within you. Just as you accept me with my flaws, I accept you with yours.”

“Your flaws?” I echoed, scoffing. “You’re kind to everyone. You smile even when you’re
beyond
pissed off. You’re so… handsome. Tell me more about your ‘flaws.’”

He laughed quietly, tucking me against his chest and leaning against the headboard. “I have imperfections, Eva. You’ll discover them soon enough.”

“My dad has given me… everything that I want. Whenever I want it. I think I’ve become an impatient person.”

“I’ll be sure to say ‘no’ to you as often as possible,” he teased, and I c
urled into the crook of his arm with a breathy laugh.

“I guess you naturally try to model your adult life after your upbringing… that’s what I learned from my dad’s psychology books, anyway. I see my mom
worshipped by my dad, and I guess I expect the same thing.”

He was silent for a long moment, and I listened to the music change to
a nineties Shania Twain love song. “My childhood was… not as easy. I struggle every day with the temper that my father has given me.”

At the mention of his father, I bit my lip to keep from speaking. Waiting silently, he began to talk while pulling the pins out of my heavy hair.

“My father beat my sister for the first time, in front of me, when we were only eight years old. She had refused to leave the children’s quarters when he ordered her to her own rooms.”

“She was only eight?
That’s still a kid,” I defended.

“He wanted her alone.” I felt him stiffen, and I kept quiet. “He abused her. Drove her mad. Sent my mother away.”

“Will, you don’t have to talk about this.” I covered his hand gently.

“I wi
ll share this one memory,” he insisted, lacing my fingers in his. “He placed her on the throne when she turned seventeen, announcing to the kingdom that she was to be his queen. A short time after that, she tried to murder him in his bed.”

“
Oh
God
,” I felt my throat tighten as bile burned my chest. “He was… sexually… abusing her, wasn’t he.”

“I was beaten and kept in the dungeons for that time, Eva. Nine years. She endured for nine years… as long as she could.”

“Disgusting… what a monster,” I let one tear slip from my eyes, hastily wiping it away. “And he kept her alive?”

“Yes. He imprisoned her in a cell next to mine. I couldn’t see Meredith, but I could hear her.”

He cleared his throat and turned to me, brushing my cheek with his thumb. “So, as you can see, I carry my own burdens, love. I’ve had over sixty years to practice self control, and suppress my temper. You, my fiery little queen, have had only a few years.”

I melted at his endearments, leaning into his chest.

Sighing, I nodded. “Let’s be friends, okay? I’ll do everything on the daily schedule, and I’ll respect you all the time. Just understand… if you decide to creep around with the castle bitches at night, you had better sleep with your eyes open.”

He laughed, pulling the final pin from my hair to let it fall over my shoulders. “You have my word, Eva. And I do not give it often.”

Smiling, I hugged him playfully. “Great. I’m liking this arrangement. Maybe I can pretend you’re my big gay brother. We can paint each other’s toenails and gossip about the scandals in the castle.”

“Pretend what you wish. But as I said,” he tilted my face to his. “I am not immune to your perfect body, or your swift tongue. You’ll keep your distance.”

I was tempted to turn and press myself to him, but instead, I made a well-behaved effort to back against the headboard. “I’ll be good, big gay brother. I promise.”

“
I shall believe that when I see it,” he lamented, ruffling my curls playfully. Moving to pull down the comforter of the bed, I watched him carefully. “I do regret that I pulled you away from dancing so soon…,” he turned to reach for me, and I gave him my hand. “You are a talented dancer.”

“
I’ve had lessons all my life. Violet is a teacher.”

“So, you do pay attention to your lessons… when they interest you.” He grinned, swaying with me to the song.

I smothered a smile, pressing my face against his chest.

We danced for a while to clichéd love ballads, and I was surprised to find that moving with him in his arms wasn’t the least bit awkward or uncomfortable. He listened to me talk about my dance recitals, my friends (not Liam- I was
not
bringing him up again) and my art. I loved the way he listened without interrupting, asking me question after question about each subject.

“You draw the inside of the human body, and then magnify the art with glass?”

“No, I draw the magnification as though it’s part of the diagram.”

“Impressive.
The human heart took my breath away, Eva. I would love to see more of your work.”

“You will- on Saturday.” I realized I was counting the minutes until we traveled back my world.

The music stopped, and
he raised his eyebrows at me expectantly. He was at least 6’2”, and my head reached the center of his chest. I pressed my ear to his skin, loving the rumbling sound of his deep, soothing voice. “Perhaps you should prepare for bed,” he suggested, his fingers touching the sleeve of my wedding gown.

“Slip into something more… comfortable?” I lowered my voice to sound like Mae West from my dad’s old movies. He stilled,
threading his fingers through mine and lifting my hand high in the air.

“Yes. But first,” he drew a slow circle in the air with our intertwined hands, his gaze captivating, “What song shall we have next, love?”

I didn’t have to think. My heart thudded in my chest, and a song began that I didn’t recognize. Freezing, I squeezed his hand. “I… didn’t play this song. How did I do this?”

“This is Eric Clapton. It is called ‘Wonderful Tonight.’” He dropped our hands, taking a step back. “I was thinking of your beauty, especially in the candlelight.”

No one has ever been able to play a song through me… not my parents, or Violet or Chris… or Liam or anyone.

“I better… go change. Thank you,” I whispered, hurrying to the enormous bathroom.

A long, white nightgown was left hanging on the door, and I changed quickly. The empire waist and silken folds made me chuckle at my reflection.
I
look like the sacrificial virgin from some old Conan movie.
Rolling my eyes, I made sure to brush my teeth and attempt to organize my hair before rejoining Will.

He lay on his side on the bed, propping his head up with his elbow as he waited for me.
Sprawling across the bed on my stomach, I scissored my legs in the air next to him. With a quick wave, I settled on Bob Marley. His hand lowered to my back, tracing my shoulders before tenderly kneading into my muscles. I sighed, relaxing and closing my eyes.

When I began talking about magic, I had his undivided attention.

“… and so Logan is immortal, like Violet. And they get to live happily ever after.” I shrugged. “And that was the last time I practiced magic… other than my being able to make you see whatever I want you to see when I play music with my mindpod.”

“Mindpod?”

“iPod… it’s a small- oh, never mind, not important.”

“So you are telling me that the shot you took at the assassin was purely skill?”

“What, you think I had an enchanted bullet or something?” I scoffed, rolling over to my stomach and propping my hands under my chin. “I have been shooting since I was four years old. I’m more comfortable with a gun in my hands than a hair brush.”

“I can imagine why,” he brushed a ringlet away from my eyes.

Grinning, I caught his hand in mine. “Tell me something about you- that isn’t scary, and doesn’t involve beatings, torture, or incest.”

He held his fingers up, pretending to mentally run through stories, folding each finger down slowly with a shake of his head.

I laughed, pushing against his shoulder. “Come on, you have to have one happy memory. Please.”

“Yes,” his voice deepened, and I waited for him to begin. “I do remember one icy night,
two years ago… here. I patrolled the mountain door to your world, keeping watch. Though it was not my obligation, I volunteered for the shift. I cannot explain why I felt that I
needed
to be there.” His eyes swept over me with such devotion that I was forced to look away shyly.

“
I found the infant at the gate, crying in the snow, only days old. By some grace of God, she was unharmed- and I was alone.” He reached for an errant curl at my ear, looping his finger through the ringlet. “All of that red hair… more than I’d ever seen on a newborn babe.”

“Me?”

He nodded, his fingers tracing over my jaw. I lowered my chin to my hands, gazing up at him from the bed. “I saw that you were hidden from the guards. If and when my father returned, you’d surely have been executed. I knew you were the child of the sun; the bringer of the prophecy.” He sighed. “I hid you in the dungeons with the woman Laurel. My mother helped me care for you. You remained here for two days before your father took you home.”

“How did I end up here?”

“Your parents tried to take you through a fountain. Because you possessed magic within you already, other magical gateway enchantments, like the fountains, will always send you to your… destiny. Your life’s intended purpose… your
home
. When you were found here, I knew you’d one day live in Icepond. In speaking with Asher, I learned that your presence here would stop our burning kingdom… just as your death would save this world… but burn Earth.”