The Hunchback's Reluctant Bride ✔

30 | Changes

The giants had several mules. Vadde kept her eyes on this one. It wasn't Bluebell but it was young. Thoughts fell to Wyrn and she wondered if he'd miss it.

With his mother's talent at skullduggery, Vadde took little comfort in knowing he was unaware of the state of things.

Wyrn.

Sitting up, bound feet anchored down by the metal chain, Vadde fought to keep her mind off of him. This feeling of hate was so strong, and grew so quickly, that she feared it.

She was also afraid of what was happening to her. The chain still smoked whenever she tried to shift her feet. It must have been no heavier than a rope and yet she could not move even her toes from the pain, not even slightly. The first attempt she made at moving the thing scorched her fingers. It was iron...and she could not touch it.

Thoughts fell to Wyrn's back. She imagined trying to make love with him now with metal on him.

And she hated herself for it. That wasn't where her thoughts should lie. He was no longer an option. The slow pace of the wagon had given her more than enough time to form some conclusions. Even when she tried to give him the benefit of the doubt, she still couldn't. Before, Wyrn could not see Matax and Jeze. Perhaps...when Vadde herself looked like a fairy, he could not see her.

But he'd doused her in powder. Couldn't he make her face out? The shape of her. Perhaps she was given their love too much credit.

And he'd known the male fairy had lost the female so couldn't he have imagined it was the wrong one?

Was that fair to expect that from him?

If she was being truthful to herself, she supposed it wasn't. The first day in his captivity as a fairy had been so difficult. Watching him sitting there fighting back tears as he offered her the apple. She'd thought it was because he'd realized it was her and that they could not be with one another.

Now, traveling slowly in the wagon, she wasn't sure what to think. She should have stayed lying now because it was impossible to shift her position with the iron on her feet.

Wyrn.

Face buried in her knees, she allowed herself to think of him now. She had to. It was either him or...or Orm.

A glance at the prince showed the man's eager smile as he looked back at her.

"You and I are to be well-acquainted."

Vadde swallowed down her disgust.

He reached back, splaying her legs with his free hand before brushing the skirt up over her knees.

The chill of the night air didn't disturb Vadde as much as the pleased expression on the man's face.

"I knew it. You wear nothing below." He turned and clicked his tongue, urging the mule to move faster. "But I suppose that's what they kept you for."

Vadde was slow to push her dress up and over her knees once more.

When he looked back next to discover her that way, his smile vanished.

"When I move something or put you some way, you do not dare undo it."

Vadde's heart pounded but she'd thought to keep that defiance. The moment he slowed the wagon, she hiked her dress up so that he could see what he wanted yet again.

His gaze lingered on her for a disturbingly long time before he faced forward once more and concentrated on their path.

A pit formed in Vadde's stomach, and she fought back the panic setting in. This time when she thought of Wyrn, she feared him finding her like this. What would he think? Shouldn't she at least put up a fight, however futile?