Chapter 34

Curling up in a beanbag by your man's feet as he works at his desk is probably a very strange thing to do, but whatever. I don't care. I'm in love with a fey prince and this is what I have to do.

I walked three paces behind him as we made our way to his office, but here, behind closed doors, things are not so formal between us.

He can give me a beanbag to sit on, and a tablet with no Wi-Fi but preloaded with movies, and appear as if he is simply pampering his pet. In case anyone walks in unannounced. He is being as nice to me as he can. And actually, a beanbag is way comfier than a chair by his side would be.

These pink cat ear headphones are a little embarrassing, but I honestly think he doesn't realise. I'm pretty sure he just ordered someone to find me some headphones, and these are what were delivered. He is not trying to make me look like a cute femboy. I don't think. Anyway, I'm not sure I would mind if he was. Femboys are hot.

Rhydian's hand reaches down and brushes tenderly over my hair, between the headphones. I lean into his touch and grin. I may look nothing more than a pampered pet, but Rhydian and I know the truth. It is clear in the air between us. The very atmosphere is weighted with our true feelings. Now that I have acknowledged my love, it feels as if everything has changed. I can see everything so much clearer now.

I love that he didn't want to leave me alone today. He knows I'm still devastated about the tylwyth. I adore that he has made being at his feet all day as comfortable as he can. He will never say soft words to me, but he shows his feelings with his actions. And his kisses.

I cough. No. I can't sit here and start thinking horny thoughts. I need to nip that train of thought in the bud. Right now. Feeling ridiculously loved up and soppy is one thing. Lust is quite another.

I need to focus on this movie I'm supposed to be watching. I'm a grown adult, it's about time I learnt how to have an attention span.

Rhydian taps me on the shoulder. I pull a headphone off one ear and look up at him.

"There has been an emergency," he says, but he doesn't look alarmed. "The prince ruling France is on his way here to discuss the best course of action."

Okay. This doesn't sound too bad.

Rhydian's gaze sweeps around the room. "We need to put your things away, and put your leash back on."

"Oh." That's fair enough. Rhydian can't exactly go around looking like a big squishy marshmallow softy in front of the leader of another country.

"You'll need to kneel," says Rhydian with a frown.

I flash him a warm smile. "It's okay, I understand."

Rhydian doesn't look convinced. His eyes look golden in this light. Golden and full of concern. "The meeting is probably going to go on for a very long time."

That sounds unpleasant. Kneeling for any length of time is uncomfortable. Hours of it are going to be hell.

"Can I go back to our rooms?" I ask.

Rhydian nods, "If you go now"

I jump to my feet and Rhydian quickly shoves the beanbag into a closet I didn't even realise was there. It looks exactly like all the walls around it. Rhydian's movements are jerky and agitated, so I hurry away. Time is clearly of the essence, and I really don't want to run into this new fey prince.

The hallway looks bright today, and not unnaturally long. The only strangeness is a few brown speckled snakes sliding along the walls and a toad croaking from somewhere that I cannot see.

I pick up my pace. I'm pretty sure I know the way. And if not, getting a little lost shouldn't be the end of the world. But my heart does not agree with me. It is racing. And my arms are clutching my new tablet to my chest as if it is a shield that can save me.

I turn a corner and my blood turns to ice. Iestyn is gliding down the hallway. Probably on his way to intrude on Rhydian's meeting. I shudder and step up as close to the wall as I can get. If anyone needs to be given a wide berth, it's this creep.

Another shudder wracks me as we pass one another.

"Little Pet," he says softly, and suddenly I can't move.

Helplessly my body turns to face him. Is it magic forcing me to, or my own instincts refusing to have a predator at my back? I have no idea.

I stare in trepidation at his slender back, and then he turns gracefully to face me. His green eyes are dull and cold. Like unpolished jade.

"You didn't curtsy,"

Oh shit. I am terrible at remembering to do that. No one has ever called me out on it before but I am not at all surprised that Iestyn is the one to do so.

"Sorry," I say, as I sink into my pathetic excuse of a curtsy.

Dyfri's instructions from forever ago ring in my ears. Iestyn is a court advisor. A vizier. That's probably as high ranking as it gets. So I better do the very lowest curtsy I can manage. I hate this motherfucking bastard with all the cold fury in my heart. But pointless and stupid acts of defiance are not going to do a thing.

"Too late for that," he hisses.

Asshole. Somehow I manage to keep my gaze firmly on the floor and not glare at him.

"You need to be punished for your insolence."

Like hell I do. It was a simple mistake. I forgot and as soon as he said anything, I apologised and made amends.

His bony fingers wrap around my arm and he shoves me through a door that's just to the side of us. I sneeze as the dust from the dimly lit, unused room attacks me. Shapeless furniture is draped in white dust sheets. It is really not the type of place I want to be alone with Iestyn in. Not that I want to be alone with him anywhere. Well, unless he was tied up and I had an enormous knife.

"Turn around and place your palms against the wall," he snaps.

I stare at him as my limbs begin to shake. He pulls something out of his belt. It looks like a riding crop.

"Every second you delay, is another lash."

My body turns around. My hands rise up and brace against the wall. I think my body has the right idea. Complying is probably the best course of action. Iestyn will hit me a few times and then let me go. I'm getting off lightly, really. There are a thousand worse things he could do to me.

A bright burst of pain burns through me, and I yelp. I want to move, to run and flee, but I grit my teeth and stay still. Running would be the very worst thing I could do.

The riding crop snaps down across my back. Again and again. The silk of my robes tears. Warm wetness drips down my back. Crack! It hits me again and I yowl. I'm not good with pain. Never have been. But at this moment, I really truly wish that I wasn't a wimp. I want to bear this silently, stoically and bravely. I don't want Iestyn to know how much he is scaring me. He doesn't deserve to have any power over me.

Another crack of the whip and this one feels as if it strikes me in the exact same place as before.

"Stop! Please! I'm sorry!" I wail.

Iestyn's hot breath brushes down my neck. He is pressed in close against me and now I want him to go back to beating me.

"You beg so prettily, Little Pet," he whispers sibilantly.

I shudder and sob. My face is wet with tears that I do not remember shedding.

"Is that why you are still alive?" he says. "His Highness likes the sounds you make too much to do the sensible thing?"

He presses in closer, pushing against all the fresh welts on my back. Agony surges. Bright and fierce. I whimper pathetically. Iestyn chuckles. Dark and insidious.

"The tylwyth made pretty noises too, at the end. Begged so sweetly for his life, I nearly changed my mind."

He is lying. He has to be. If he has murdered the tylwyth but made it look like a suicide, he must have his reasons. So why would he confess to me? Is it to scare me?

Or warn me that he knows that it was me that gave his pet the knife? A cold wave of terror washes over me.

But no, that can't be right. He can't know. Because if he did, surely he would understand that believing the tylwyth killed himself with the knife I gave him, is far more horrific than any threat.

"Don't make a nuisance of yourself, Little Pet. Or I will get rid of you too."

Ah. A simple threat and warning, then. He doesn't know it was me.

He moves his weight off of me, shoves me roughly back against the wall and then is gone. I whirl around and face the empty room. The only sound is my ragged breathing. I wipe my face with my sleeve.

No one can know about this. No one.

Especially not Rhydian.