Chapter 22: I Win Much in Games of Chance

Without intending to she whipped her head to look over her shoulder. “How could you not?” The sullied rag hung limply from her hand.

I didn’t reside here.

I can’t physically live here anyway. He was so fascinated with the sudden intensity of her vibrant blue gaze it took him awhile to muster an answer.

Be a man! Look away. He chastised himself. Remember who you are, Man! You’re able to weaken women with a smile. You’re a stallion! A mighty beast able to cut a man down with a single swing of your sword.

“Are you a fool?” Her cold words dashed his inner encouragement.

She may be a better swordsman than me.

He winced. “I hadn’t thought so.”

“Then how could you possibly have failed to notice if your home was once beautiful? The floor is twined marble in need of shining. The paint is still crisp and bright. The tapestries tastefully selected, particularly the couple on the bench there. She gestured to the wall next to him. And the hunting dogs there.” She pointed to the other side and he had to turn to glimpse it to recall its existence.

I had hardly noticed them. They were so dirty they were nearly black.

“Because it’s only recently became my home.”

“You just acquired it?” Her eyes faded to dark blue. Looking as though he’d struck her.

“In a game of chance.”

Her brows lowered and her face clouded.

Perhaps that bit of prodding was too far.

Turning fully, she bestowed a frigid glower on him that somehow did indeed make the room chill enough the curtains waved in a breeze. Hopping off the chair, she skid the chair with her foot making a horrendous scraping. Her eyes turned a luminescing light blue and the room crackled. A silver haze crossed the walls making them glint in firelight.

“Ah.” He puffed frosty breath before holding a hand out to the steam. “This is your skill? Why your father thought you too dangerous even to wager?”

“Is that what he said?” Her face blanched with pain and he was instantly contrite.

Great job Stallion. A niggling voice taunted him. There was no need for her to know that.

I only meant to make conversation. I’m dearly out of practice. A small part of him admitted that she unsettled him.

“Clear enough.” She gave a decisive nod. Tossing the dirtied rag onto the settee with a puff of dust.

I shouldn’t have said it. I’m sorry. His face went through varying stages of apology and grimacing as he tried to summon a way to articulate the apology without further inciting her.

“So, tell me,” She crossed her arms and gave him the woman’s look.

A hateful narrowed eye thing only the fairer sex can master.

“if you had no designs on me, than why have you brought me to this isolated place, only recently acquired, versus your true home?”

His gray gaze slid sideways before returning to her to eye her as though she were an animal preparing to go feral. It does seem ill intended.

I can’t explain to her I have no true home.

“Sounds albeit how one tends a new mistress, does it not?” She huffed. “Or, at minimum, one he intends to have as such!” Her lush upper lip was curling.

Feral. She’s going to go.

Unsure what to say, he met her venom. “It’s good you’re so wise and have such vast understanding of men.” His sarcasm was clear.

How dare she call me a liar and besmirch my honor in one blow.

“Oh…” She widened her eyes and feigned innocence. “Ire it is then.” She quirked a haughty brow. “Is it your honor that reacts so viciously? So, tell me this, if you are so honorable why is there no one here to ensure my honor remains intact? No servant, no friend, not even a lady’s maid to tend me?”

His mouth went a little slack. Truthfully, I hadn’t considered it.

I haven’t been around a lady in some time. Saying that would be foolish. He bit his tongue. Feeling his jaw ticking.

“Now you fall so quiet? Is it the calm before the storm?” She antagonized. Turning her head like any practiced maid feigning coyness. “Whatever did I say?”

“What haven’t you said? One conversation and I’m near to wringing your neck.”

“I fear you wouldn’t find that nearly as easy a task as you suspect.” She notched her chin in challenge.

He eyed the slender length of her throat and looked down at his broad dark hands meaningfully. Giving her a mockingly quizzical look. “Don’t you see how wide and thick I am in comparison to your delicate shape?”

“Delicate?” She scoffed. “I am taller than any woman in Ardae, I’m sure.”

He stepped forward until he was nearly nose to nose with her. Lowering his head to reach her level. “Yet not nearly as tall as me.”

She ran her tongue over her teeth with a click. “You do not frighten me.”

Crooking a finger, he lifted her chin to look deeper into her lovely eyes. “Ah, but I think I do…”

“What can you possibly mean?”

“I mean you quiver at my touch. You struggle to lock eyes with me. Your eyes trail my movements the same as mine follow yours. Yes, I think I do frighten you.”

“Ha!” She scoffed. Jerking from him she spun on her heel and fled across the room to the bucket of water on the floor aside the grate. Ferociously tearing rags, she began scrubbing the grate itself.

“You waste your time with that. As you know full well.”

“Leave me be.”

“As you wish.” He bowed out of the room. As he lowered, Thadeus cawed in objection and flew back down the halls.

She barely spared him a glance as he left.