“I had to punish you,” says Rhydian.
“I know,” I reply calmly.
His gaze rakes over me. “Are you going to become all hysterical?”
My cheeks start burning before I’ve even registered what he has said. Memories of my reaction to being spanked come flooding back. Talk about dramatic. And talk about what a pervert I am. Here I am, all but brushing off a punishment because it was sexual, whereas physical discipline had me falling apart.
“No,” I say, and it sounds sulky and petulant to my own ears.
I cringe and wait for Rhydian’s displeasure, but he merely says, “Good.”
I look up at him in surprise. He looks stressed. I can see it in the slight pinching around his beautiful eyes and in the tension around his generous mouth.
Shit. I’ve probably caused all sorts of problems for him to deal with. I’ve probably made him look weak or some bullshit like that. I don’t understand politics, never have. Even when it was just the everyday office variety that I was exposed to. Like the time everyone was being super nice to the new HR woman, and I didn’t clock why until Steve told me she was the one who would be sifting through promotion applications. The weaving politics of a fey court are far beyond my comprehension.
“Is everything going to be okay?” I ask.
Rhydian huffs. “Is anything ever okay?”
The bitter tone in his voice pulls on my heartstrings. It makes me want to hug him and hold him close and tell him that everything is going to work out just fine. But I can’tdo that, he wouldn’t let me. And I don’t make promises I’m not sure I can keep.
“Is Ninian’s family going to be upset?” I ask instead, because gently steering the conversation in a different direction is the best I can do for now.
“Yes,” he says curtly. “But not in the way you are thinking. They are mourning the loss of a chess piece.”
I stare at him. “That’s awful.”
He says nothing, but his eyes say he agrees with me. He is far kinder than he will ever admit. I know he is. I didn’t miss the fact that he knew Ninian’s name. A lowly rhocyn of his court, and he still knew exactly who he was. Because Rhydian cares, he is just not allowed to show it.
He starts to turn away. “I need to save what is left of my reputation.”
I’m falling out of bed and tripping over my half falling off robes in my desperation to reach him. I grab his sleeve and he freezes.
“Is there anything I can do to help?” I plead.
I contributed to this mess, it is only fair that I help clean it up.
He regards me thoughtfully for a long, long moment. “Look well punished,” he says eventually.
My lungs start working again. I hadn’t realised they had stopped. “I can do that,” I promise.
He gives me another long, lingering look. Then he clicks his fingers and Pinky appears with a bowl of warm water and a pile of washcloths. Rhydian watches me as I hastily clean myself up as best I can.
When I’m done, Pinky scurries away with the now dirty water and clothes. I look up at Rhydian as if seeking his approval.
He nods and starts pulling my robes up to cover my shoulders. Arranging them neatly in place and tying them snugly around my waist. I’m decent, but the silk is all crumpled. His hand runs through my hair, messing it up even more, and I shamelessly lean into his touch. He snatches his hand back and inspects his handiwork.
A slight frown is the only verdict he gives me. A leash appears in his hand and he clips it to my collar. I wish his fingers would brush over the skin of my neck, instead of the leather of my collar, but they don’t.
I hang my head, hunch my shoulders, and do my best to look pathetic. It is depressingly easy.
Rhydian chuckles softly. “You are good at that, Little Pet.”
I peek up through my tangled hair and flash him a quick grin. Something flashes deep in his eyes, and then his expression is carefully blank. He turns sharply on his heels and leads me out into the fey court.
My stomach rumbles in protest at the skipped breakfast. I ignore it. It really is the very least of my problems.
We wander around court for a while, seemingly aimlessly. It’s surprisingly busy for so early in the day, but as I hear all the whispers and feel all the eyes on me, I understand why. People are up and about in the hope of gaining gossip. What assholes.
