Broch hoped that Richard was right. He also had to get something behind him, so that his own people didn’t rebel. He needed to have some of the dragons on their side, so that they didn’t think that they were all enemies. They weren’t. Broch could already foresee the wolves and dragons coming together in the future.
For now, though, he had to focus on Christin. She was the priority. The rest would be figured out later.
“I hope you are right. My people are going to need some convincing and if some of your dragon warriors would fight with us, it would embolden them all. Fighting dragons is going to be a lot for them to take on.”
Richard nodded like he understood. “You will have your show of strength, Broch. We will be there. I will go now and start sending out the word. They will be here by morning. You’ll see.”
Broch grinned. “I really hope so. Something that was looking impossible is starting to have merit. This could actually work.”
Chapter 25
Christin
“You can’t leave me here forever, Phillip. You have to let me go eventually.”
Christin didn’t know how long she had been down in that cage, but her body wasn’t going to let it happen again. She wasn’t going to be forced into the cage for weeks and months like before. Christin wasn’t that same scared woman that she had been back then. She wasn’t afraid anymore, at least that’s what she told herself.
“Not really. I just wanted to make sure you were looking sufficiently miserable. I also wanted to let you know that we attacked your mutt boyfriend again. He is soon going to be wiped out, sending a message to anyone that goes against me.”
Christin just shook her head. She didn’t want to hear it, but of course that was why he came. There was nothing she could do about what was going on. She was stuck there, and he wanted her to know how powerless she was. It wasn’t hard to tell what he was doing, but that didn’t change the fact that it hurt. It wasn’t knowledge that she needed or wanted. It wasn’t her choice. Marrying him hadn’t really been her choice either, it was what was expected of her.
“You have taken everything from me, Phillip. Why can’t you just leave me alone now?”
“You’re too fun to mess with and besides, this is the only pleasure that you give me as a husband. You never wanted more.”
Christin scoffed. She had at one point. She would beg her husband to touch her and make her feel something, but he never wanted her. He’d always made that clear. She could see it in his eyes, that he wanted to play the same game with her. He wanted to make her miserable, like he always did.
“You know that’s a lie.”
“Is it? Would you like for me to touch you now?”
Christin shook her head vehemently. That was the last thing that she wanted or needed. If he touched her, she would be sent into a spiral. Christin didn’t think that she would react in the same way anymore, not after Broch had awakened parts of her that she hadn’t known existed. His playing had never amounted to the same sorts of feelings. With Broch, she needed him at her core, which he in turn pleased. It was far beyond anything that Phillip was capable of. He had no heart, which could be felt in everything that he did. The difference was like night and day.
“You are never going to touch me again.”
“And why is that, Christin? What’s changed?”
Christin watched the man come closer. He could mess with her through the cage, so Christin wondered why she said anything opposing him. She knew how this went.
“I just realize that I have been waiting all this time for something that is never going to happen. You are never going to love me, and you had me put in prison for what you did. You know that I didn’t touch Danika. You did it all, Phillip. Why would I want someone like that, who hates me so much? Why would I want to have anything to do with you?”
“Because you have no choice.”
Christin sighed and sat down in the cage.
“I know, so here I am.”
“Here you are. Did you like the new additions to the house security?”
Christin agreed. “Effective.” She couldn’t even be mad anymore; she had burned out that emotion a while back. Christin had cursed and yelled for the first two days, but now she was ready for something more. She felt nothing and maybe that was what was next, the feeling of nothing.
“Well, you are no fun like this, Christin. I will have to find other ways to get inside your head. You adapt, I’ll adapt.”
“Of course, you will.”
Christin didn’t even look at him. She was off in her own world, thinking about Broch and thankful that at least this time in the cage, she had good memories to cling to. She was going to need them.
He stared at her for a time, but Christin didn’t even look up. He hit the cage with his sword that he carried around all the time. Christin did her best not to react to any of it. She was still trying to figure out how it was all going to work out. She had been in the same position before. Maybe, if she bored him enough and didn’t react the way that he wanted her to, maybe he would eventually leave her alone.
