I wanted to either strike his smug face or burrow into his arms until I was pulled away from the scrutiny of the gardens.
The prince allowed neither, simply brushed his knuckles across my cheek, then strode back to the cooking rooms, his gait a little haughtier than before. As though he believed he won this day.
Only my first morning, and I knew I would not be able to withstand my damn husband.
Chapter 16
The Nightmare Prince
“No matter howmuch you glare at the moon, it’s not going to shrink.” Sander had his boots kicked up on the narrow desk tucked against a wall in my chamber.
A few scrolls about Rave recruitments from Klockglas were there, some weapon reports from our black steel smiths, and some fury blades the Night Folk First Knight supplied for me.
By the frost seasons I would be traveling across the realms, inventorying our Rave armies.
It was aggravating to know one soul in this damn palace would revel in the idea of me being gone, sleeping in cold tents, surrounded by brash, smelly warriors—my wife.
No mistake, those weeks would be Skadi’s most cherished.
I scowled at the rising moon once more like it had wronged me greatly and deserved to meet the ax for it.
“Quite a show you gave the morning crowds.” Sander tried again, a grin that looked a little too devious for my mood on his horrid face. It wasn’t that horrid of a face since it looked a great deal like mine, but still awful in this moment.
“Why are you here?”
“I’m always here.”
“You’re not helping.”
“I’m not here to help. I’ve been helping you all day. Which”—Sander kicked his feet off the desk and righted in the creaky chair—“by the way, fascinates me. You have focused with such intensity on this project of yours, yet look like this now.”
“You’re right. I ought to stop the construction of it immediately.”
“I didn’t say that. I’m just curious why you are doing it at all?”
“I don’t know.” I peered down at the drawings of the plans for the empty room, a project I began to fashion in my head the day after the vows.
To spite me, my fiery princess would likely burn it.
My frown deepened and I hated it. Never before had I scowled so often and so skillfully, certainly not when I knew I would not be spending my night alone.
Before this alliance I strived to keep most of my nights filled with warmth and feminine whispers. Trouble was the woman I had no choice but to sleep beside tonight spent her days dancing between the notion of ignoring or stabbing me.
In the distance, a heavy clock toll boomed the time.
Sander chuckled and rose from his chair. “My cue to leave. Maj wanted me to remind you not to be an ass. Daj wanted me to remind you he expects you probably will be.”
Gods knew my brother was trying.
“I’ll manage to make them both unspeakably proud, I’m sure.”
Sander laughed, but stalled when he opened the door. “Hello, Princess. Ah, that is an interesting tale, I think you’ll like it better than your company tonight.”
Forget his attempts to lighten the tension, I was going to kill my brother. My parents only needed one son, after all.
Sander must’ve sensed my scathing murder plot because he had the gall to grin, wave, and wink at me before he slipped around my wife standing in the doorway.
Gods, why did she have to be even a little bit beautiful?
