Remy’s brows lifted. “What happened after he died?”
“Grayson’s quad took me to their garrison. On my first morning there, another guard, Drake, accosted me.”
Remy’s eyes narrowed. “Accosted you how?”
“He demanded I suck his cock. When I refused, he decided to teach me a lesson.”
Remy’s gaze slid to Grayson. “What were you doing when this happened?”
Grayson flushed and remained silent.
“Drinking coffee.” I waved off Grayson’s vile indifference, not because I forgave him—I didn’t—but because I’d seen enough death lately. “At any rate, I defended myself.”
Grayson’s jaw worked, but he said nothing.
Remy pressed his fingertips against his temples. “How? What did you do?”
“I kicked him in the balls.”
“Atta girl.” Remy’s grin sent butterflies careening through my stomach.
Men shouldn’t be allowed to smile with that much warmth—it was too distracting. He was proud of me for kicking Drake’s ass. I basked in the glow of his approval, standing a little taller.
His eyes met mine. “What happened next?”
I shrugged, trying to downplay what followed. “I embarrassed a member of the guard. The punishment was twenty lashes.”
Remy’s smile vanished, and his hand tightened around the hilt of his sword until his knuckles blanched. “Who whipped you?” Darkness seemed to surround him, and he looked like a man ready to commit murder. For me.
That should be terrifying. I found it romantic. “The man I kicked, Drake. Then Carron.”
Remy turned on Grayson. “You were there? You let that happen?”
I was fairly sure Grayson wanted to bark, “Enough talking,” and walk away. Instead, he raked his fingers through his hair. “If we hadn’t let Drake whip her, Carron would have killed her.”
“We’ve heard of you, Gunn Grayson. Even in Rymar, you’re known as the leader of the strongest quad in centuries. You couldn’t protect one woman?”
“She broke the rules.”
“She protected herself. What choice did she have? You sure as hell weren’t helping her.”
Grayson retreated a half step, almost as if Remy had slapped him. “You don’t understand.”
“Oh, I understand.” Remy’s expression turned vicious. “Your career meant more to you than Haven’s life. What happened next, Haven? Why are two scars worse than the rest?”
“Carron poisoned me.” I kept my voice flat, hoping to give him the facts without escalating the emotions already swirling around us.
“What?” The sharpness of Remy’s voice told me I’d failed. “You were accosted, whipped, and poisoned? What next?”
“They put me in the pit for a week.”
Remy pinched the bridge of his nose. “The pit?”
“Like being at the bottom of a stone well without light or water.”
His gaze settled on me, searching, like he was reassuring himself I was okay. “How did you survive?”
“I’m not without talents.”
