“Why?”
“We need her.”
“To act as your shield?” I could only assume a disbelieving expression matched her disbelieving tone. “You expect her to protect you after what you’ve done to her?”
“I didn’t poison her.”
“No. You just watched as she was whipped within an inch of her life, then you tossed her in the pit to die.”
“Enough talking.”
“Pardon?”
“I am not the villain.”
Wow, he was in denial.
“What you did to this girl would break your poor mother’s heart.”
“May.” His warning was clear; he’d brook no criticism.
“Marian begged you to go with her. Instead, you chose your father and this.”
“This?”
“Treating women as if they’re worthless. Using their power for your own ends, then discarding them like trash.”
“She could have stayed.” His voice was barely a whisper.
“He beat her, Gunn.” Her voice was soft, tender. “He’d begun beating your little sister. She chose to protect her daughter.”
“By abandoning her son.” The pain in his voice revealed a deep wound. One that had festered. “I was eight years old when she left.”
“You told your father about her plans. She barely escaped.”
He’d done that? He’d betrayed his mother? Any hint of sympathy vanished.
“I didn’t mean to. He made me—never mind. Wake the shield.” It was an order.
“No. And she has a name. Alina came to visit her and called her Haven. Her name is Haven. You should use it.” She’d done it now, gone too far. Would he punish her for reminding him I was a person, not a weapon in his war?
“May, do as I say.” He’d brook no further arguments.
“I said no. Will you whip me next?”
The sound of a door slamming reverberated through the walls.
May sighed and pressed a gentle hand against my forehead. “There’s still a decent man in there. I’m sure of it.”
That made one of us.
“He needs someone to remind him what it is to feel something besides anger.”
Hopefully, she didn’t mean me.
With gentle fingers, she brushed a strand of hair away from my face. “Sleep, pet. The world will come for you soon enough.”
Chapter
