The only regret resting in her heart came from their differences.
Didn’t it?
And without hesitation the answer entered her mind. “I wanted to.”
He swallowed his food and took another drink of wine. “Why? Why would you bind yourself to a hated stranger, a man not of your kind? One who conquered your people?”
His words startled her. Lowering her knife, she leveled her gaze with his. “You are a noble man, Valteri. You follow your conscience. That makes you my kind.”
He snorted a denial. “What conscience is that? The same one that took your virtue?”
Then, he leaned forward against the table, his gaze piercing her with its probing intensity. “Come to think of it, I didn’t take your virtue that first night, did I?”
Her heart stilled at his implication. A shiver of foreboding darted up her spine and she tightened her grip on her knife. “What do you mean?”
“I’ve given much thought to you this day. Things that had escaped my notice found their way to my mind and at last I know what to call you.”
Ariel tensed at the seriousness of his voice, the emptiness of his eyes. “And what is that, milord?”
“Witch.”
CHAPTER17
Shock poured through Ariel at his unexpected declaration. “We’ve already explored this.” She carefully directed her attention back to her roasted venison and away from Valteri’s searing glare.
“Aye, and I wish to know why you lied to me.”
Setting her knife aside, Ariel swallowed in fear and uncertainty. What could she say?
“As you’ve said repeatedly yourself, sir, I’m not a witch.”
He didn’t respond to that.
Her heart thumped against her breastbone and she averted her gaze from his probing eyes, eyes that told her exactly what her husband sought out of fate. Valteri longed for death too much and she had the most wretched fear in her stomach that he would try and fight against the curse, daring it to take him. And that was one battle her fierce warrior could never win.
“Aren’t you?”
“I know not what you mean.”
Uncomfortable with the turn in their conversation and terrified of any more difficult questions, Ariel moved to leave the table, but he captured her arm. His grip tight about her wrist, Valteri pulled her back into her chair.
“Please, answer me, Ariel. Have you bewitched me?”
The heat and anguish in his eyes, in his touch scorched her. She ached for his pain, wanting the words or spell to undo the curse and to keep him safe for all eternity.
If only there were some way…
“You’re drunk, Valteri.”
“You’re avoiding the question.”
She ground her teeth. “I didn’t lie, milord. Nor did I bespell you. I’ve tried repeatedly to tell you the truth. You’re the one who denies it.”
Ariel clenched her fists, anguish flowing through her. Why had she ever told him what she really was? Why hadn’t she seen this coming? She should never have pressed the issue.
Rather, she should have just told him she was insane and left it at that.
A soft draft brushed against her, raising chills upon her arms. She tried to invent some tale to explain her earlier words, but nothing came.
