“Ourstory. Sweet Maeve’s and mine… I can’t imagine he did. If he did tell you, perhaps you wouldn’t be so afraid right now. You’d be thanking me for trying so hard to get you out of there.”
I try to catch Maeve’s eyes through the mirror, but she won’t look at me. Whatever he’s got to say, I’d rather hear it from her, but I doubt I ever will. Whatever he did to take away her voice made sure of that.
“Tell me,” I growl at him.
“I’m not the villain, Dahlia. No matter what Tauren may have told you.”
“He told me nothing,” I lie. Then again, all I know is that Elheart stole Maeve from the demons. A horrible feeling settles over me at the thought that maybe there is more to this. I glance at Maeve, but there’s nothing but sadness in her gaze.
“Maeve is… well she’s precious to me,” Elheart’s voice cracks. “We were in love. Ilovedher. Still do. Though she may not say the same anymore.”
I say nothing to that. If Elheart’s definition of love is forcing Maeve to bathe an unwilling woman in front of him, then he clearly doesn’t know what love is at all.
“And Tauren, you see… well Tauren didn’t approve of our love.”Can’t imagine why.“He said I wasn’t good enough for his sister. So he and Maeve argued, and argued, and argued,” he sighs while my eyes narrow. “It broke me apart to see her so upset. To the point that I begged her to let me go, to forget about me. I just wanted her to be happy, even if it meant I had to lose the woman I loved.”
I glance up at Maeve again, only to find her blinking tears back at me. “Is this true?” I whisper.
She nods, and my heart lurches.
What?
“But Maeve believed in us.” Elheart shakes his head. “More than I did at the time. So one night she ran away from his castle.” My throat constricts. “When she arrived here, I tried to send her home. I didn’t want her to fall out with her family. But she begged me to let her stay.” His voice cracks. “So I did… The salt barrier was for her protection, to keep Tauren and his soldiers from storming the palace and dragging her back to them.” My lips part. “Though I doubt Tauren told you that part, did he?”
“I don’t understand…”
“What’s not to understand?” He sighs. “Tauren is a jealous monster who tried everything to keep us apart. We were in love and he couldn’t stand it. No one touches what is his.” His pale eyes glitter. “Which is how I know that you, my dear, did not leave his palace without his approval.” He smirks. “Especially considering how possessive he was of you during my messenger’s visit. Or so Lady Urma tells me,” he chuckles.
Anger crawls up my throat. “Your story makes no sense. If this is all true, then why am I here now? Why have my father send me here to be your bride if you’re so happy with Maeve?” But one look at her tear-stained face tells me they’re not happy. Not at all.
Elheart’s grin falls. “We were happy,” he sighs. “Things change and I made… mistakes.”
Maeve’s fingers catch in my hair as she sniffles.
“What mistakes?” I steady my breathing.
Elheart adjusts the collar of his tunic, wincing. “Another time, maybe. For now, I think, sweetheart,” he addresses Maeve, “my bride is ready for me.”
Her lower lip wobbles as he rises from the bed, but she doesn’t let me go to him. Instead, her hands tighten on my shoulders.
“The truth is, Dahlia.” I can barely hear him through the blood roaring in my ears. “I need an heir. A human one. I’m sure you’re aware that demons do not exactly have the best reputation, even after Tauren issued his ban on soul-eating, and if I wish to rise above my status I need a human family to win the approval of powerful men like your father. No amount of love can change ones’ species, after all.” He runs his fingers through Maeve’s curls almost lovingly.
“I’m sorry,” I stammer. “I can’t?—”
“I’ll be gentle with her. Leave us now.” He pries Maeve’s hands from my shoulders before turning to me. “Our wedding can wait. No need to rush into anything until you are pregnant.” I hold back a gag. “But you are young so it will not take long?—”
He stumbles backwards, and it takes me a moment to realise that it was Maeve who shoved him away.
He glares at her. “I told you to leave us.”
I bolt up to her side, my chest heaving. “Touch her and you’ll have us both to deal with!”
Maeve passes me a surprised look, but doesn’t back down.
“Now, girls.” He holds up his palms. “There’s no need to make this difficult. Dahlia, you will lie down on the bed for me. If you’re so nervous, you can keep your gown on.”
“In your dreams,” I spit at him.
Elheart curses. Then, before I can stop him, he lunges at me and grabs my wrist.
