Chapter 9
“You’re still in there, aren’t you?!” He heard the whisper of her words as she stared at his hand. It was hard trying to watch her movements around the room. Unless they were right in front of his sight, he had to use his peripherals to see people.
She stared at his hand for another eternity before standing and leaning closer to him. He could just barely make out the small bit of cleavage the girl had as she leaned over him in her oversized dress.
He remembered the first time she came into his room. The ugly little thing dared to claim she was his wife. While she looked familiar, he had never and would never enter matrimony with this creature. She looked familiar to him. He knew he’d seen her face before, but it wasn’t scarred like it was now. Either way, he also knew he’d never married her.
And then… she fed him a vile–looking soup that he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about ever since. the first bite. Normally, David fed him only in the mornings and it was always this vile porridge–like substance that left a chemical flavor on his tongue for hours afterward.
And then she came in last night with her sweet, warm liquid and it had rejuvenated his muscles. He was able to feel his hands for the first time since he’d woken up broken.
Although, he couldn’t believe she’d eaten after him. Off the same spoon even. “Vile slave.” He wanted so badly to yell at her. Tell her to keep her dirty lips off his silverware. But once again, when he tried to speak, it only made it to the walls of his mind.
He internally clenched his fist until he remembered this morning. When she’d made him another sweet meal, only this was a creamy porridge. He wanted to beg her for more. He’d eaten the whole bowl. Then the thought of her eating the rest of the sweet soup came to mind and he wondered if she had wanted any of his breakfast.
Not that he would offer her any. Besides, the disgusting little thing had absolutely lost her mind shortly after he finished. She opened all the windows while leaving him bare to the cold air. The humility was almost too much but then the pain began wracking his body as ice–cold fingers slid into his bones and he began shivering.
“Stupid slave!” He wanted to scream at her again. What blew his mind most was, that she had fully admitted to him that she was parading around like a true lady when she was really, some dirty slave. Poking and prodding with her cold little fingers.
Admittedly, once she’d cleaned his sores and redressed him, the gnawing pain had receded, and he could pull in a full breath of air for the first time in months. But that gave no right for a slave to be so forward with him. She’d lied and had hidden the dead body of his actual fiancé and was now masquerading around HIS home as its new Mistress.
Her breath blew across his face as she peered into his eyes. “Are you still there?” She paused, waiting for him.
“YES!” He screamed inside his head.
“If you’re in there, say something. Do something.” She peered at him. She looked like she truly WANTED him to be here.
“I’m here! You dumb woman Look closer! Find me! Please.” He thought he should probably feel small for begging, but he didn’t care. He would give anything to not be treated as if he was brain addled.
He remembered a time not too long ago, when his father had visited him. It was the only time he’d come to Dax’s castle since his accident. Leo had walked in with his lawman and sat for hours at his side before he had said anything. Eventually he excused the man and fell into tears. It tore at Dax’s heart.
“I don’t want you to die alone. Goddess forgive me. I can’t let my pride and joy leave this world without someone by his side. He’d paused to wipe at the tears streaming down his face. ‘I don’t know why you felt you had to kill me. The throne was yours already, you only had to wait a few more years. Why?”
