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I nodded, biting my lip to stop it from trembling.

“Yes?” Theron asked, his mouth by my ear.

“Yes.” I whispered.

“Finally, you make a wise decision.” He released my hair to drop his hands to my waist, spinning me so my front slammed into the craggy cave wall. He kicked my legs apart, then his hands were on my hips, lifting me up so my skin dragged along the stone.

“What are you doing?” I asked, clawing into the rock in a panic. “Please, please don’t-” I cut off with a cry as I felt his tip at my entrance.

“I told you,” he said, his hot breath on my ear, “there are consequences to saying no to me.”

I squeezed my eyes shut, awaiting his intrusion into my body. “Please,” I whimpered one last time, sending a prayer out into the hot cave, that someone, anyone might save me. “Please don’t. I don’t want you to-”

But then it was too late. With a loud groan, Theron pushed into me. I gasped, wishing I could somehow retreat within myself. If my eyes were clenched tightly enough, perhaps I could imagine myself out of this place, out of this cave.

“Oh Elara,” he murmured, “I’ve dreamed of this moment.Fuck,you feel so incredible.”

I sobbed as he thrust again. I couldn’t imagine myself out of it. It was really happening. I could do nothing to stop it.

“I did wonder," he asked quietly, his tongue darting out to lick the length of my ear, “will he feel this? Will Rook sense this is happening to you? Your distress?” He kissed my neck. “Your fear?”

My lips were trembling so violently I couldn’t speak. My body was cold despite the warm water. My fingertips were slick on the cave wall, no doubt coated in blood as I scrambled against them, trying to somehow keep my bearings. I could barely move. My body was seized in disbelief. All I could do was nod.

Theron chuckled softly. “Good.”

Chapter36

Elara

My face was soaked with tears. That was all I was aware of. That was all I could sense. I wasn’t crying, or wailing, or sobbing. There was just an endless flow of tears ran down my cheeks. I stared at the wall, unmoving. Moving meant pain, and I didn’t want to feel that anymore.

I didn’t remember how I had returned to my chambers the night before. I had just woken up there, and stared at the wall. Drusilla tutted and fussed, but I didn’t respond.

A hand landed on my shoulder, and I flinched, shoving it away.

“Don’t touch me.”

“My lamb, you’ve been lying here all day,” she said urgently. “Come now, you must have a bath.”

“So I can wash him away?”

Drusilla made a small, helpless sound, her footsteps pacing back and forth beside the bed. “I’ll run you a bath.” She said finally, her voice cracking.

Bitch. Traitorous fucking bitch. Tears burned my eyes as I sat up, pain shooting through my groin. My fingertips were raw from that stony cave wall, from scrambling against it as I tried to escape Theron’s grasp.

Bile rose in my throat, and I stumbled to the ceramic basin on the dressing table, retching drily. Drusilla was suddenly at my back, tutting and stroking. I shrugged her off, the tears not stopping, continuing their neverending cascade down my cheeks.

“Fuck off.”

“Elara, I’m sorry.”

I turned on her. “Do you know what he did to me?”

Drusilla’s face twisted with pain. “I never expected he would-”

“How could you do this to me?”

“He threatened my son!” Drusilla clutched her hands to her mouth, shaking her head. “I am so sorry, Elara. I had no choice. My son, he’s small, he’s not strong. Theron said he’d force him into the infantry if I didn’t… If I didn’t…”