Page 112 of Kingdom of Chains

She recognised jealousy in his tone. ‘The protection is all the way around, but as you can see by the fact that I am eatingdinner with you right now instead of at home with my family, the real threat continues to be in the east.’

He set his cutlery down and leaned back in his chair. ‘I cannot help but wonder if a certain defender has made his way through this… impenetrable ring.’

‘And why would you wonder about such things?’

‘Because I would hate to think that you were taken advantage of by a man.’

She stilled. ‘Really? Because history would suggest otherwise.’

His jaw ticked as he reached for his cup and took a long drink. He sniffed before placing it down again. ‘I know you are missing your family right now, so I will let that slide.’

It was early, but she was alreadysotired of him. ‘What do you hope to gain from keeping me here? I will never willingly marry you, never love you, never forgive you. And I am not sure how much polite conversation I have left in me.’

He nodded slowly. ‘You know, I have done a lot of reflecting over the past few months. I have been re-evaluating my purpose and what I want my legacy to be. I have accepted my failure to bring Carmarthenshire back under King Edward’s rule, but I refuse to fail in my home life as well.’ He looked deep into her eyes. ‘We are destined to be together. I knew it from the first time we met. However, I am unable to convince you that your future is here with me.’

She pushed her plate away. ‘My lord, if we were truly destined to be together, then I would not need convincing. You can hold me inside these walls for as long as you like, but that will not change the fact that there is no future for us.’

He did not speak for a minute. ‘If not with me, then with whom? Blackmane? The man you took an arrow for?’

She looked away on an exhale. ‘I am not talking about him with you.’

Hodge leaned forwards. ‘First, I had the torture of waiting to find out if you were alive. Then I had the torture of imagining you withhim. I had to write to the warden in Chadora to put myself out of my misery.’ He straightened. ‘Though learning the two of you were apart offered little comfort, because I know first-hand that an absent person can still occupy the entirety of one’s mind.’ He reached for his cup, tapping his finger on the stem. ‘What was it about him? His strong physique and handsome face? Or was it the fact that he read a book once?’

She shook her head and went to stand. ‘I think this dinner is over.’

He slammed his fist against the table, making everything atop it rattle. ‘MonthsI have waited to have this conversation. The very least you can do is listen.’

She lowered herself back into the chair and stared at him. ‘Let me go home.’

‘To him?’

She shook her head, exhausted.

‘To thewastelands? Every comfort you can dream up is right here in this castle.’

She wet her lips. ‘You think this dinner is comfortable? You think this conversation, these questions, arecomfortable?’ She began pulling pins out of her hair. ‘I assure you none of this is comfortable.’

He stared into his cup. ‘We cannot fix what is broken in a few nights.’

She slammed the hairpins down onto the table. ‘You are not listening to me. I do not want to fix this.’

He rose abruptly, chair scraping so loudly that Isabel flinched. He leaned across the table, fingertips pressing into it. She thought he might strike her, but instead, he marched over to the door, yanked it open, and said to the guard outside, ‘Lady Isabel is ready to return to her quarters.’

She took the exit while it was on offer and fled the room.

CHAPTER 37

Blackmane and Tolly watched the castle beneath a setting sun from the safety of the trees. Hodge must have been expecting company, because every hour, two guards would ride out and do a lap of the tree line.

‘I think we need to have a little chat with one of the guards,’ Blackmane said when the bridge lowered again.

‘Only one?’ Tolly asked.

Blackmane nodded and swung his horse around. They cantered east, following the men for a while before splitting up. Blackmane loaded his bow and took aim at the larger of the two riders, shooting him through the neck. The other guard watched his comrade fall from his horse, then, panicking, dug his heels in, preparing to flee. Tolly appeared, blocking his exit and drawing his sword. The guard was forced to pull up, looking over his shoulder as Blackmane trotted up to join them. He immediately raised his hands, confirming to Blackmane that he had kept the right man alive.

‘We need some information,’ Tolly said. ‘And you’re going to give it to us.’

The guard looked between them with a worried expression. ‘I don’t know anything—’