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“Don’t call me that,” she snapped.

For some reason, that irked him. “We are bound together whether you like it or not,wife. Did I not save you from the worst of my father’s wrath? Did I not keep you out of the dungeons, and allow you your freedom within the palace?”

“The freedom of a slave is not freedom at all.”

“But even so—”

“You murdered my family!”

Now they were getting to the heart of the issue.

She dug the tips of her daggers into the flesh at the base of his spine. A dangerous embrace. He exhaled, taking a chance that could change everything.

“Nothing I can say will bring them back. They died at the hands of my kingdom, but their blood is not on my hands personally,” Arrik replied carefully. The daggers dug in farther, breaking the skin, trickles of blood dripping down into his trousers. He held her gaze as her blue eyes filled with tears.

“You led the attack,” she snapped. “I lost everyone!”

“I did. I’ve led many attacks, and no doubt you would and have done the same thing during times of war. I won’t ask for your forgiveness because I can never remove the pain of loss you suffer. I am sorry for your agony. The loss of kin…” He exhaled heavily, reliving the loss of his mother all over again. “…can break you or forge you into something strong, better.”

She sucked in a sharp breath, one traitorous tear dripping down her cheek.

Time to push.

He slid his sword-wielding hand around Wren’s waist to pull her closer to him, feeling the blades keenly. “Wield your grief into something powerful.”

She lifted her chin slightly, his callused fingers brushing against the soft skin of her chin. “You killed myhusband.”

“Iam your husband.”

“You—” Wren bit out, then paused.

Arrik watched her search his face for…something. He wasn’t sure what. It would be easy to knock her out. To drag her back to his secret lair. Part of himwantedto, after all. But that would go against his well-laid-out plan. He needed her compliance, her surrender.

The dark part of his mind purred at the idea. Of her pliant, beneath—

Wren blinked back her tears and her expression intensified, like she could read his scandalous thoughts. Perhaps she could. She’d enchanted him and it was a problem. Shane was correct that she was a distraction. One that would be the death of him.

“Do you really believe that I would ever help you? I’d rather see you dead.”

“Nothing is stopping you.” A challenge.

She gritted her teeth, and he felt her hands shaking. Arrik kept his breathing slow and even despite the burning pain in his lower back. The hair at the nape of his neck tingled as he inhaled the wild scent of her—salt and jasmine.

She pressed the blades deeper as she stared defiantly up at him. “Why aren’t you fighting me?” she demanded. “Fight!”

“I’m done fighting you, wife. My life is yours if you seek it.”

He stilled completely as Wren released a frustrated yell and pulled her blades from his back. She shook in his arms and glared up at him. Angry tears poured from her eyes.

“Why can’t I kill you? Why am I so weak?”

“You’re not weak, my darling.”

“You deserve death.”

“I do.” It was the truth. His life wasn’t pretty despite the palace he lived in or the title that adorned his name. His privilege was dripping in blood.

She shook her head and glanced away. “I hate you.”