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“Why would he do this?” she asked. She turned to look at me, her gaze sharp.

For some strange reason, her large gold-fringe earrings, that swung back and forth as she looked around the room, distracted me.

“Why would he do this?” she shouted.

I drew back, startled at her anger. “Cneajna, I do not know. Are you not happy that we have returned?”

“He left us here to starve. Why? Tell me, Glynis? Why would he do that?”

“I do not know. ”

She looked about the room, those gold earrings swinging about. “Why would he give you this room far from his other Brides?”

“He has his own agendas. You know how he is,” I answered, trying to keep my voice very calm.

She lashed out so quickly, so fiercely, I never saw her move. I felt the brutal sting of her slap across my face and I cringed in shock.

“I took you into my heart! I helped him create you! I called you daughter!”

“Cneajna, please,” I cried out. “I love you. ”

She hesitated in her angry torrent of words. Tears sparkled on her cheeks as she whispered, “And I love you. ”

I reached out to her and she took my hands. Her fingers felt warm in mine, but she was trembling.

“Cneajna, please. I wanted him to come and make sure you all were all right. I begged him to do so. I do not know why he would not,” I said. It was a bit of a lie and a bit of truth. Vlad’s dismissal of his Brides was very confusing to me.

She reached out and drew me to her, kissing my lips softly, as she had in my dream, and then my brow. I trembled with emotion as she did this and, she, being the taller woman, held me gently against her. Her lips were soft and warm against my brow as her long blond hair flowed over her arm to form a cloak over my body.

“I love you, Glynis, but I am not a fool,” she said in a low voice. “You are now the first in our husband’s affections. And, worst yet, in his household. ”

I started to protest, but her nails raked my neck and face, slicing deep and drawing blood. It splattered across her face and mine. She drew back slowly, moving backwards toward the door. Slowly, she licked my blood from her full red lips.

Tears streamed down my face as I recalled the story that she had told me long ago of the day she killed her husband’s mistress. I remembered vividly how she told me she had stabbed the woman to death then licked her enemy’s blood from her lips.

“Cneajna,” I whispered.

Her blue eyes cold and her gaze fastened firmly upon me, she glided out of my bedroom. She raised a hand and the door slammed between us.

The gypsy women stood around my room, their eyes wide and not daring to breathe.

“Leave me,” I ordered them.

Immediately, they rushed the door and escaped.

Weeping, I sat down at my vanity and covered my torn face with my hands. Slowly, I felt my flesh heal, but my heart was utterly broken.

I did not tell Vlad what had happened between Cneajna and I when he came to me later in the night. I was overwhelmed with grief over the episode, but I could not bear to tell him what had happened. To relate what I had experienced was too much to endure. I felt desolate in my heartbreak. He took my moodiness as a sign of my discontentment at our return to the castle and reassured me that we would depart soon.

“I know this,” I answered him shortly. “But there is no solace in this horrible place. ” I sat in the window and gazed down over the Arges River. I was very angry and I directed my anger at him like a rapier. I did not care if he beat me. It could hurt no worse than Cneajna’s nails raking across my face and heart. “Or have you forgotten all the terrors you inflicted upon me here?”

“I have not forgotten,” he said as he sat in a chair nearby. He rested his hands upon his knees and gazed at me solemnly.

“How calm you are!” I laughed bitterly and wiped away a tear. “You killed me in this castle. My family and me. You tortured me. Tried to destroy me. ”

“I know this,” he responded, his green eyes resting on me.

“Have you no regrets at all?” My voice was harsh and demanding. “Do you feel guilt? You did great evil here! You destroyed my soul and heart! Does this not burden you?”