Page 171 of The Queen’s Shadow

The inside was spacious, and sunlight spilled in through the windows, giving everything a warm earthy glow. There was a foyer that led into a kitchen and living room split. The kitchen was completely functional with a wood burning stove, a working wrought iron sink and a large rectangular Kapok table with eight place settings. The living room had two large wooden couches with huge, squashy cushions that had been woven with bold red and yellow Ganado print.

I watched Kasha carefully, hoping she would show any inkling that she was happy with the space, but her face remained blank. The old Kasha would have squealed and run from room to room, examining everything with enthusiasm and chattering about how much she wanted a rug just like the one in the living room back at The Court of Pride. This Kasha just looked around quietly, without any reaction at all.

“There’s a bathroom over there and the bedroom is at the end of the hall.” I said, hoping she would say something. It wasn’t every day you got to stay in a tree house that had a fully functioning shower, but apparently even that wasn’t enough to turn her head.

She gave me a bland look and floated down the hall toward the bedroom. I ground my teeth together and tightened my grip on our bags. This was worse than angry Kasha. This emotionless waif made me feel sick to my stomach.

Rhyalla laid a hand on my arm gently, her eyes softening at the look on my face.

“Go help her unpack. I’ll make us something to eat.” She said softly, nodding her head toward the bedroom.

I steeled myself before stalking down the hall after Kasha. Pushing the door to the bedroom open I found her standing by the window. She was looking down into the heart of Olkuyrbe, where several shifters had begun to light the large pyre that stood in the center of the settlement to begin preparations for the evening’s meal.

I nudged the door closed behind me and dropped our bags on the bed. She didn’t turn around and I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly, not knowing what to say.

“Listen… I’m…” the word ‘sorry’ rattled in the back of my throat, and I almost said it, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. It would be a fucken lie. I wasn’t sorry. I wasn’t sorry that I made her come here with me. I wasn’t even sorry about throwing her into the wall and proving to her that she was in no position to enter a literal battle scene. Maybe I did feel a little bit bad about doing it in front of everyone, but not enough to apologize for it. I would do it again if I had to.

“I know you don’t want to be here.” I said, changing tactics. She turned to face me, leaning back against the window sill, and pinning me with a glare. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked me up and down. I could feel the anger rolling off of her, and I felt like I was probably digging myself into an even deeper hole. “I thought you liked Olkuyrbe.” I said thickly, and she snorted.

“I do like Olkuyrbe.” She snapped.

“Then why are you so pissed off?” I asked.

“If I need to explain that to you, you really are as dumb as you look.”

I snarled at her, and she flinched, which pissed me off even more.

“What the fuck is your problem?” I hissed, taking a step closer to her and she immediately shrunk away from me. A shiver of fear flickered in her gaze, causing me to pause.

“You are my problem.” Despite the spike of fear that hit my nose, she still managed to fill her tone with so much venom that I found myself clenching my fists at my sides. “It’s not that I didn’t want to come here, it’s that I didn’t want to come here with you!”

My panther prowled beneath my skin in agitation, and I bit the side of my cheek, beating back the beast in my chest until I was sure I wasn’t going to shift. Her gaze fell to our bags on the bed behind me and she narrowed her eyes. “I hope you don’t think you’re staying in here with me.” She said, her tone low and full of disdain.

I glanced back at the bags on the massive king-sized bed, realizing suddenly what dumping the two of them in here must have looked like.

Of course I hadn’t thought I would be staying here with her. I had just scooped her out of a brothel where she had spent weeks being abused by males, I wasn’t about to suggest she cuddle up to me in her fucking nighty. There was a guest room down the other hall that I had been planning on staying in. I had just come in here to clear the air and help her unpack. But the way she had said it, as if I were crazy for ever thinking she could possibly want someone like me, made me see fucking red.

I was suddenly in front of her. I braced one hand on the frame of the window over her head and caged her in with my body, so she couldn’t get away.

I snatched up her chin with my free hand and forced her to look at me, my mouth so close to hers I could have stuck my tongue out and licked her little pink lips if I wanted to.

“I’ll sleep wherever the fuck I want, Kasha.” I growled. Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to speak, but before she could respond, I shot out of the room. I slammed the door shut behind me, and left my bag in there, just to fuck with her.

Resisting the urge to put my fist through the wall, I took a deep breath in through my nose and out through my mouth, before stalking into the kitchen where Rhyalla had been bustling about. She had cut up a plate full of fruit with nuts and seeds sprinkled throughout.

I threw myself into one of the kitchen chairs and ran my hands through my hair in frustration.

“That went well,” Rhyalla smirked at me, placing the fruit platter down on the table before sitting in one of the seats across from me.

I groaned and dropped my head onto the table, smacking my forehead against the wood hard enough that the cutlery rattled.

“That female is going to be the death of me.” I murmured without picking my head up off the table. Rhyalla chuckled and popped a piece of mango into her mouth.

“Yes. That is likely.” She agreed.

I let out another groan and smacked my head on the table again.

Kasha