Page 50 of The Wild Prince’s Favorite (The Dragon Empire Saga #3)

The relief of knowing that Lumie was alive and well felt like a faraway, too short-lived dream that had been caught up and devoured by the subsequent nightmares.

Lying in a bed of pain, Alezya relived the painful memories, over and over. She was aching everywhere, but the worst lay in her memories.

She had been separated from her child, again. It just felt like a nightmare on repeat, a loop of torment she just couldn’t get out of.

She cried, silently, painfully. She had no escape, no way out of this madness, no way out of this horrible, gut-wrenching plan her father had imposed on her.

This time, her protests had been met with the worst beating she’d ever received.

She had tried to refuse. She had tried, so hard, to voice and shout her anger at her father’s evil, disgusting plan.

She had shouted from her guts how abominable he was, he and his monstrous plan.

She had screamed until they’d hit her face to shut her up, until they’d knocked her to the ground, and kicked her some more.

It was even more horrifying that this scene had happened in front of Lumie’s eyes, under her baby’s shocked cries.

Lumie’s terrified screams still haunted her.

Alezya hoped her cousin’s husband had taken her baby away at some point, but she couldn’t remember how that violent scene had ended; she’d passed out before that.

She truly hoped Lumie hadn’t been forced to witness it for too long, but she truly couldn’t tell.

She’d already lost sight of most of what was going on since her head had violently hit the ground, but then it was all a blur, an agonizing blur of pain and helplessness.

She had a vague memory of her body being dragged and thrown out of the mountain.

She had a faint impression of the familiar cold ground under her, shuffled in waves of fresh snow, and then, seconds later, while she thought she’d passed out, or died, something had grabbed her.

She’d been taken away from the cold ground, and lifted up by something rough, but warm.

Then, at some point, she had found herself in Kassein’s bed, again.

It was as if the previous events had been but a fleeting nightmare, but sadly, they weren’t. It was real, she knew all too well. She was certain from how her face and body hurt, way more than before. She was certain from the way her father’s diabolical plan haunted her, like a sentence.

Worse, Alezya was certain because Kassein was furious.

Absolutely furious. She felt even more sorry.

After all the time he’d spent caring for her, they were back to square one, with her intruding on his bed and needing his care and benevolence, again.

He ought to be lost, or to think she was mad.

He probably found her troublesome, at least.

Alezya knew she hadn’t been gone long, and felt ashamed to be back so soon, and in that state.

She knew it probably made no sense to him, no sense at all.

And yet, Kassein was by her bedside again, caring for her, guarding her, feeding her, and patiently waiting as she healed from her wounds.

His kindness was almost suffocating, especially since Alezya was growing more aware of him, and her father’s horrible plan kept resurfacing in her thoughts.

Every time she caught a glimpse of his dark green eyes, she couldn’t help but think about it.

He wanted her to have a child with Kassein, a child he’d then plan to steal from her.

Worse, she’d never see her daughter again if she didn’t go along with that horrible scheme.

.. It was her father’s curse and warning to her.

His voice still echoed in her mind, more oppressive than any of those nightmare-like memories, far worse than any of the pain she’d endured; she’d never be granted to see Lumie again unless she came back pregnant.

.. Alezya wasn’t just heartbroken from having been separated from Lumie once more; she couldn’t believe she’d have to betray Kassein to see her child again. She didn’t want to believe it.

But it was all too real. Her father had shouted at her, again and again, as he was beating her, that she’d never be allowed to come back and see Lumie until she was pregnant with his child.

Alezya had known her father was horrible from how he’d treated her, but she couldn’t believe a single person could have that evil of a heart to wage children in a war.

Her children.

When the pain had retreated a bit, leaving her a few lucid moments lying in the dark on Kassein’s bed, Alezya had even found herself cursing at those gods she didn’t believe in anymore.

Why? Why her, why her children?

Why to a man as good as Kassein? Why would the gods, if there were any, impose so much suffering on her? Was there a plan from above, as her mother had once taught her to believe?

Alezya had thought about it. She had tried, like someone looking for a light in the dark, a thin strand of hope in the midst of all that pain and despair.

As horrible as it was, Alezya had thought about it, or she had tried.

Could she do this? Could she go along with her father’s despicable plan if it was for Lumie’s sake?

One look in Kassein’s deep green eyes had told her everything she needed to know. No .

No, she would never be able to. That man was too good, and there was no way she wouldn’t love another child she’d give birth to as much as she did Lumie. She would never hate his child. Kassein had been good to her, so good it almost hurt.

She could feel her own heart growing weaker in his presence every time their eyes met.

At times, Alezya wondered if it wasn’t just her own wishful thinking, making it look like he possibly liked her.

But if she was wrong, what could explain the long hours he spent by her side without asking anything in return?

How he slept on a fur rug while she was in his bed?

The way he gently took care of her, how he looked at her?

The bath, earlier... She’d felt her heart make a loop several times from how close his fingers had been to her skin. And she had been so glad he didn’t see her embarrassed self, her shameless blushing. How could she be having such thoughts in her situation?

She shouldn’t have the luxury to think about this.

About a man, in that way. She couldn’t afford to think about romance or desire, not when she had so much else to think about.

Lumie. She had to think about how to save Lumie in a way that wouldn’t require sacrificing another child.

.. or conceiving one. And yet, Alezya cursed herself, for she couldn’t seem to think straight whenever her eyes met with Kassein’s.

Her emotions were long out of control, and she was afraid she couldn’t trust herself near him.

He was too nice, too caring... He was unlike any man she’d ever met before, and he was breaking the walls she’d erected around herself.

He was feeding a hope she shouldn’t have let grow in her heart, as it was only adding to her inner turmoil and torment.

The way he’d kissed the palm of her hand.

.. She knew that moment would haunt her for a long time.

However, right now, she was feeling nervous again.

Who were those women who had shown up? Alezya had been thunderstruck by their abrupt arrival. She couldn’t have foreseen that she would feel so threatened by two women suddenly appearing, yet here she was alone again, with her thoughts spiraling. When had those two women arrived, and why?

Alezya was pretty sure those women hadn’t been in the area before, as their clothing suggested.

From what she’d seen of them, one had to be related to Kassein, as they were too strikingly similar not to be related.

But if he had brought his sister or relative here, who was the other one?

She bore no resemblance to him, but they clearly knew each other.

They had been near each other with that proximity of people who were comfortable with one another, not strangers.

She wasn’t a subordinate either for she hadn’t acted as wary as other people in his presence.

She hadn’t bowed or stood still at the entrance of the habitation. Lorey, she was called.

Alezya hated herself for feeling so threatened by another woman of whom she knew nothing.

Except that Lorey was beautiful. Really, really beautiful, with her big dark eyes.

Graceful and kind too. A kind beauty that she hadn’t expected had suddenly appeared.

Until now, she had thought she was the only woman in this place, the only woman near Kassein.

Why did she hate that another woman had come while she didn’t mind his relative much? Alezya knew the answer, but she didn’t like how easy it was to read her own pathetic heart.

She waited alone, unsure of what to do next.

She hated that they had all gone out and she was trapped here, too injured to move.

Her body was aching, but her mind was aching even more to be out there, to see what Kassein and those women were up to.

She had never wanted to leave this place so much to peek outside.

She could hear the dragon, and at some point, she wasn’t sure if there was more than one creature growling, which made her nervous.

Another dragon? Or was that merely an echo?

Alezya was so curious that her body had begun leaning forward toward the entrance when that woman came back. Lorey. Her heart sank.

Why? Why was she allowed to freely come and go inside Kassein’s living space?

Alezya didn’t say anything and just watched as Lorey laid out on the bed what she had brought: new clothes, all clearly female clothing.

There was a set of undergarments, a dress on which some fur had been sewed, a set of small gloves, and some thick pants.

Some of the fabrics were foreign to Alezya, but she could tell all those were meant for a woman in a cold setting like this.