Page 21 of What Fury Brings (Wrath and Fury #1)

“What took you so long?” she asked.

“I didn’t realize I was expected.”

“I took off your manacles for the first time, and you didn’t think I would test you? Just what kind of wife do you think I am?”

He gritted his teeth. “We are not married.”

“Yet.”

Sanos looked around the hallway, his eyes catching on a door off to the side.

Olerra blocked the path ahead, but this door was equidistant to the two of them, on the right side of the hall.

He could probably beat her to it, but what if the path was a dead end?

She would give chase, and he had no idea what she’d do if she caught him.

“No entourage?” he asked, gesturing around her. “Last time you had a herd of eunuchs carting me about the place.”

“I don’t need them to keep you in line. Would you rather deal with them than me?”

He didn’t like the question. Mostly because he didn’t know the answer.

There was tension in the empty space between them.

Sanos could not move without breaking it.

Without her springing into action—he was certain of this.

Backing up would cause her to step forward.

Moving forward would cause her to hold her ground, bringing him closer to the woman determined to claim him for her own.

The single door was looking more and more appealing by the second.

Perhaps it locked from the inside, giving him time to find another exit.

He’d take a window, despite them being on the third floor.

“You’re not answering any of my questions,” Olerra said. “What took you so long? Shall I summon the eunuchs? And while we’re at it, what did you do to poor Aevia?”

Keeping her talking seemed the safest course of action at the moment.

“I waited for you to fall into what I thought was a deep sleep. Then I had to go through fifty bedrooms before finding an exit. Why do all the bedrooms connect to one another?”

“It keeps men in line.” At his arched brow, she added, “When members of the harem watch me cross through their bedroom to reach another man’s, it’s an incentive to behave. To try harder for my affections.”

Just when Sanos thought he couldn’t be more horrified by this kingdom…

He shook himself. “Don’t summon the eunuchs. They make me uncomfortable.”

“Because their manhood is gone?”

“Because I don’t like to be touched by other men.”

“You only like to be touched by women?”

“I only like to be touched when that touch is wanted.”

She snorted.

“What?” he asked.

“Oh, just the hypocrisy is all.”

He continued to stare at her.

“I’m told that in Brutus, you men force women into all kinds of unwanted marriage situations. Often the moment they begin bleeding. Do you not barter and trade your women like cattle, regardless of their desires?”

“How is that any different from what you’re doing to men here?” he demanded.

“The difference, Prince, is that the women of Amarra became this way to counter the way men were treating them. Your sex started this. The current point, however, is that it’s ridiculous for you to be offended by the way you’re being treated when your own people practice it.

It’s just always been in your favor until now. ”

Her words struck him deeper than he liked.

“You’re in Amarra, not Brutus,” she continued. “You will adjust to our ways, and if you start behaving, I won’t have to have you handled by the men in the castle’s employ. Now, what of Aevia?”

Sanos itched to have a sword in his hand. He was certain it would make him feel more confident in this situation. “I choked her. She’ll come to eventually.”

“Bloodless,” she said with a smile. “I’m impressed. It’s a relief that you’re not to face execution. I’d hate to have to find a new husband after all the trouble you’ve caused me.”

“You’re not concerned for the girl?”

“She’s new. This was as much a test for her as it was you. She failed. She needs more training before she’s ready to be a palace guard.” She shrugged.

He didn’t want to ask, but he needed to. Not knowing was killing him. “What happens now?”

Olerra reached behind her and pulled out his padded manacles. She tossed them to him. “First, you’re going to put those back on, because you’re clearly not ready to have them off. Then I will escort you back to your room and lock you in for the night.”

“And tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow, you’ll wish you’d stayed in your room instead of trying to escape.”

Sanos burned with hatred as he stared at the manacles he held loosely in one hand. “And if I refuse to put these on?”

“You will be punished.”

“No breakfast tomorrow?”

“Food doesn’t seem to motivate you, so I’ll have to resort to other means.”

“Such as?”

“Only one way to find out,” she said.

The exit was right there . Just over her shoulder. If he could only get to it.

Fighting her would be absolute lunacy. If he made her bleed, she could have him killed. But if he did not fight, if he didn’t try, there was no guarantee that he would have another chance like this any time soon.

He could choke her like he did the other guard…

He looked her up and down. They weren’t oiled or naked. He wasn’t furious past the point of reason. This would be a good fight.

Sanos deliberately tossed the manacles off to the side.

Olerra grinned, as though he hadn’t disappointed her in the least. In fact, he felt like he’d fallen into her plans once again.

This was exactly what Olerra needed. A chance to pit herself against her would-be husband to see who would come out on top.

Could she win as she was? Unblessed by her goddess.

With Ydra hiding behind the door in the hall, there was no way this could end terribly for her.

She had planned this encounter carefully.

She’d wanted to confront him, and she’d wanted an excuse to fight him.

Andrastus had fallen into her plans beautifully.

Olerra undid her sword belt and tossed it behind her so it wouldn’t get in the way. She was going to discipline this man, who had a good fifty pounds on her. She took a step forward.

The prince held his ground.

Smiling, she took another step.

Andrastus shifted backward ever so slightly. Then, realizing that’s what he was doing, he made himself hold.

But a third step in his direction proved to be too much for the prince. He dove toward her, taking her advice from earlier to heart. Attack first.

She sidestepped him easily and drove an elbow into his back. He was slow. Perhaps not to most, but everyone was slow to her. He barely avoided losing his feet, and he grunted. Andrastus blinked as he turned around, finding her in his original position.

Then he tried to run.

Olerra caught him after three steps. She tripped him, hooking an ankle under one of his feet. This time he went down. There were no mats in this fight. The fall had to be bruising.

Olerra didn’t want to hurt him. She reminded herself this was a fair fight. In fact, it was a fight in his favor, as he was likely stronger. He just didn’t know the fight was in his favor. And she had to keep him from leaving. She had to put on a display. This was a punishment.

When he rose next, he turned toward her, realizing he had to dispatch her if he wanted to carry on with his plans for escape.

At least he’s not stupid. It was a point in his favor, despite the ill-conceived escape attempt. She had a running mental list of his flaws and attributes. He was a good fighter who took orders well. He had a nasty temper, but the way he looked at her with a heated gaze at times…

Oh, she wanted to see that temper come out in the bedroom. She wanted to match it. Dominate it.

She flashed him a smile as he sized her up, searching her from head to toe for a weakness. Perhaps he’s a fast learner , she thought. That would be another point in his favor.

He rushed her again, but it was only a feint.

She could tell he anticipated her to dodge right again, so she went left.

When she spun around, she pressed her toe against his ass, shoving him to the floor.

He did not like that. His scowl was evidence enough.

She wondered if he’d fare any better if he had a sword.

As it was, his attempts were half-hearted at best. Then a thought struck her.

“Are you—” She paused. “You’re trying not to hurt me.” It was a statement rather than a question.

“I don’t have a death wish,” he said.

“No, you don’t, but surely you’ve guessed by now that I would pardon you if you made me bleed while we fought. Something else is holding you back. Tell me what it is. You’ve had opportunities to strike me, yet you’re only going for a grapple.”

There was a pause in which she didn’t expect him to answer. Then he said, “A man does not strike a woman.”

Olerra cocked her head to the side. “Did Atalius teach you that?”

“My mother.”

That brought Olerra up short. She couldn’t imagine the dynamic between the Brutish king and his queen. They must not get on well at all.

“You tried to strike me at breakfast,” she said.

“You deserved it then.”

“And now I don’t?”

“You do.”

“Then why?”

He was such a puzzle, and she was so excited that he was finally speaking to her.

“I will beat you as the man I made myself, not the monster my father created.”

What had Atalius done to him? Why did the Brute hold himself in check? What did he think would happen if he let himself face her with his full strength?

Andrastus neared slowly, trying to back her into a corner and increase his chances of getting ahold of her. She didn’t let that happen. Quick as a flash, she jolted forward, grabbed him around the knees, and tossed him over her head.

It wasn’t easy. He was heavier than anyone she had ever fought before. But she could do it. Her strength was enough.

Years and years of tension seemed to melt off her. She’d worried about anyone learning her secret, but her natural strength was enough. She likely wouldn’t win against him in an arm wrestling match. But like this? Weighing their skills against each other? She could do this.

That confidence bolstered her as she threw him onto the floor.

The breath rushed out of him, giving her time to spin around, straddle him, pin down his arms, and lower her face until they were only half a foot apart.

She was high on her victory, on the knowledge of her own strength. She forgot that this was meant to be disciplining him.

“I’m sorry things had to go this way,” she said to him. “Would you like to hear what I had planned if you passed my test?”

He still couldn’t draw in air, so she continued. “If you didn’t try to escape tonight, I was going to let you service me. Doesn’t that sound much more fun than this?”

Andrastus processed the words slowly, as though he didn’t grasp their meaning at first. When he finally did, his nostrils flared, and the breath finally rushed back into him. He wiggled an arm free, grabbed her hip, and spun them, pinning her between him and the floor.

It was not, necessarily, a bad place to be in. When Olerra imagined herself having sex, she always pictured herself on top, but snug against Andrastus’s sculpted frame from beneath had a certain appeal, too, she could see.

“Stop that,” he said.

“Stop what?”

“You’re ogling.”

She met his eyes. “I can’t help it. You’re a very attractive man. You make me wish I was naked right now.”

The whites of his eyes were more visible than ever before. “You keep saying wildly ridiculous things.”

“Is it ridiculous to yearn for the man I’ve chosen to be my husband? Would you rather I didn’t desire you?”

She shifted her hips ever so slightly from underneath him, and Andrastus let out a breath of air that caused a shiver to race down her spine. He adjusted his stance, letting one of his knees slide up between her legs to press against her sex.

Gods, yes. That was where she wanted him. But more important—

She reached up with her legs to wrap them around his waist, and then she sent him sailing toward the floor. In another heartbeat, she had her arms around his neck, cutting off his air supply. It was just as her instructors had said. You could always distract a man with sex to win.

His face started to turn red, but still she held on. Until he went limp.

“He’s out,” Olerra said.

Ydra entered from the door in the hallway. They both stared down at the unconscious Brute.

“Well done,” Ydra said.

“I’m relieved.”

“You should be proud. You really are the best fighter among us.”

“Do you think I hurt him too much?”

Ydra looked heavenward. “You barely hurt him at all by the looks of it. He deserved worse for trying to escape. A lashing at best.”

“Both he and his pride are bruised. That is enough.”

“You’re lucky no one else saw him, otherwise you would have been forced to do much worse.”

“I know. That’s why I removed all the guards between here and my rooms, save one.”

Ydra picked up Andrastus. She didn’t grunt as Olerra would have under his weight. She walked effortlessly, without so much as a stumble. Olerra felt the usual envy wash through her system. She reminded herself that she’d beaten him. It was enough.

It had to be enough.

When Sanos woke hours later, he was chained to his bed. Alone. It took a while for the night to come back to him.

She’d choked him, just as he’d done to her guard.

His body was sore. His back throbbed from the elbow she’d thrown. And he’d fallen hard to the stone floor at least twice. Thrice? He couldn’t quite remember. He had been so desperate to escape. So angry with her for taking him in the first place.

He turned his head slightly and saw that the armband was returned to him. She’d taken the time to replace it before chaining him back up. That made him unspeakably angry.

And then he remembered the disarming things she’d said!

You make me wish I was naked.

You’re a very attractive man.

I was going to let you service me.

It was impossible not to picture it once she’d suggested it. Him on his knees. Her legs parted above him.

He’d never done that before.

Not because he hadn’t wanted to, but because his only sexual encounters were with prostitutes who could be carrying any manner of diseases. He was always sheathed when he bedded them. But he couldn’t protect his mouth.

But Olerra was a virgin…

He stopped that line of thinking immediately.

He was manacled to one of her beds. And he would not think of her.

As long as it took him to fall back asleep, he failed.