Trifecta: Stone [Completed]

Chapter 17: Frustrated Fear

My first instinct was to laugh through my fear at the so-called prince's assertion. Was this grandiose nonsense the reason they kept plaguing our people, some insipid desire to rule over all?

He sat back down in the chair and I took my spot on the couch and huddled into the blanket I had left there.

"The prince of the eastern werewolves," I corrected, since I could not entirely let his assertion stand. I was supposed to be being passive and lull them into underestimating me, but it was turning out to be pretty difficult. Maybe I had spent so much time trying to resist the curse that fighting had become ingrained in me.

"So you say and maybe that's true, for now."

I failed not to narrow my eyes at him. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well, it's not really my place to say."

"Then why are you here?" I asked.

"Simple curiosity. I wanted to see the princess of the savage rebels with my own eyes," he explained.

I resisted the urge to bare my teeth at him. Where was this aggression coming from? The curse, or what it me? "I'm not a princess. We're not rebels, we're free people. We owe you nothing. You began the fight so you can hardly complain when we finish it."

He almost looked at me with pity. "You'll never finish it."

"Then why do you keep attacking us?"

He shook his head. "That's not really your concern, princess."

"Then why am I here?" I pushed.

"It's not really my place to explain that," he said simply.

"Then why did you want to talk to me?" I asked, voicing my frustration.

"I told you, curiosity."

I huddled back further into the blankets. This conversation was a waste of my time, and that was saying something since I had nothing to do but sit around and be terrified. I turned my face away and huddled into the couch.

"You really have no interest in complying with me, do you?" he asked.

I ignored him. I had enough to deal with without sating his morbid curiosity.

"Look at me, Elise."

I shut my eyes and kept my face turned away.

"Fascinating."

I just wanted him to leave. Perhaps if I did what he wanted he would grow bored and leave, but I could not bring myself to do it.

"Your rebellious spirit intrigues me. It's not what I heard about you, princess."

I took the bait. "What have you heard?"

"Many things. I've heard that you're sweet and gentle, protective and loyal. Beautiful."

His odious words deserved no response.

"You have such a forgiving nature that you've forgiven the one who put you under the curse. I'm reasonably certain that none of our thralls have given that benefit of the doubt to my father," he commented.

An uncontrollable scowl crossed my face. "S-Serge is nothing like your father. H-he hurt me by accident. Your father is the aggressor. I would not forgive him either, if he did such a thing to me."

The prince moved to sit on the couch beside me. I huddled as far from him as I could get. He took my hand and looked at the ring on my finger. "And you've agreed to marry him? My father has done many things people might find objectionable, but he's never forced himself on a thrall."