The Serpent's Chains

Chapter 6: Couldn't or Wouldn't?

Cole

"My apologies, Your Highness." The girl's voice was timid and shocked. She immediately tried to pull away.

Instinctively, my arms tightened around her. Quickly, I moved my hands to her shoulders and scrutinized her closely. I could feel her heart beating rapidly. Was she more afraid of me or Talon?

She kept her head bowed and I couldn't see her face. Her wavy, taupe hair slipped over her shoulders, brushing my knuckles. It was silky and smooth; the bath had done her good. I noticed subtle rusty hues in her hair, a common trait among mages.

"You should not be so disrespectful toward Talon. He ranks higher than everyone outside the royal family."

She kept her head bowed, a light shudder running through her. I could see how warm and flush her skin bronzed skin was, with a sunkissed glow.

I am not disrespected by her shock. Talon entered my mind.

This isn't about you.

"I was startled, Your Majesty. I will not be so again."

"Good. Talon deserves your respect. He's the reason you're here in the palace instead of some mud hovel."

She lifted her head, eyes wide. For the briefest moment, our eyes locked and I saw the stunning green of her irises. There were questions in her eyes, curiosity. It faded quickly. She averted her eyes and bowed her head again.

I scoffed and pulled away from her, shaking my head. What a waste it was. Someone with the gift of magic to have her spirit so broken and beaten out of her. Yes, she was a slave, but Talon wouldn't have shown interest in her if he hadn't found something intriguing about her personality or her abilities.

At every turn, she stifled the reactions that would make her more interesting. Years of conditioning and she was nothing now.

You don't have to push her. Talon argued.

Then tell me why you like her. I need a reason to keep an unwanted slave around. I challenged him.

The dragon growled, shaking the entire bathroom. I like her. You will too.

That's not enough, Talon. I want to know why you disrupted a formal event and why I got stuck with a new personal attendant.

Talon fell silent and pulled his eye from the window. I heard the familiar thumping padding of his heavy feet as he walked away.

Sighing, I took Talon's words to heart. I didn't know why he was being so vague and cryptic but there had to be a reason. I'd known Talon a long time. If he was keeping anything from me, there was a reason for that, too.

I wasn't as patient as Talon was. Whatever his reasons, I didn't want the inconvenience that came with letting him take his time in telling me.

I glanced over my shoulder at her and took her in from head to toe. The dress hung off of her. She was a little bony but even within the oversized garment, I could see that she had feminine curves in all the right places. She just needed a little more meat on her bones.

"You know, underneath all the filth and rags, there's a real woman. You clean up... pretty."

She sucked in a sharp breath and I caught the rosy red that touched her cheeks. Still, she kept her eyes and her head down.

That was disappointing.

I sighed and shook my head again. Her dispassionate response was grating. This was going nowhere.

"When was the last time you ate?" I asked.

She lifted her head but she still didn't meet my eyes. "I had breakfast this morning, Sire."