King Beast - Vicious Flames

Chapter 42

ODETTE POV

"Fergus?"

"Yes, my princess."

"Where is the lord?"

He swallowed hard, making a sound like a frog caught in a storm. "Busy with managing the draconian realm."

Here goes nothing.

It had been a week since our bath together.

I spent my days wandering around outside or through the long tunnels that twisted and curled inside the monstrosity they called castle.

My maids had rotated at least three times, either because they had met my eyes or touched me by mistake. Every afternoon, I tried to learn to read and write, a task that made me feel as stupid as a bumpkin. It was so hard, at least on my own.

Sometimes I just threw quill pens, parchments, and books to the stone floor and stepped on them.

Fergus had brought all material to me, saying they came from the Lord himself, but who would believe that? To the freaking Lord, I was just a heart he didn't want, but had to keep healthy or he would perish with it... with me.

I had requested a tutor to teach me reading and writing, but there were none— at least none alive.

I decided to ask Zerberus if we could look for one in the bigger villages.

An excuse to see him because I missed him. Not romantically, but as a basic need. It was a chore to satisfy the need I had for him. If I was his heart, he was the electricity that made the heart work.

Was I happy about it? Not at all.

Did I have another choice? I wished!

"Where can I find the Lord?" I asked a random servant holding a wooden bucket with elongated, thin stones.

"I don't think I can tell you."

I clenched my hands into fists. "Am I not your princess?"

He glanced to the side. Other servants gave us wide berths. "Of course, my lady... The Lord is in his harem at the moment."

"Harem?" I blinked, momentarily stunned. "He has a harem?"

And he is there?

I was utterly shocked. More so than I had been in a long while — which was saying something, given the slew of terrible surprises I'd encountered in these cursed lands.

"Yes, my lady."

Still, silly hope lingered within my silly-self. "What's...that?" Maybe harem was different here, maybe the servant didn't speak my language and got confused...

"A collection of, um, female companions for Your Lordship."

Pain exploded.

I took a step back, clutching my chest. I had always assumed he wasn't with other women. That, at least in that area, he was a proper mate.

As usual, he had disappointed me.

Hurt me.

I couldn't stay here another minute if this was true.

But first...

"Show me the way."

The servant hesitated. "Are you sure, my lady? The Lord might not appreciate—"

"Show. Me. The. Way."

He bowed a little and passed the bucket with the stones that rattled—they didn't sound like stones, but I didn't want to think about the other possibility.