Chapter 2

I glared at John Chase with his intimidating black gaze.

He bowed with a cynical bow, a lascivious smile at the corner of his lips.

" My Commander, I cannot walk with you now, I must attend the ball. " I said, trying to be diplomatic.

He studied me and shook his head.

"They'll survive without you, and besides, it's only a few minutes' walk, princess."

He wasn't giving me a choice, although his words were polite and his gestures gentle, I could see in his eyes that he was a man no one said no to, and from what I was seeing, not even a princess.

I gave him a wry smile and headed down the hall, towards the palace grounds, my guards followed me and Commander Chase positioned himself beside me, walking.

I kept my posture haughty and eyes fixed on the path ahead, in my peripheral vision I saw him staring at me, sizing me up just like a predator would, and I think that's exactly what John Chase was, a predator.

We turned left and entered a small hall that led to the large doors that opened onto the palace gardens. The night air was pleasant, the sky was clear, I was surprised by the amount of stars in the sky, but one in particular was shining brightly that night, the star Lina, which I had seen since I was a child. The last time I was in these gardens it was also at night, late at night, with Christofer by my side, and we watched those same stars, with the evocation of those memories I had to use all my strength not to release the tears that so cruelly made me prevented from spilling.

It was all wrong that night.

" Doesn't this garden bring back good memories, princess?"

The commander's deep voice interrupted my thoughts, we were following a small stone path with several apple trees around, the sound of night and insects between us.

His question surprised me, because somehow he understood my state of mind, and it made me quite uncomfortable, I didn't want this man noticing my emotions, reading them in my expression.

" You look radiant, my lord, it doesn't even look like a few hours ago you were in an arena. " I replied.

He analyzed me again.

" Do you know their names, princess? " he asked after a pause, I turned my face towards him, his gaze was fixed on me and his face contained seriousness.

But I hadn't completely understood his question.

" Them who?"

" Of the men who died fighting for his hand."

I stopped walking.

He'd asked a question whose answer would make me sound insensitive, exactly what my earlier comment had suggested of him, Chase was playing with me, and he'd deftly turned the tables on me.

I looked into his sly dark eyes as he waited for my answer.

" It can't be easy taking a man's life. " I tried to get around the situation.

Now we were almost at the end of the stone path between the apple trees, a few meters ahead was a fountain and some stone and marble benches.

We were standing facing each other, he looked at me in that analytical way again and resumed his steps, I did the same and when we reached the fountain, I wet my hands in the water, he looked at the sky, standing in front of the fountain.

" Actually, it's easy. " he said after a long pause, so long I thought he wouldn't answer anymore.

His answer evoked the memory of his sword decapitating Cristhofer in the arena, my heart sped up, my breathing intensified and a feeling of indignation and anger was rising in my heart, like a poison spreading throughout my body. I felt my cheeks burn with that feeling so bitter in me, his response was cold and cruel, he killed the one I loved today and no guilt or remorse weighed on his conscience.

It had been easy for him. Perhaps even pleasurable.

And was this the man I would eventually marry? Unless another competitor killed him.

This possibility awakened in me something I never imagined I would feel for someone, the hope that the person would die, in my heart I sought revenge against him, some justice for what he took from me. He took away my chance to have a happy life and I hated him for it.

I sat on the edge of the fountain and with my silence, he did the same.

" It wasn't the answer I was expecting." was not a question, but a statement.

" I suppose for some people, killing is easy." I hoped he sensed all the contempt in my words.

" Which one, princess? " he asked suddenly.

I blinked, pretending not to understand his question, but deep down I understood. He sighed and spoke again, this time more firmly.

" Which of the bastards had your heart?"

I was transfixed by your direct question. In just a few minutes of conversation, had I been so transparent to him that he'd deduced it?

" I don't think I understand your question, Commander. " I hoped thathim not to insist, to accept my evasion.

" You understand perfectly, princess, you just don't want to answer, not that you really need to. I saw your look today in the arena, the look of a woman in love, and when I killed him, I saw that I killed some of you too."

I could no longer steady my breathing now, my chest rose and fell with my heart pounding too fast, again the poison of anger spreading through me, coursing through my entire body and making me want to kill him.

" You killed someone today. " I accused him.

His expression was impassive.

" I killed a man who was trying to kill me." He simplified.

" You didn't need to be in that arena."

" Neither did Christofer, he was a free man who chose to be there today, wasn't he?!"

I stared at him shocked, the mention of his name on his lips paralyzed me, he wasn't worthy to say his name.

" Put yourself together, princess, you have a ball to attend, your feelings are very clear. And yes, I know his name, from everyone I've killed, not just in that arena."

He stood up and held out his hand to me, I got up, but I didn't hold his hand, my whole body was shaking. Before we started our way back, he muttered:

" In the future, you'll be pleased to know that I don't tolerate my wife withholding things."

" Perhaps in the future I won't be your wife, perhaps you won't even have one. " I replied.

He arched an eyebrow and smiled.

" That way I might even think the princess is rooting for my death in the last fight. In that case I will have to disappoint you, for years my enemies have wanted the same as the princess, but I refuse to grant that wish, not even for a princess as beautiful as you."

With those words he led me back to the path.

The man was devilish.