Part 16 (1/2)
”I'm not a duty. I'm a person.”
”I'm aware of that.”
”And I can work and I can take care of myself. And if I can't, frankly, that's none of your business. I'll deal with that too.”
He tried a new tactic and asked, ”And how will you feed yourself?”
”I haven't decided yet but it isn't like you don't have restaurants, pubs. I'll get a job as a waitress.”
His brows shot together and when she saw it, for some reason, she took a step back.
But he ignored that.
”A barmaid?” he asked, his voice dripping with derision and at the sound of it, her spine straightened so quickly, it was wonder he didn't hear it snap.
”Yes,” she hissed. ”A barmaid,” she mimicked his tone then defended her questionable choice of profession. ”It's honest work.”
”You're an Ulfr,” he reminded her.
”Yes, that's my last name given to me by a man I now detest so it's a name I don't want. And the other man who has that name, I don't like all that much. So I'll be going back to my maiden name and no one will even know I'm an Ulfr. Which is okay by me because the time that I was,”-she leaned in- ”all of it,” she stressed, her meaning clear, ”I didn't like all that much.”
He didn't like her meaning. Not at all.
And he didn't hesitate to take issue with it.
”Did you suffer at my men's hands?” he asked.
”No, they were awesome. Every last one. But you haven't been all that great.”
”Well, you can rest in the knowledge, my dove, that you won't have to concern yourself with me,” he returned. ”I'll be away to Bellebryn the minute I drop you at Karsvall.”
”That's fabulous news,” she replied sarcastically. ”But even if I don't have to concern myself with you, I do have to concern myself with your children.”
This time he didn't understand her meaning, but he knew he didn't like it.
Therefore, he whispered, ”Careful, Ilsa.”
”You know, I've lived for over a decade being careful,” she started conversationally then leaned in again and hissed, ”And I'm sick of it. I've also been controlled by a man for over a decade and I'm”-she leaned in further- ”sick of that too.”
He uncrossed an arm to throw it toward her, sweeping it up to indicate her body, and crossing it again before he stated, ”You wear fine garments. You slept in the best cabin on the s.h.i.+p, your pa.s.sage paid by me. You slept in the finest inns and ate the finest foods that could be found during your journey. I know. I ordered it and my men follow orders precisely. You look well, healthy and rested. Everything that has been done for you since you came to this world has been done with your protection, safety and comfort in mind. And you can talk for the next four days and not convince me you have not been very comfortable for the last four months all at my expense.”
”You brought me here, a.s.shole,” she fired back. ”And left me there.” She swept an arm out in the general direction of the Winter Sea, to the north, not Fleuridia, which was to the south, and she kept talking. ”And, just saying, that's how it all starts, all the good stuff with my comfort in mind. Then all the bad s.h.i.+t goes down that isn't comfortable at all.”
His waning patience began to fade faster.
”I am not him, Ilsa,” he growled.
”No, but you throwing all that in my face says that you believe I'm beholden to you for giving me clothes and food and safe pa.s.sage. Well, get this through your head, hot guy, you're off the hook. Just let me go, you'll never see me again and I won't cost you another dime.”
”And for you to leave, you need the garments I purchased for you and a loan,” he reminded her, her head jerked and her eyes narrowed to a glare.
He had her.
He almost smiled.
Then she proved he didn't.
”I'll walk out of here naked, I don't give a d.a.m.n.”
He lifted one of his brows. ”And die in the elements?”
”At least that'll be my choice,” she snapped, uncrossing her arms and planting her hands on her hips.
Apollo drew in breath through his nose.
This was going too far. He had to rein it in.
He let his breath out and, in order to control their discussion, forcing calm, he stated, ”We have an issue, you and I.”
”You think?” she asked sardonically.
”Let me finish,” he demanded quietly.
She took her hands from her hips and crossed them on her chest again.
He resumed speaking.
”You can't see past him. I'm having difficulty seeing past her.”
Ilsa said nothing but a flash in her eyes indicated she agreed.
”Dark times are ahead for us all. It would take some time to explain this to you fully, but I will try to do what I can now.”
When he said no more, she nodded for him to go on and he did so.
”I know that magic is not practiced openly in your world. You may or may not know that it is here. And there are those who have ama.s.sed great amounts of power. One, in the Vale, so much she is considered a she-G.o.d.”
Her eyes widened at these words and he really wished she'd cease doing that.
With difficulty, he ignored it and kept speaking.
”And the ones of concern do not use their magic for good. Now, they have aligned themselves with a deposed ruler who no doubt has vengeance on his mind. They have also kidnapped the Cora of this world, who is not a good woman, but cold to her bones, selfish and deceitful. This is not a n.o.ble brew. They mean ill and they have the power to rain misfortune on the land, the kind of misfortune that has not ever been experienced in our world. The kind of misfortune anyone would hope would never be experienced in this world or any other.”
”Holy cow,” she breathed.
”Yes,” he agreed. ”For this reason, you are not safe here without protection. You are also not safe in your world. But I would feel better and more in control of your safety if you were in my world. After we're through this tense period, we can again discuss what your future in this world will be. But for now, I'm asking you to allow me to see to your safety. It would mean much to me to know I've kept you safe from him and kept you safe here as well.”
He could see by the warmth that crept into her eyes and the softness that had settled about her mouth that she was going to concede and he relaxed.