Little Saint Bride [Death and the Maiden, #1]

Chapter Sixteen: Falling

Where have you been these last few days? My question lingers on the air, still damp from the splash of Hadrian's arrival from the waterfall. My husband laughs to himself, at some private joke, before saying, 'I was visiting an old acquaintance, shall we say.'

My eyes narrow. Acquaintance,  my ass. The way he said the word spoke tomes of hidden meaning, and my mind flits to secret lovers and irritation flickers through my core. 'Who?'

Hadrian takes my question as a game, and he leans towards me conspiratorially. His breath licks my face as he says, 'Why do you want to know?'

I squash the growing jealousy. This is a game I need to win. He's testing me, he knows he's irking me. He wants me to fight, not play.

I move closer too, placing a hand underneath the stubble across his jaw. Strangely, normal Hadrian is putty in my hands, yet Dark Hadrian had me curling up on the floor for belly rubs. 'Your pregnant wife is worried,' I murmur, and he laughs, deep and throaty. It's much more intimate than his previous sarcastic laugh, like my joke has brought forth happiness from his core.

How my ovaries weep.

'I can't take my pregnant wife anywhere dangerous,' he says, moving away from my hand. I'm disappointed. I had been enjoying the attention Dark Hadrian had poured on me, but the real Hadrian doesn't take those risks.

I snap, forgetting my plans to seduce and butter, going straight for the assault. 'Really, I just opened up to you, can't you do the same for me?'

The King grins. He's won. Now, he controls the conversation. 'That's not how opening up works...' He picks up the open textbook, rifled through, and looks at it pointedly. 'You have to earn my trust, Nerissa. Telling lies to the court about your pregnancy, breaking into my room...'

Damn, I hate being the loser. 

He pauses, looking at the door. 'How did you get in here?'

I shuffle. Do I give away my secret? He would learn of it anyway. 

'I bribed the maid,' I say, 'She thought I was coming in here to...you know...'

Hadrian snorts. 'You're good. Why are you so good? You're running rings around my court. I don't like it.'

I flush with pride. There's something deeply pleasing about the way he looks at me, renewed with respect mixed with desire. 'I like to have the upper hand. Why did you say I smelled like spring?'

I change tactics. If he won't tell me about one thing, I'll go attack on another. Now he's on the defensive, retreating hastily.

Hadrian flashes me an angry look. 'That wasn't me, that was the effect of using my power.'

'Ha! So you have been using magic!'

I am triumphant. I step closer, trying to keep my face impassive, but knowing a smile is flickering across my face. He has been using his powers, it's how he got back through the waterfall! But what was he using them for?

Acquaintance echoes in my head, and I push away the scowl. 

'Yes, but not in a way that concerns you or your brother.'

It's my turn to flash him an angry look. He's cutting me out, not letting me in at any angle. He's flirtatious and promising to speak to, but his intentions are becoming clearer by the minute. He's not going to let me help. He's not going to let me breach his walls of defenses. Why?

What's he so afraid of? 

 I stomp up to him, grabbing the book from his hands. 'If you won't tell me, I'll find out myself.'