Feeling warm, clean and refreshed, Elise exited the bathroom and found a steaming bowl of soup and fresh loaf of bread on the coffee table, waiting for her. She sat down and dug in hungrily…
The whole ordeal had sapped her of her energy and she felt grateful for Callum’s foresight in having hot food brought up to her room for her to eat after her bath.
After finishing her meal, Elise found she was completely exhausted, and so she crawled into bed, burying herself under the thick, warm covers, and within a short few minutes, fell dead asleep.
❖ ❖ ❖
Elise awoke from her slumber from the gentle knocking at her door. Rubbing her bleary eyes, she called out for the person to come in.
“I’ve come to escort you to dinner, my Lady,” Aiden said as he gave her small bow, just as Elise threw off her covers and slid out of bed.
Straightening herself up, she smoothed out the creases and crinkles in her dress. It hadn’t been the most comfortable sleepwear, but she’d been too tired to change at the time.
“His Lordship awaits…um, did you need a moment?” Aiden asked tactfully, seeing Elise frown as she raked a hand through her hair, and got her fingers stuck in a knot.
“Maybe just a minute…” Elise muttered, walking over to her dressing table to grab a hairbrush.
“I’ll wait for you outside then, my Lady,” Aiden replied and politely exited the room to give her some privacy.
Elise studied her dishevelled blonde hair in the mirror, her eyes narrowing at her messy appearance. Ugh! “Talk about terrible timing for a bad hair day,” she muttered darkly to herself as she started to carefully comb the brush through her thick, long hair.
After what seemed like five or so minutes, she finally managed to get the tangled nest under control. Persevering for a while longer, she was able to get rid of the remaining stubborn knots, and as she gave her hair a few final strokes with the hairbrush, she peered at her reflection in satisfaction—her hair now shone smooth and silky like a gold, wheaten waterfall. She allowed it to fall loosely around her face and down her shoulders and back, deciding not to tie it up.
Pinching her cheeks, she brought some color back into them, and then stepped outside her room. Aiden was waiting for her patiently in the corridor just outside her bedroom door, and smiled when he saw her, asking her if she was ready.
“I’m as ready as I’ll ever be,” Elise joked, then shrugging off Aiden’s look of pity she said to him, “please lead the way.”
The journey to the dining room took them about ten minutes, and Elise followed a step or so behind Aiden all the way. They walked through multiple passageways decked out with statues, display armour, paintings and tapestries—many of which drew Elise’s eye.
Many of the artworks depicted vast battle scenes in intricate detail, and Elise was both awed and fascinated by the powerful scenes showing battalions of soldiers on magnificent horses and on foot; their shields and weapons held high, as they surged forth to attack the enemy.
When they reached the dining room, Aiden escorted her in and she found Callum seated on one end of a long rectangular table. He stood up at her arrival, and pulled out a seat adjacent to him for her to sit down on.
“How are you feeling?” he asked, as dinner was brought in on silver platters by a couple of servants.
“Much better after my nap,” Elise replied, a smile slowly curling up her lips as her gaze followed the steaming plate of food being placed in front of her.
She eyed the piece of steak, mash and peas on her plate, licking her lips hungrily, and picked up her knife and fork. A quick glance over at Callum told her he was doing the same.
Feeling like there was no need for her to stand on ceremony, she began to cut the meat into bite-sized chunks. Forking a piece of steak with some mash and shovelling it into her mouth, she marvelled at the juicy, tender meat and buttery potato that melted on her tongue.
For a while, they simply sat there eating in silence. Then, Callum cleared his throat, speaking up. “You’ll be glad to hear Gideon—the boy you saved, is doing well. He’s been bathed and fed, and is now fast asleep in one of the rooms. I’ve asked Darthum to keep watch over him tonight, and I’ve already sent one of my men out to the village nearby to tell his parents about the current situation, so they can come pick him up tomorrow.”
“Thank you…!” Elise smiled at him, relieved to hear the good news. “I feel a lot better knowing he’s safe now, and will be back with his family soon.”
Callum nodded at her, and that’s when she noticed his expression had changed and he was staring at her with a heavy, reproachful look.
She immediately knew what was coming.
“You shouldn’t have acted so recklessly,” he told her in a stern voice. “Jumping into the water after a child”—he continued with a shake of his head—“it was simply brash and dangerous! What if something had happened to you? You could have drowned!”
“I’m a strong swimmer, Callum,” Elise argued, putting down her cutlery and fixing him with a stubborn and determined look. “I’ve been trained to move through the water since I was five! I knew I could save him!”
“Lake Thistle isn’t like the lakes you have in the human world!” Callum growled. “It’s an enchanted lake and full of strange, threatening creatures. It’s also the dead of winter right now—you could have caught pneumonia!”
“How was I suppose to know that? The only thing I was thinking of at the time was the fact that I could see a young boy drowning in the lake, and someone needed to save him! I couldn’t have just let him die!” Elise cried out, her low, harsh voice rising with her emotions. She felt this entire conversation to be completely unfair, and she did not deserve to be scolded for trying to save another person’s life!
“You’re right! Someone did need to save him—” Callum said, and Elise was about to smile in triumph before she heard him continue, “but that someone should not have been you. You should have allowed Aiden or another soldier to save the boy instead!”
Callum’s jaw was tight. Elise noticed the skin of his knuckles turning white as he gripped the arms of his chair, trying to hold in his anger. But no matter how furious he was with her for her actions, she refused to back down.
She wasn’t a child…nor was she some kind of porcelain doll. For years she’d fended for herself—even with her father not being around; and she’d be damned if any man was going to control what she did with her life!
It was bad enough Callum had trapped her inside this garrison and made it impossible for her to leave this alien realm! The hell if he was going to take away her free will to make decisions for herself aswell!
Elise grabbed at the edge of the table, pushing her chair back, her eyes glaring a hole through Callum’s irritatingly handsome face. “I don’t have to listen to this”—she stood up, her chair scraping against the floor—“I’m not just some trophy wife you can keep locked away for display purposes only. I have my own mind and can make my own decisions—and if that puts me in danger sometimes because I’m doing something that I think is right, then that’s my own prerogative. It’s really none of your goddamn business!”
Callum snarled, mirroring Elise as he stood up and leaned forward on the table towards her, the muscles of his arms taut with primal rage. “You are my wife, and you will listen to me!” He growled, his face fierce. No longer the gentle man who’d bent down hours earlier, warming her frozen limbs with his own hands.
Elise tilted her head back and stuck her chin out, nostrils flaring in defiance. “I am not your wife. You and my father—” she breathed out harshly, “can both go to hell!”
Spinning on her heel, she stormed out of the dining room like a hurricane, intentionally stomping her feet loudly to make her angry footsteps heard.
The wait staff standing at the door scattered to let her through, but she paid them no heed, her head boiling with rage as she made her way back to her own room.
She was sick and tired of all the men in
her life trying to manipulate or control her! Alex—her ex-boyfriend—had been like that; her father, as far as she could remember had always been like that—and now her own damn husband, if she could even call him as such!
No! Elise shook her head violently, dislodging the thought. Callum was not her husband. She had told him so to his face herself! Whatever this thing was between them could not be considered marriage. Definitely not in her eyes anyway!
She’d never consented to it for one thing, and for another—this relationship made her feel like she was nothing more than a prisoner! Bartered goods traded to the Fae lord by her selfish, worthless father.
She hoped the bastard was feeling guilty for what he’d done to his own daughter…but deep down, she knew it was probably too much to hope for. The rotten, selfish asshole had never cared for anyone except himself, and this whole situation was living proof of that. The worse thing was, despite his betrayal, Elise had to grit her teeth and tolerate being held captive by some freaky, immortal man, so she could keep his sorry ass alive!
It was all so damn unfair!
Wet tears burned Elise’s eyes, and she tried to stamp them back down. She was so close to her room…just a few feet more.
She needed to hold it in until she could be alone…she’d not give any of the bastards here the satisfaction of seeing her cry.
With shaky fingers, Elise twisted the doorknob to her room and roughly shoved the door open. As soon as she was inside, she slammed the door shut behind her and bolted it from the inside.
Unable to hold back her frustration, she let out a furious wail! Directing the shout up towards the ceiling, she instilled all her frustration, anger and hatred into the sound!
Hiking up her dress, she kicked the wall with her foot, only to end up stubbing her toes.
“Owww! Owww! Owww!” she hissed out in pain, annoyed at her own stupidity. Of course she had to go hurt herself on top of everything else!
Hobbling towards her bed, she tore off her dress, leaving her only in her underwear.
She stood there, feeling rebellious. Refusing to wear any of the items Callum and his staff had given her, she stripped off her underwear, and went to bed completely naked—something she’d never done before in her entire life!
Tossing on the bed, she growled into her pillow. Then, loosening a punch at it with her fist, she vented all her frustration and anger, swearing out loud. “Damn him!” she cursed.
Scowling, she felt exhaustion taking over her. Tossing her body left and right a handful of times underneath the silky sheets and fur blanket, she finally gave up, staring resentfully up at the pristine, white ceiling, her mind roiling with indignation.
It was clear Callum thought she couldn’t take care of herself. Well, she was never going to ask him for help again! That would show him!
Given her fitful thoughts, it wasn’t until hours later that Elise was able to doze off, falling into a restless night of sleep.
CHAPTER SEVEN
“I need your help with something.” Elise squeezed the words out of her mouth like she’d been forced to eat rotten fruit.
Callum raised his eyebrow, staring over at her from where he sat behind his desk in his study. He was reading over the training reports from the instructors, gauging how well they were progressing with getting the troops ready to head to the south.
With only about six and a half weeks left, he needed to make sure any issues which cropped up were dealt with swiftly, and so he was focused most mornings reading his instructors’ daily reports.
When he first looked up from his work to see Elise walking stiffly through the door of his study, he had to admit he’d been surprised. But what rankled him more was that he couldn’t help feeling an unexpected bolt of joy inside him from merely being in her presence!
Elise had been ignoring him over the last few days; giving him the silent treatment due to their recent argument at dinner. Therefore, he was more than pleased to find her coming to him, rather than the other way around.
Keeping his cards close to his chest, he hid his true feelings from her behind a cool exterior as he raised a questioning eyebrow at her, waiting for her to continue speaking.
Meanwhile, Elise stood before him, her arms folded defiantly over her chest, looking completely unapologetic as she held her head up high, staring at Callum expectantly.
It seemed neither of them wanted to be the next person to talk, and so they found themselves at an impasse.
She tapped her foot impatiently against the rug, giving him a pointed look. Callum had to bite back a small smile of amusement. Feeling generous at this moment, he decided to relent and show her mercy.
“And pray…please tell me, my lady, what help do you need from me?”
The corner of his wife’s left eye twitched, making him certain she hadn’t missed the irony he’d intentionally inserted in his voice. But she swallowed down her pride and refrained from throwing back a snappy retort. It seemed that whatever it was she wanted from him, it was important enough for her to keep her anger in check.
“It’s about Gideon,” Elise said. “Aiden’s told me they can’t locate his father. Apparently he’s a drunkard and a gambler and owes a fair bit of money to a few people in the village. They think he might have gone bolted and gone into hiding somewhere.”
“Is that so…?” Callum replied, clasping his hands together on top of his desk and resisting the urge to sigh and knead the knot in his temples, feeling the tension coming on. For some reason, his wife had gotten it into her head that she was responsible for this boy Gideon…and was now making his entire welfare her own personal problem.
“What about his mother?” he asked, looking for an alternate solution.
“She passed away when he was five, and his closest living relative is his mother’s sister, but she lives days away and won’t be able to pick him up immediately.”
“Okay…so, what’s the problem?” Callum asked, confused. “If you want the boy to stay here until his aunt comes to collect him, then ask Aiden to arrange it with the staff,” Callum said dismissively.
From his perspective, it wasn’t a very complicated issue…and one that hardly required his personal attention. Did she think he wouldn’t agree to help the boy? Her opinion of him must be worse than he originally thought.
Elise’s lips pressed into a thin, tight line, like she was trying to hold back a biting remark. “Yes, well, I wish it were that simple,” she said tersely. “One of the villagers told the soldier you sent down there that Gideon’s aunt would’ve taken him away with her earlier—because of how negligent of a father her deceased sister’s husband is; but she doesn’t have the means or resources to raise him…she’s got three daughters of her own, and unfortunately her family’s quite poor.”
Callum leaned back against his chair, examining his wife’s stiff figure carefully as he considered what she’d just told him. Steepling his fingers together over his lap, he looked over at Elise thoughtfully.
“So, what is it you would like me to do, exactly?” he asked. “I presume you want me to intervene in their family’s private matters in some way?”
Elise didn’t even bat an eye at the slight dig in Callum’s remark. “I was thinking…perhaps you could give Gideon a job at the garrison,” she suggested in a neutral voice. But Callum wasn’t deceived. He could tell by the tension in the muscles of Elise’s neck and shoulders that she was rearing herself for a fight.
“And what position would you have me give the boy?” Callum asked, enjoying himself as he watched his wife squirm a little under his penetrating gaze.
“He could work in the kitchen, or the stables…you know, assist with the cleaning and such. I’m sure there are plenty of tasks the staff here could use his help with.”
Bartered to the Fae Lord Page 6
