Read Online Savage Want (Wicked Wants, #3) by Annice Sands - Free Book Online
Authors: Annice Sands
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groan but did not respond. The Duke grabbed a handful of Torsten’s dirty hair and wrenched his head up.
“Tell her.”
Torsten’s gaze burned into mine. “I am the prince of North.”
His voice was flat without any emotion.
The Duke stepped between us, blocking my view of Torsten completely. I raised my gaze to him.
“Did you lie with this barbarian or any other?”
My mind shouted at my head to turn, shake no, no, no. But I merely stared, unable to move at all. I was weary of not speaking the truth. My heart swelled and burst over and over for the poor bastard in stocks. I wanted only Torsten.
“Hmmph,” the Duke growled.
He called for the guard, and we left Torsten there, standing in his own sweat and shit. Every fiber of my being wanted to break the Northman loose, even to my own detriment. I’d seen criminals executed, which was usually a ritual of reading aloud their atrocities before hanging them by the neck, but never had I seen a man in stocks. The pain he must have endured already in such an uncomfortable position, at that point, for a day’s time. How much longer would he be kept in such a manner?
Guilt ate at my insides at the thought of the stolen dagger in my rooms back at the manor. I’d fully intended to kill Torsten with it, now it was just a sharpened souvenir of my time spent with him.
“What will you do with the beast?” I asked the Duke as we made our way back to the horses.
“Word has been sent out to the King of the North. He is to surrender his forces in our kingdom or Torsten Wulf will be put to death. Painfully.” The Duke’s smile sent a frightening chill up my spine.
How long before it became apparent that I had lain with Torsten? That my heart belonged to the savage? I should’ve stamped out the fires of love and made my peace with Cecil. I could live in his ivory tower for the remainder of my years while Torsten’s slain remains rotted away in a low rut somewhere. To want him was to invite disaster, possibly my own death.
I did not comment further on the Duke’s plans. The gruesome trade order would have surely come down from our king. One did not question the king. At least not with their mouth.
“It has been decided that you will wed my son, Cecil, in the new moon.” The Duke chuckled. “This will allow you time to cleanse yourself of the barbarian’s influence.”
The blood fled from my face. What did he mean?
“I’m not so sure I understand, my lord.”
“Oh come, Lady Elena. You sympathize with the savages. When you asked of their ‘innocents’ and still now as you witnessed your captor in prison.”
He kicked his horse’s sides gently and trotted off a ways from me. I followed on the bay.
I was only making matters worse. I held my tongue and allowed the Duke to believe he’d chastened me. Better that than pursuing the subject and possibly betraying not just my sympathies for the Northmen, but my love for who they held as the heir to the North’s throne. There would be no great riches for Torsten, save that which he and his men had stolen, and now he had no men even.
My mount stomped through the crisp grass at a steady pace, even though the Duke would spread out a distance, only to let me catch up to his side again. All a game and display of power. Had I trotted off without concern for his position, I’d be reminded firmly of a lady’s place. Was I marrying the Duke? Or his son?
I was relieved to see the soft glow in the windows of the manor. Cecil stood just outside of the torchlight’s reach and surprised a girlish squeal from me as he wrapped his arms around my waist. His lips ascended my neck. His cheeks just slightly scratchy with end-of-day stubble. The sensation of roughness against my skin warmed my cheeks, despite the chill, and I gave no resistance as I was led inside, my hand in his.
Cecil had no interest in where I’d been. He was a dutiful son and much like me, did not question anything the Duke wished to do with his or my
“Tell her.”
Torsten’s gaze burned into mine. “I am the prince of North.”
His voice was flat without any emotion.
The Duke stepped between us, blocking my view of Torsten completely. I raised my gaze to him.
“Did you lie with this barbarian or any other?”
My mind shouted at my head to turn, shake no, no, no. But I merely stared, unable to move at all. I was weary of not speaking the truth. My heart swelled and burst over and over for the poor bastard in stocks. I wanted only Torsten.
“Hmmph,” the Duke growled.
He called for the guard, and we left Torsten there, standing in his own sweat and shit. Every fiber of my being wanted to break the Northman loose, even to my own detriment. I’d seen criminals executed, which was usually a ritual of reading aloud their atrocities before hanging them by the neck, but never had I seen a man in stocks. The pain he must have endured already in such an uncomfortable position, at that point, for a day’s time. How much longer would he be kept in such a manner?
Guilt ate at my insides at the thought of the stolen dagger in my rooms back at the manor. I’d fully intended to kill Torsten with it, now it was just a sharpened souvenir of my time spent with him.
“What will you do with the beast?” I asked the Duke as we made our way back to the horses.
“Word has been sent out to the King of the North. He is to surrender his forces in our kingdom or Torsten Wulf will be put to death. Painfully.” The Duke’s smile sent a frightening chill up my spine.
How long before it became apparent that I had lain with Torsten? That my heart belonged to the savage? I should’ve stamped out the fires of love and made my peace with Cecil. I could live in his ivory tower for the remainder of my years while Torsten’s slain remains rotted away in a low rut somewhere. To want him was to invite disaster, possibly my own death.
I did not comment further on the Duke’s plans. The gruesome trade order would have surely come down from our king. One did not question the king. At least not with their mouth.
“It has been decided that you will wed my son, Cecil, in the new moon.” The Duke chuckled. “This will allow you time to cleanse yourself of the barbarian’s influence.”
The blood fled from my face. What did he mean?
“I’m not so sure I understand, my lord.”
“Oh come, Lady Elena. You sympathize with the savages. When you asked of their ‘innocents’ and still now as you witnessed your captor in prison.”
He kicked his horse’s sides gently and trotted off a ways from me. I followed on the bay.
I was only making matters worse. I held my tongue and allowed the Duke to believe he’d chastened me. Better that than pursuing the subject and possibly betraying not just my sympathies for the Northmen, but my love for who they held as the heir to the North’s throne. There would be no great riches for Torsten, save that which he and his men had stolen, and now he had no men even.
My mount stomped through the crisp grass at a steady pace, even though the Duke would spread out a distance, only to let me catch up to his side again. All a game and display of power. Had I trotted off without concern for his position, I’d be reminded firmly of a lady’s place. Was I marrying the Duke? Or his son?
I was relieved to see the soft glow in the windows of the manor. Cecil stood just outside of the torchlight’s reach and surprised a girlish squeal from me as he wrapped his arms around my waist. His lips ascended my neck. His cheeks just slightly scratchy with end-of-day stubble. The sensation of roughness against my skin warmed my cheeks, despite the chill, and I gave no resistance as I was led inside, my hand in his.
Cecil had no interest in where I’d been. He was a dutiful son and much like me, did not question anything the Duke wished to do with his or my
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