The Serpent's Chains

Chapter 14: Innocence

Sabine

I swallowed. My throat ached as the forming lump protested the action. I couldn't pull my eyes from his. Those restless, gray orbs pinned me just as firmly as his hands around my wrists. Stray strands of his red hair wisped in front of his eyes.

My chest rose and fell dramatically with each breath. I couldn't control myself. Each inhale was little more than a gasp. Each exhale a labored sigh. I could barely process the words he spoke to me.

Prince Cole arched a thick eyebrow at me, his youthful features far from innocent now. "Are you going to make me repeat myself?"

I swallowed again, my throat dry and sticky. He really didn't like to repeat himself. At least, he was giving me a chance. Unconsciously, I twisted my wrists in his grasp. His skin was so hot on mine, fingers unyielding.

My stomach flopped back and forth. Was there any way out of this? How many times would he allow me to be disobedient?

I sighed and nodded. "What did I do to deserve the wicked wrath of the War Dragon? Are you so vile, that you must prey on a powerless opponent?" I kept my tone flat and emotionless. Finally, I was able to break from his gaze. I bowed my head.

The prince did nothing. He stood still, his firm grip on my wrists steady.

I waited for him to unleash his anger and finally punish me. Since I came into the palace, I'd been nothing but disobedient. He didn't even want a slave. What use was a disobedient slave to a prince? He had all the people he needed to wait on him. I was disposable.

A soft chuckle caught my ears. I stiffened and lifted my eyes to the prince's face. He smirked and nodded.

"That wasn't so hard, was it?" he released my wrists and stepped away.

As soon as his back was turned, I peeled myself from the wall. I rubbed my wrists, the red imprint of his fingers on my skin. The connection to my magic faded rapidly as the collar activated again.

"I..." I clamped my mouth closed before any more unsolicited words came out of my mouth.

The prince glanced at me over his shoulder. "Did you have more to say?"

I shook my head. I grabbed my lower lip with my teeth and glanced at the floor.

"You seem to have something on your mind." The prince turned fully to face me.

I took a deep breath and kept my head bowed. "Are you going to punish me for speaking out of turn?"

"No." The prince chuckled again. "I did allow you to speak freely."

My jaw slackened and I fought the urge to look at him again. "But that... was about something else."

"I don't make that distinction."

"Wh-why did you do that?" I pointed to the spot on the wall where he pinned me.

"Why indeed." I caught the prince's casual shrug. "I'd like to take a bath. Will you ready it?"

I nodded and hurried out of his rooms. The more distance between us, the better. Once again, I narrowly escaped a harsh punishment from my royal master. Unless... the rumors of his fierceness were exaggerated.

The bathhouse was just through the courtyard in the palace wing opposite Prince Cole's. Servants operated it night and day, always ready to provide the royals and court members with bathwater. The bathhouse was always filled with steam and the creaking and clunking of hot water being forced through copper pipes.

I didn't understand how the water system worked, only that it did.

"Prince Cole is requesting a bath," I told the older woman running the bathhouse.