Page 49 of Sands of Atonement

Eshe glared at me, her face turning red. She briskly walked between Casimir and me, but her shoulder subtly brushed against my arm. I stumbled back.

By instinct, I grabbed her arm⁠—

Eshe twisted her body, and her other forearm met mine with a strong force, throwing my grip off.

The world stopped spinning.

Everything turned quiet—even the male servant stopped fanning the palm leaf.

Eshe held her breath, and I could feel Casimir’s body stiffen nearby.

I had never been so disrespected before.

I took a slow step toward her, but she didn’t move. She kept her eyes locked with mine. She was still challenging me, though her face turned ashen.

I grabbed her neck and wrenched her toward me. She let out a small gasp, but wisely kept her hands by her side.

I lowered my face, and the scent of jasmine filled my nose. With a calmness I didn’t realize I possessed, I whispered in her ear, “Disrespect me one more time like this, and I’ll make sure you never see your brother again.”

And I meant it.

She swallowed beneath my firm hand.

“Do you understand?”

A moment passed.

Eshe hesitantly nodded.

I pressed my fingers deeper, demanding a better answer. I could feel her heart beating against my palm. It made me think of a fragile butterfly and how easily it could be crushed.

“Yes,” she responded breathily. Her eyes fluttered to the floor.

Satisfied with my answer, I let her go fast, as if her skin had burned my hands. She was like an untamed horse that needed to know who its master was. Breaking her wasn’t going to be easy, but it had to be done. It was dangerous to have an unpredictable beast in the midst.

“Take her back to her room,” I muttered to the guards.

Eshe turned and walked out of the courtyard, my guards following close behind her. My eyes lingered a little too long on the length of her body.

I gave a quick side glance at Casimir. He gave me an apologetic look, and I shook my head before I walked to my next meeting. I didn’t have any spare time for him. He was a disappointment today.

The painted ceiling above me cast the sun away and immediately gave me sweet relief from the heat. I crossed the tapestried hallway and walked into my second study, reserved specifically for external matters of the palace. The platform inside the room held a single row of red velvet couches. They hugged low to the floor and were pressed neatly against the walls. In the middle was a small table with incense burning, casting swirling smoke around the room.

“Ezra,” one of my men, Amr, greeted me as soon as I approached the platform. It was just him and me for this long-awaited meeting. He had a scarf around his head and neck, leaving his face exposed. I could tell by the sands that were still on his robes that he had just ridden from the desert, and by the look in his eyes, he had news for me.

“They suspect,” Amr stated in a solemn tone.

“How do you know?” I grunted.

“They captured Jahq and had him brutally tortured under the sun for two days. They let him go before he died from the burns,” Amr muttered. “I’m sure they were afraid to start a war.”

I scoffed. “They have no proof we took her. He won’t find her.”

A minute passed in silence.

“I don’t think he’ll stop until he finds her. It’s been months. He’s been relentless with his searches.” Amr’s voice was growing. “This is our third man, Ezra⁠—”

“I know. What will you have me do? She asked me for this, and I won’t go back on my word,” I growled.