“You must understand how I would worry for you and our realm should you have been discovered,” he retorted.

“What I understand is that you look upon my practice with my daggers and my scrapping with Kyril and Basil with amused condescension. I understand that you shouted at me like a misbehaving child earlier and shared with me what you would permit, no…what you would not, again, as if you were speaking to a misbehaving child.”

“And you also must understand, for I spoke the words not minutes ago, that I realize I did not communicate well with you earlier.”

“You said perhaps,” she returned.

His hands held hers tighter.

“Silence, I cannot believe you do not understand the insult you leveled upon me by comparing me to your father.”

“Then perhaps you should cease behaving like I am a belonging and instead behave like I am a being, I am your wife, and I have your regard.”

Mars released his hold on her hands, his chest no longer tight, his gut on fire with his fury.

“Truly, my king,” she said in an even voice, clearly not noticing the change in him, “it was also you who decided when I would have the knowledge the father I had always known was not my own. It was also you who decided to seek my true father and shared with me you would let me know him if you decided he was worthy of me.”

She took a startled step back as he stood.

He took an unhurried step away from her and their bed.

She turned to continue facing him as he did.

“You sleep alone tonight, my queen.”

Pink hit her cheeks, and it was the first time he did not like it.

“Mars—”

Now he was Mars.

But now it was too late.

“And I bid you to do it well,” he said before he turned his back to his wife and strode directly from the room.

100

The Message

Queen Ophelia

On Approach to Kilcree Break, at the Fork of the Dunleth Abhainn and the Westfork River

AIREN

Ophelia did not like the mood of the moors as she, with her warriors at her back, slowly made their way toward Kilcree Break, where they had been told Fern was being held in the stronghold there.

And it was not only the gray and dreary skies that shrouded their approach that affected the mood.

Throughout their journey, she had had spies move ahead to ascertain the lay of the land.

But until they approached the Break, she had not credited their reports, which had been that the place was deserted.

However, it appeared just this.

Eerily so.

The pennants of the Lord of Kilcree slapped above the keep that rose high from the center of the fortified town.

And as they approached, her archers with arrows set to pulled bows fanning out, Ophelia saw the gate to the walls around the town was open.