Raeylin stared at Aamon and then glanced back at Layt. "What do you mean she's barricaded herself in her room? How long has she been there?"

"A day and a half!" Aamon slammed a fist into the stone wall, his lips twisting into a snarl. "When I get ahold of her, she's going to regret this childish behavior."

Wincing, Raeylin wondered just what Aamon was made of. Not even a flinch of pain. That blow should've broken his fingers.

Layt put his hands on her waist, nuzzling her neck with his nose. If he was trying to distract her, it was working. She shivered.

Aamon fixed them with a cold glare.

"Why don't you go upstairs and see if you can't talk some sense into her, love?" Layt nibbled on her earlobe, and she could feel a smile curving his lips against her skin.

For his part, Aamon clenched his fists and narrowed his eyes at Layt. "Are you trying to provoke me, General?"

"No. I'd never do that." Layt trailed feather light kisses down her neck and then turned her round to face him. Planting one more kiss on her lips, he released her and pushed her toward the door. "Go on then, Raey. See if you can make her see sense while I deal with Prince Moody down here."

Raeylin rolled her eyes, but she did as told. Truth be told, I would rather avoid dealing with him. Let Layt figure out how to tame the raging beast.

***

"What did you do to her?" Layt rounded on Aamon with a raised brow.

"What do you mean what did I do to her?" Aamon stalked to the desk and slammed himself down into the chair.

"Exactly what I said. She wouldn't act this way if you hadn't done something, and you know it. She stopped just using you a long time ago, in case you hadn't noticed." Layt sprawled into the chair across from Aamon. "So, what'd you do?"

"What I wanted to do." Aamon gripped the arm rests of his chair in a vice-like hold.

"And what, do tell, does that entail?" Layt smirked and laced his fingers behind his head.

I think I already know exactly what he did. Layt resisted the urge to sneer at his prince. Though, he's so violent and unpredictable that it's possible he did something much worse than just hit her a few times.

"I punished her for disobeying me in town. She was warned to stay away from the Healer, and she lied the first chance she got so she could slip off and talk with him." Aamon glowered at Layt. "She deserved everything she got. Besides, she practically begged me to punish her to fix the tension between us." A bark of laughter erupted from him. "Stupid woman."

"I already figured you did that, Aamon." Layt leaned forward and rested his arms on the desk with his hands clasped in front of him. "How did you punish her?"

"I used the room in my bedroom."

He did what? Layt fought back an urge to be sick. He had a strong constitution for all kinds of debauchery, but he couldn't revel in or even approve of what Aamon did in that room. "No wonder she locked herself in her room. How badly did you damage her, man?"

"It'll heal. But she knows better than to defy me, and she certainly should've learned not to deny me." His jaw muscles twitched. "Looks like I'll have to teach her another lesson."

Layt rubbed his temples and exhaled slowly. "Far be it from me to tell you what to do, my prince, but..." He sucked in a breath. "Perhaps if you refrain from raping and beating her in the future, she would be more pliable?"

"I don't care if she's more pliable as you call it, Layt. I want her subservient, and I will break anything I have to in order to have that. She needs to know who's in charge of her." Aamon smacked his palm against the desk's glossy surface.

"Good gods, man! You can't go about doing that sort of thing. It's just..." Layt searched for the word, still massaging his temples. "Dastardly. Simply wicked."

Aamon raised a brow and smirked. "Which is exactly what I am. When have I ever given you reason to believe I wasn't?"

Layt resisted the urge to smack the other man's face into the desk. "You haven't. But if you want her subservient, then make her believe you'll give her anything she wants if she obeys."

What can I say to convince the fool not to jeopardize her trust in him any further? If he doesn't knock this off, he'll push the woman right into Tapani's arms. "Look, Aamon, you've got to be subtler about the manipulation."

"Subtler?" Aamon drummed his fingers on the desk's surface.

"Yes. Subtler. Deprive her of small things. Dinner if she doesn't conform to your expectations. Or maybe you only give her basic food and water. Be gentler with her when she cooperates. Seduce her like you did at the beginning and make her believe that what you did to her in the past was a one-time situation. Make her dependent on you so that she won't dream of going anywhere else or of going against your wishes." Layt shook his head. "Just look at Raeylin. She waits on me hand and foot, but I've never abused her to get that. I've just made sure she believes she's needed and wanted in addition to being unable to live without me."

Aamon's eyes narrowed, and he stroked his chin. "You say that actually worked on her?"

Layt's lips quirked up in a smile as he thought about the fiery woman he'd tamed. "Beautifully. She's mine in every way possible."

Aamon grunted and shoved himself away from the desk. Standing, he towered over Layt, his eyes still narrowed. "And you think it'll work on the mulish vixen upstairs?"

Layt snickered. Seeing the look on his prince's face, he smothered the laughter with a violent cough. "Must be getting sick," he muttered. "And of course, it'll work. Raeylin was a whole lot more stubborn and much less desperate for love than your pretty waif of a slave. She'll let you back in an instant if you play it right."

***

Raeylin knocked on the thick oak door. "Ann? Ann, are you alright? I heard you wouldn't leave the room."

A sniffle came from somewhere inside the room near the door. "Raey?"

"Yes, it's me. Can I come in?"

Something scraped and grated across the stone behind the door, and then the door swung open on silent hinges. Anwyl's tear-filled eyes met Raeylin's. When her haunted gaze met Raeylin's sympathetic one, Anwyl burst into tears. She covered her face with her hands and backed away toward the center of her bedroom.

Raeylin slipped in and shut the door, slipping the deadbolt back into place. She glanced around to see that Anwyl had blocked the entrance to Aamon's room with a heavy chest. A further inspection of the room revealed that the bookshelf was the most likely culprit of the scraping noise she'd heard. Well, that's one way to make sure no one can get in.

Anwyl sunk to her knees, still sobbing, and her hands trembled as they covered her mouth to muffle the sobs.

"Oh, Ann..." Raeylin glided across the space between them and settled onto the rug beside Anwyl, her skirts billowing up around her and over Anwyl's legs as the fabric settled. She wrapped her arms around the shivering young woman and held her while she cried. "It's alright... I'm right here... Anwyl, it's all going to be alright."

Anwyl shook her head against Raeylin's shoulder, her fingers clenching against the silk of Raeylin's bodice. "It'll never be okay again, Raey."

"Why not?" Raeylin let go of the other woman and frowned. "What's going on, Ann?"

Anwyl rose, her trembling fingers tugging at the knotted tie that held her dressing gown closed. She pulled the silken gown off and clutched the fabric to her chest. Standing there, she let Raeylin stare at her bare skin.

Bruises colored her pale skin blue, black, and purple. Bite marks stood out in angry red swaths along her sides and collarbone. Bruises in the shapes of fingers splashed over her hips and the insides of her thighs. Raeylin took it all in, her eyes widening. Her breath caught in her throat, and she raised quaking fingers to her lips. "Anwyl... What—" She swallowed back the sting of bile as it forced its way up her throat. "What happened?" Her voice cracked and softened.

Anwyl turned away from her, tugging the robe back on. "Aamon happened. This is what happens when you don't obey him. I envy you, Raey. You clearly got the better man."

Raeylin hung her head. Layt was no angel, but she was inclined to agree with Anwyl on this. He was shades better than Aamon. She'd never sustained any intentionally inflicted bruises or bites. The bites on Anwyl's collarbone glared at her, an angry red against the pale blue silk of the gown as it slipped off one of Anwyl's shoulders. "I—" Raeylin swallowed again, searching for the right words. "I'm so sorry," she whispered.

Anwyl's gait was stiff as she made her way back to the bed and huddled there. "It's not your fault. It's not anyone's. He always gets his way, and in the end, regardless of my title, I'll still be a slave to his will."

Looking at Anwyl, Raeylin was inclined to agree. "Didn't he give you anything to help with the pain?"

"He applied it himself in yet another display of power over me." Anwyl's lips compressed into a thin line. Her fists clenched on the bed's thick comforter, and a tear slid down her cheek. "I've never felt so violated," she whispered. "Nothing has ever been quite so bad as the moment I saw the victory in his gaze on the next morning. He looked at each bruise and bite mark as if it were a masterpiece he was proud of, Raey."

Raeylin shivered, shifting her gaze to the floor. "That's terrible."

"And it didn't matter how I pleaded, he insisted on being the one to tend the wounds he created." She wrapped her arms around herself and laid down, curling up into a tight ball.

Footsteps echoed heavily in the hall. Raeylin recognized Layt's smooth, lighter step under the noise of the other man's harsh steps. He's let Aamon come here? Is he crazy? She stood, spinning to face the door just as one of them tried the handle.

The handle jiggled, but they couldn't get the door open because the deadbolt kept it locked. It wouldn't keep either of them out if they were determined. She glanced back at Anwyl. The young woman had her eyes squeezed shut, tears trickling down her cheeks.

"Open this door!" Aamon pounded on the heavy wood that was obstructing his path.

Raeylin flinched, and Anwyl's breath hitched.

"L-layt?" Raeylin stumbled over her skirt, rushing to push against the bookshelf. "Perhaps you ought to keep him away from here until he calms down."

"This is calm, love. If you don't let him in, then he will lose his temper. I'd appreciate it if you didn't let that happen since I spent a great deal of time calming him down." Layt's tone soothed her with its measured, even rhythm.

She shot another glance at Anwyl.

"You'd better let him in. If you don't, we'll both have hell to pay." Anwyl turned over to face the wall, but Raeylin didn't miss the empty look in her eyes and the tight-lipped grimace.

Raeylin's shoulders slumped, but she did as Anwyl advised and removed the deadbolt. The metal rod scraped on the metal of the rings that held it in place. She cringed at the sharp sound but removed it the rest of the way anyway.

Aamon burst into the room. He eyed Anwyl, who didn't move despite his obvious entrance. Then his gaze shifted to Raeylin. He stared down his nose at her, his eyes narrowing. "Get out."

"Now, see here!" Raeylin blocked his way to the bed, shaking a finger at him. "Don't you think you've done enough?"

Aamon's jaw muscle twitched, and he lifted his chin. "Are you questioning my decisions when it comes to my woman?"

Raeylin narrowed her eyes and straightened her back. "Somebody ought to, you oaf! Shame on you for treating her so poorly. You could've done anything else to make it clear she wasn't to disobey, and you chose to rape her? What the—"

"Raeylin." Layt's voice rang out over her, cutting of her tirade. "Desist this instant."

She gaped at him, pointing a finger at Aamon. "B-but... Layt... H-haven't you seen what he did to her? She's covered in bruises and bite marks!"

"I haven't seen, but I'm well aware of his behavior." Layt crossed his arms. "Come here. We're leaving now."

Raeylin's eyes widened. She planted her feet and shook her head. "We can't leave her with him. Not like this."

"We don't have any say in what he does with her. But I do have say in what you do." His blue eyes glittered in the lamplight.

Raeylin shot Aamon a glare. She jabbed a finger in Anwyl's direction. "If you so much as lay a finger on her the wrong way, so help me... I'll find a way to make you suffer."

Aamon snorted and shoved her to the side. "Out of my way, woman."

Layt's fingers closed around her wrist, his grip firm but not bruising. "Let's go, Raeylin."

As Layt dragged her from the room, she kept her gaze on Aamon, who was watching them with crossed arms from his position beside Anwyl's bed. He'd better not hurt her. I'll kill him if he ever hurts her like that again.

"Raey..." Layt stopped and took her chin in his long, slender fingers. "There's nothing we can do for her."

His words sunk in bit by bit, and she stared at him, tears welling in her eyes. "There has to be, Layt. He was so cruel."

Layt resumed his even stride, his gentle grip on her wrist prompting her to follow him. "I know, love. I know."

***

Layt settled Raeylin into his lap, stroking her hair when she leaned her back against his chest.

"Don't you care at all?" Her fingers shook on his thighs, and she shifted to look up at him.

"It's none of my business. She made a contract with him, and neither of us has a right to speak a word against his treatment of her." Layt pressed a lingering kiss to her temple.

Raeylin's fingers dug into his legs. "If I were t-to disobey you, would you do that to me?"

Layt chuckled, feathering kisses down the side of her neck before answering. "You disobeyed me when I told you to stand down today, but I'm not punishing you, am I?"

She shook her head, her auburn curls tickling his jaw. "But if the defiance were big enough, would you ever—" Her breath caught, and she stiffened. "You know..."

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him. "Would I ever what? You were so brazen in confronting Aamon with the reality of his behavior. Why are you so afraid to ask the question now?"

"I don't know if I want the answer." Her voice shook, and she traced her fingers over the backs of his hands.

"You don't trust me?" Layt reached up to run his fingers through her silken hair.

"It isn't that. It's just... I know you'll say no, but how do I know you're being honest?" Raeylin's shoulders hunched.

Layt held back a snicker. "Now, love, that's dreadfully inconsistent logic. If you trust me, then you don't need to wonder if I'm being honest. So, if you're questioning that, you don't really trust me."

Raeylin slumped back into his embrace. "I've never seen anyone hurt quite like that, Layt. Not even in my father's brothel. No one was allowed to hurt the girls the way he hurt her."

"He has a much greater capacity for cruelty than most men." Layt kept running his fingers through her curls.

"And what about you?" She twisted in his arms, tracing his jaw and lips with her fingers. "Layt, please, answer honestly. Would you ever hurt me like he hurt Anwyl?"

Layt pressed a kiss to the tips of her fingers. "No."

She gazed at him, her lips trembling. Whatever she saw in his eyes and face must've convinced her because she wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her head in the crook of her arm. "Just no?"

He tightened his embrace and sucked in a breath. His eyes drifted shut, and he inhaled her vanilla and jasmine scent, savoring the feeling of having her in his arms. "You want me to explain?"

She nodded.

"I would never hurt you like that because it would scar you. I don't want you to fear me without reason. If you do something wrong, there are consequences. But they'll be proportional to what you did, and rape or beatings are never acceptable punishments for anything." He rubbed her back and was rewarded with a long, slow exhale from her. Her muscles relaxed, and she curled closer to him.

"Why did he do such an awful thing to her?" Raeylin whimpered when his fingers hit a knot in her shoulders.

He worked on the knot, massaging it out. "He and I don't operate with the same philosophy. His motto tends to be 'the more broken, the better'."

"I wish I could help her." Raeylin's voice took on the airier quality it always had when she was drifting off to sleep.

Dealing with Aamon and Anwyl had made it a long evening for both of them. He gathered her closer to him and stood, carrying her to the bed. He settled her onto the bed, ignoring her sleepy protest when he let go of her. Smiling at her mew of frustration, he traced his fingers down the curve of her back. He coaxed her into sitting up and unlaced her dress. She grumbled when he tugged it up over her head and set to work on the lacing of her corset.

Once she was dressed only in her shift, he folded up the dress and stowed it in the chest where Raeylin kept her clothes. She gave him a grumpy groan when he came back and pulled the covers down, displacing her from her cozy spot on the bed for a moment.

She flopped down on the thick rug beside the bed, curling up there.

"Raey, come on." Layt crouched beside her. "I'm done pulling the covers back. The bed's much more comfortable than the floor, isn't it?"

Raeylin opened her eyes, staring at him. A yawn escaped her. "It's warm down here."

Probably because the fire is close to this side of the bed. But when the fire dies out later tonight, it won't be warm anymore. "It's not going to be warm for long. The fire will go out." He slipped his arms under her and picked her up. "I'll warm you up just as well. You need to sleep, and the bed is the best place to do that."

She exhaled, burying her nose against his chest. "Fine..." The word slurred, telling him she was almost asleep at this point.

He laid her in the bed, resting her head on the pillow. Walking around the bed, he climbed into the other side, drawing the covers over them both. He pulled her into his arms and listened to her gentle breathing. Not long after, sleep claimed him with its dreamless blackness.