Page 108 of Of Masks and Fury

She disappeared into the storm.

Trew had promised to always find me, but now he was gone, and cold reality pressed in. I fought the tears burning my eyes, refusing to let them fall while my father watched, before the rage pushed me toward planning.

Trew had sacrificed himself to keep me safe and free—for the moment. I wouldn’t waste the opportunity I was given.

I could pretend. I could debase myself. As long as my father didn’t hurt him.

Father dragged me from the room, his grip never loosening on my arm. Guards fell into step behind us as we moved through the corridors. Servants pressed themselves against the walls as we passed, their eyes downcast.

“You're out of your mind,” I hissed.

Something flickered across his face. Not anger, but something rawer. His eyes cut to the shadows in the corner of the room before snapping back to me. “What makes you think that?”

“You are.”

My chambers loomed ahead. Father shoved me inside hard enough that I stumbled, catching myself on the back of a chair.

“Search her rooms for weapons,” he yelled at the guards, and they rushed to do his bidding, collecting every blade and knife I possessed. They took them from the room and removed them from the sheaths on my body while my father glared at me.

“You will remain here,” he finally snarled. “I’ll return shortly.”

A wave of his hand and guards stomped inside to make sure all my windows were locked.

They all filed out and the door slammed closed. A lock clicked.

I stood in the center of the sitting room, dripping rainwater onto the rug, my entire body shaking.

Trew was locked in the dungeon because of me, because I’d asked him to help me find answers about my mother and Addie.

And I had to do something about it, but what?

I pressed my hands against my face, fighting the urge to scream.

A short time later, the door opened again. Father strode inside, his face purple with rage.

“Compromising yourself with hired help,” he spat. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done or what the people will say?”

“I don’t give a fuck.”

“Silence! I should whip you for this.” He started pacing in front of me. “Should drag you to the square and let everyone see whathappens to daughters who forget their place. But that would only make the scandal worse.”

My hands curled into fists at my sides.

“You’re pretty much worthless to me now,” he said, his voice dropping to something colder. “Lucky for you, I’ve spoken with Lord Alfred. He’s quite willing to take you off my hands.”

My stomach dropped. “What?”

“He knows about your indiscretion, but he doesn’t care. He says he’ll be happy to tame any wildness in you once you’re wed.” Father’s smile came out cruel enough to make me wince. “You’ll marry him tomorrow at dawn, before you can shame us further.”

“Tomorrow?” The word came out strangled.

“Do you think I’ll give you time to plan an escape? Another midnight tryst with your lover?” He moved closer, looming over me. “You’re my daughter. My property. And I will see you wed to a man who can control you.”

I lifted my chin, done with pretense, done with acting like the daughter he believed me to be. “I won’t marry him.”

“You will or I’ll have your bodyguard executed in the village square. Slowly. And I’ll make you watch every moment of it.”

Something cold and sharp crystallized inside me. I’d spent my whole life being afraid of this man, letting him control me through threats and violence.