Page 59 of Anywhere

“Yer sister will be matched in a ritual one day,” he said and walked over to the desk. “But no’ you. And now ya’ve ruined even da small chance I had of pairin’ ya up and sendin’ ya off.”

My eyebrows shot up. “Pairin’ me up and sendin’ me off? What am I, a farm animal?”

“Naw, they be worth more at dis point,” it was like he’d slapped me across the face.

I stumbled back as the shock rode me. I’d been here for him since my mother died. I made sure he ate and slept. That he walked and talked to people. I read books with him. We sat and played chess and talked about everything except Faction business, but now I barely recognized the man standing in front of me.

“Ya din’t mean dat,” I whispered.

“Ya need ta be punished, Mari. Ya need to pay fir yer sins. Dat is da order of da Faction. It is what da rules dictate. Dinnie make dis any harder on yerself.”

“Punished? Yer no seriously gonna punish me?” I took a step back, and a large hand gripped my shoulder. My adrenaline spiked as my da picked up something black from his desk. “Fir havin’ sex? Da, this is crazy. Please din’t do this,” I begged.

“Tie her to da wall.”

“Git off of me, or I will break yerr neck,” I snarled at Zed.

Even weaponless, I was a threat. That was why Da had sent four guards. Zed looked uncertain but removed his hand. What I was capable of was well known amongst the guards.

“What do ya plan ta do ta me?”

The long end trailed from my da’s hand, and I realized he had a whip. Was he serious? He was going to whip me.

“Ya cannie be serious?”

“Aye, Mari, I am. It be da rules. Yer ta receive twenty lashins and never ta do it again. If ya break da rule again, then it will be forty lashins and solitary confinement fir two weeks. Da punishment gets worse da more ya disobey.”

“So all da Flitter women can fuck all of ya men as much as ya want, but I can’t have one night fir me? I cannie have one night with someone I love and will never have again?” I screamed. I’d never felt this level of rage, and the chains rattled on the wall as my power rose and filled the room.

“Mari…”

“No! Ya din’t think I’ve seen da parade of partners ya’ve had in dis house, including Illiam, since Ma died? Ya think I dinna know about da parties dat Caleb has or da circus of women that Rook, Rhys, Crispin, Ronan, Lochlan, or anyone else has slept with?”

“Dat no matter. Da rule states—”

“Fuck da rule!” I screamed, my temper flaring as the chains lifted away from the wall. It was a rare thing that I got this angry, but the fury burned bright inside me now.

My da looked at the wall and licked his lips. “Da rules are in place fir a reason, Mari. Ya must follow dem, no matter if ya like ‘em or no’. Ya were born a McGregor. No matter what, I luv ya as me daughter. But right now, I am no yer Da. I’m just a man dat is set to punish ya fir disobeyin’ da rules dat the many generations before ya put into place,” He said quieter. “Mari, ya disrespected yer cousin and his triad wit what ya did.”

“Shows you how much ya know. Rook gave his blessin’.” My hands clenched into fists. “Go ask him if ya din’t believe me. He wanted Rhys and me ta have da time together. If he’s okay wit it, why can’t ya be?”

He shook his head. “Why ya gotta make dis so difficult?”

All I could see was red, and the candles around the room flared as I screamed at the top of my lungs to release the frustration. My da took a step back, and I could feel Zed and the other guard move as far away as they could get. No, I wouldn’t let this get to me. They wouldn’t break my spirit.

I pulled the cool shield of indifference up from inside of me and wrapped myself in it. “Oh yes, how dare I, the simple, useless, and completely worthless woman born in this house, dare to speak out about being whipped for no good or logical reason? Well, since I’m so useless, the next time you need someone’s throat slit, go do it yourself,” I growled. “I will do your bidding no more. You want to kill me, then kill me, but I will not be your assassin for hire at the price of my soul.”

“Mari, dis be exactly why no attachments can be made, yer already emotional.” I bit my lip, so I didn’t leap at the man wearing the face of my father. He sounded like a typical sanctimonious windbag. “Ya need to learn yer place again. Ya have forgotten da ways dat ya were raised. Always wit da wild heart and sharp tongue. Ya need ta remember who ya be talkin’ to.”

“Oh, I know well who I’m talking to. The question is, do you?”

He swallowed hard, and I watched his throat move as he did. The flames dimmed to normal, and the chains clattered against the wall as my power released them. Could I kill my da? I didn’t know, but I was mad enough that if I had a knife, I wouldn’t trust myself.

I sucked all the anger inward and forced myself into a steely calm. “The only reason I still live under this roof is because I choose to. I want you to remember that, and now I’m no longer sure I want to. Now tell me, how did you even know?” My voice came out cool as a winter breeze.

“How dinnie matter. What does is dat ya did.”

I took a step towards my father. Zed moved behind me, and he would’ve tried to grip my shoulder again, but my da held up his hand to warn Zed off. It was a good thing too, or I was going to break every bone in his body, starting with the wrist. Once I was directly in front of my da, he didn’t look so certain of his conviction.