I observed the muscles in his neck tighten, as if they were struggling against a breaking point. I was uncertain about what in my words had triggered such a visceral reaction from him—I swallowed back my nausea.
"Return to your chamber once you've finished eating," Vaelin stated, his expression stern as he stood from his chair, preparing to depart.
"But you had summoned me here.” I sounded eager, bordering on desperation, too pathetic, but I didn't care. Yet, for some inexplicable reason, it sickened me—the notion that my words had elicited this expression, this side of him; that there was something he was concealing from me ... that I had no control in his world ... My breath caught painfully.
"Stay."
He halted at my plea. I must have been deranged, utterly insane to have given out su
