CHAPTER 131: SHOW TIME

Rhane had seen her.

Why wouldn’t he? He had only ever had eyes for one woman his entire life. Even if every woman wore the same dress as Jenna, he would still have set her apart from all the rest.

It was simple. Jenna was, and always would be, made for him. That was what Rhane believed. So why would he have to search for her in the crowd? When he arrived earlier with the council, he had noticed women strolling out in groups, his eyes scanning for Jenna— but she wasn’t among them.

He waited behind, letting the council and Gerald go ahead. That was when the door opened and Jenna stepped forward.

Dressed in the most pristine yet regal gown of gold and white, guided by two young girls at her side, she stood out without effort.

Rhane found himself smiling when he saw her. Though covered in a veil, he could see her face clearly. Those scheming brown bambi eyes full of stubbornness, darting from one corner to another. She was searching for something... for someone.

"That’s my daughter." Brown pointed for anyone who cared to listen. "Isn’t she beautiful?"

Beautiful wasn’t enough, Rhane thought. He wished he could pluck a word from the stars to define how he saw Jenna. Hers was the kind of beauty that blessed the eyes like something divine, yet carried a bewitching edge. It was beauty that threaded the fragile line between good and evil.

That was Jenna’s beauty— it wasn’t fragile and tender. A single look from her could make a man want to sin, and the sound of her voice could make him fall to his knees to worship... only to pin her against a wall.

As Rhane watched her, he could think only of the things they should be doing together instead of being forced once more to choose what their hearts already knew. A smirk curled his lips when Jenna bowed her head after being scolded. He could tell she was biting the inside of her cheek and squeezing her palms. Without the veil, he would have seen her ears turning red.

That was how Jenna looked when embarrassed. A rare sight, since she always preferred to be seen as tough.

"The womwn here does look good," came the grating voice of Gerald as he dismounted his horse.

"Before the tournament, I hope we’re allowed a taste of them." He teased, brushing the scruff of his chin. "I’ve been married to her before, so I need a little fun with other women to learn how to please her again... after all she’s had..." He glanced at Rhane and snorted.

Hart, who had also leapt from his horse, scowled. "This must be the reason you’re here— to fight for the wife you speak of... against other men." He shook his head with a sigh.

The insult sailed over Gerald’s head, and Rhane could see it. Gerald wasn’t one to be baited with words he didn’t understand. He was too stupid to waste thoughts on when fists could do the cleaner work.

As the young men introduced themselves one after another, Rhane never took his eyes from Jenna. She couldn’t raise her face, but he knew she was waiting for him.

"I am Rhane Henderick," he said, noticing one of the girls beside Jenna whisper something to her with a frown, the older one adding a quiet word as well.

"Let us go in," the leader of the council suggested.

Rhane deliberately walked with the crowd, angling closer to Jenna. He wanted to hold her hand even if just for a second, to feel her skin against his palm. When he reached her, one of the young girls bent, shuffling her dress. Rhane had a bad feeling about the sudden movement, and his instinct proved right as the girl collapsed into his arms.

"Careful," Rhane muttered, releasing her almost at once. He returned his attention back to Jenna.

"Hope this isn’t a trick to get close to Jenna. You can try— but you’ll lose her to me." Gerald approached with a knowing grin. He whispered it for Rhane’s ears alone, glancing at Jenna and Rhane, he continued on his way.

Rhane stood straight, his eyes fixed forward. He reached Jenna but walked past her. The hurt ripped Rhane apart more than the wound unhealed. Rhane clenched his jaw with hate.

That bastard Gerald. Rhane could feel the eyes of every person now on him. It was because of the little commotion of the young woman near Jenna falling in his arms. He didn’t know who she was, but his anger toward her matched his fury at Gerald. Anyone who kept him from Jenna earned the same bile.

"It is a fine place they have here," Nikolai mused with a grin as he fell in step behind him. "Plenty of corners for a man to woo a woman, don’t you think... son?"

Rhane gave no reply. His heart felt as though it were being ripped from his chest, and he couldn’t understand why. It wasn’t the wound in his stomach, nor the sickness that followed— it was something else. And he was in no mood for Nikolai’s taunts or games.

All he wanted was a moment alone with Jenna. To hold her. To touch her face, to embrace her until she was marked with every scent of him.

"I also see women here who could contend with Jenna," Nikolai pressed.Nikolai didn’t let go once he bit. He’d noticed everything that had happened earlier, and he could tell that Rhane wasn’t in the best shape. Nikolai decided to pillage on that... maybe a little slip would give him the privilege to know Rhane’s weakness.

"This isn’t far from what I taught you, son. Look past our bad blood. When you are successful, no woman under the sky will deny you her body."

Rhane sighed, slipping his hand into his pocket to hide his annoyance.

"Every woman will kneel before you without being asked."

This time Rhane chuckled softly. "I don’t need a woman to kneel before me."

"Rubbish," Nikolai spat. "You still cling to the foolish belief that a woman should think for herself?" He threw his head back and laughed, as though the idea itself were comedy.

"That is the ruin of every home, son. Take it from me. I have lived before you. A woman who thinks she should not bow to her man is a disaster even to her children. Look at your mother," Nikolai added with a dismissive shrug.

"She believed she could do anything a man could. What difference is there between her and a brute? All because she chose to think."

When Rhane said nothing, Nikolai exhaled sharply. "You must train a woman as you train a horse. Train her so she knows her master or she will be the downfall of your home. Take this advice from an older man with a happy family." He lifted his hand as if to pat Rhane’s shoulder, thought better of it, and let it drop. Then he walked on ahead, leaving Rhane behind.

Rhane tapped his fingers against his side, his gaze fixed on Nikolai and the men gathered, though his eyes held no thought. None...because at that moment, he was searching for...

"Jenna..." he mouthed, catching sight of her standing in the corner with her head bowed. Something was wrong.

"Percy?" Rhane called softly to the young man trotting near him with a worried look.

Percy stepped forward, rising on his toes, hand half-covering his mouth. "Do you feel any pain? Should we leave so you can—"

"I’ll need you to cause a distraction. Can you do that for me?" Rhane’s eyes never left Jenna. His frown deepened when she wiped her eyes.

Percy followed his gaze, then nodded. "Oh... I see. But what do I... oh, I’m going to regret this. Still...if it’s for my mistress." He closed his eyes, bracing himself.

"Caw! Caw!!!" Percy screeched like a crow, hands flapping behind him. As all eyes swung toward him, he squeezed his lids tighter and charged forward. "Caw!!! Anyone who kills a crow shall die by its curse!"

With everyone’s attention on Percy, Rhane slipped away, with stealth of an skilled killer. She stood with only the younger girl now, the one Rhane hadn’t caught earlier. Rhane sucked his teeth. Fortune was with him.

He raised his hand to ask the girl a question, but to his surprise, she leapt up as if she’d seen a ghost and darted off without alerting Jenna.

Jenna, sensing movement, lifted her flushed face. "Oli—"

"Shh, Sweetness." Rhane’s velvet-steel whisper grazed her ear. "Don’t turn." He clasped Jenna’s cold, small hands, squeezing as if it were the last touch he would ever have.

"Breathe now. I’ll be leaving you without it later."

"What madness is this, Percy?!" someone shouted.

Rhane slipped back to his place, his arms folded across his chest, his face turned toward Percy in mock disappointment. "Tch... tch..." he tutted. "I’ll train him better." He waved his hand, signaling Percy to end the charade.