He Sold Me Into Slavery, I Returned as Queen novel · Chapter 10 of 24

Chapter 10: Six Silver

Lysander was standing at the garden gate, with a gray-ribboned folder under his arm and no coat on.

He had been there a while, I thought.

He had heard enough.

My father sagged against Rosamund behind me, and neither of them tried to follow.

"Solveig," Lysander said. "I have something you have to read."

"Now?"

"Now, before anyone else tells you what it says."

He handed it to me in the open air, with the dead rose and the dawn light, and did not touch me.

I untied the ribbon and read the bill of sale first.

It was dated the night of the festival, and the hand was my father's.

One female child, Elowen, aged eight.

Six silver.

Never to be returned for any price.

I read the line about the price twice.

I turned and walked back through the garden, with the paper in my fist, until I stood in front of my father.

"Six silver," I said.

He lifted his head.

"I was worth a pair of boots and a good dinner," I said. "I wanted you to know that I know."

"Elowen." His voice broke. "Your stepmother, she said, she said the pack would split if there were two heirs, and she was dying, I was weak, and I did it."

"She died the same winter, Father. You had fifteen years to come and get me."

He had nothing to say to that.

Rosamund, behind him, put her hand over her mouth.

I left them there.

Lysander took me back through the palace by the servants' stair, and nobody saw my face.

I spent the whole day in my rooms with the shutters closed, and did not cry.

I turned the bill of sale over and over, and I did not cry about that either.

At dusk, I put on a plain robe and went out into the corridor in my bare feet.

Our third rule said I slept in my own rooms until my wolf answered him.

My wolf had not answered, and I was going anyway.

I did not knock.

He was standing at the window in his shirtsleeves, and he turned when the door opened.

"Solveig."

"Don't be kind to me," I said. "I can't stand it tonight."

← Chapter 9 · All chapters · Chapter 11 →

Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend