They Broke the Duke's Bastard, Now She Is His Only Heir novel · Chapter 11 of 24

Chapter 11: The Rule

At midnight I took my crutch and walked down his hall.

The house on Saddler Street was quiet, and the wardens at the front door did not look up when I passed the stair.

His door was at the end of the corridor, and a line of light lay under it.

I did not knock.

Doran sat at a table in his shirt sleeves with a lamp, a stack of papers and a cold cup of coffee.

He stood up so fast that the chair scraped.

"Liora. Is it your knees?"

"No."

"Then what?"

"The King offered you a Saint, and you said you'd think on it."

He closed his eyes.

"I said that so the King would not name a date," he said. "If I refuse him in front of the whole court, he'll marry me off to the next lord's daughter out of spite. If I say I'm thinking, he gives me time."

"Time for what?"

"For the inquiry. For your testimony. For Odette to hang herself."

I looked at him for a long moment.

I wanted to believe it so badly that it frightened me.

"You made me a rule," I said. "No hand on me unless I say."

"I remember."

"Then I'm saying."

He did not move.

"Liora..."

"You don't get to decide when I'm angry enough to count," I said. "I walked down this hall on my own knees, with every step on fire, because I wanted to. Tell me you don't want me to."

His breath went out of him.

"Your rule, Ashdown," he said roughly. "Say it."

"Touch me."

He crossed the room in three strides.

He took my face in his hands.

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