Page 77 of The Fifth Life of Alicia
“If you insist.”
“You could also go for husband, honey, darling, lover—”
“I think your name will suit me just fine, thank you,” I said sharply.
Did this man just ask me to call him honey? And darling? Andlover?
This man?
Grand Duke Kalon Stein?
The most feared man on the continent?
What a strange turn of events.
I peered across the room at him and rested my chin on my hand. “What were you doing in here anyway? Were you watching me sleep? Should I be alarmed about it being a fetish of yours?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Hayes and Ark briefed me on what I needed to know, and I merely wished to greet my darling.”
I wrinkled up my nose. “Don’t ever say that again.”
His lips tugged to one side. “Why? Don’t you like it, honey?”
“Please leave. If you don’t, I fear I may ask you to kill me to put me out of my misery.”
He laughed, throwing his head back, and I froze.
He… could laugh? And so prettily, too?
“What? Are you surprised that I can laugh?”
“A little bit,” I admitted. “The last time we met, you threatened to kidnap me or kill me, so forgive me for having a slightly warped impression of you.”
Kalon tilted his head. “It’s not slightly warped. After all, I did successfully manage to kidnap you.”
“I’m not sure a father selling off his daughter can be referred to as kidnap. That’s more like trafficking, but feel free to call it whatever you wish.” I pulled my work back towards me and pulled out the treasury documents I was looking over earlier. “Would you li—”
“Is that what you think happened? That your father sold you to me?”
I peered over at him. His expression was dark, something that was exacerbated by the coldness in his gaze.
“Is that not what happened?” I asked, leaning forward on the desk and resting my chin on my hand. “I informed him of my wish to marry someone else, and he told me it was impossible because of the trade deal on the table. He chose money and honour over what I wanted. That trade deal would not be happening without this engagement. How is that not the sale of a person?”
Kalon stared at me for a moment, then rubbed his chin. “I see. He really doesn’t tell you anything, does he?”
“Why would he? I’m little more than a pawn to that family. I have a pure and powerful noble bloodline that’s now linked House Vermillion to the Imperial Family so my dear sister can find herself a better husband than she would have otherwise.” I sat back and spread the sheets out in front of me, then reached for the little bell on my desk to call Bella back inside.
She didn’t appear.
“Bella?”
“I sent everyone away so you could sleep,” Kalon said. “Your lady-in-waiting told me the staff woke you up early this morning. I’ve told them to be quieter.”
“They’re only doing their jobs. But how am I supposed to get tea now?”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small red stone. “Like this.”
“Is that… a magic stone?”
