In the morning, when Mina opened the door to her room, she found herself face to face with Jayden’s wolf, Aksel. The wolf was lying on the floor, but when he saw Mina, he stood. She ignored him and went to look for Jayden.
Mina didn’t know Jayden’s schedule or if the King needed him for some new assignments. Even if the Necromancer had been defeated, there was always a new threat—either small bands of Orcs that would destroy farms close to Athea, bandits, or wild beasts. There was also the possibility of some pirate ship coming on the Eyor River and trying to dock in the port.
When Mina started helping the Fire Mages and going to the port, she heard rumors about pickpocket thieves. While no one had tried to rob her, many merchants or citizens had reported to Lord Ferry, the Paladin in charge of the Militia of Athea, that shady people stole things or money from them. Lord Ferry had sent militia to patrol the port, but they hadn’t caught the thieves. Mina wondered if Lord Ferry would seek Jayden’s help.
Mina went to the dining room, but it was empty. Jayden had explained where the Drawing Room and the kitchen were, and Mina had no problems finding them. When Mina saw no one in the Drawing Room, she went to the kitchen. Aksel kept following Mina.
Caesar was inside, cutting some fruits, with his back facing the door. Not stopping what he was doing, he looked over his shoulder at Mina.
“Good morning, my lady!” Caesar said. “Should I prepare your breakfast?”
Back at her uncle’s estate, Mina had always helped the cook, Andre, prepare the food. She looked around for an apron, not wanting to ruin the clothes Jayden had purchased for her. “Let me help you!” she said when she saw one on the cabinet.
Caesar chuckled. “During the war, I have cooked for all the Commander’s men! Preparing one plate is nothing. I will have the food ready in a minute!”
Mina sat at the table and looked at Caesar. “Do you know where Jayden is?”
“The Commander said he has some errands to do. He will return later,” Caesar explained and put a plate with fruits in front of Mina. He went to the stove to prepare some tea.
Aksel stood next to the table and looked at Mina. “Why isn’t Jayden’s wolf with him?” Mina asked. She leaned to a side, getting closer to Caesar. “Ever since I woke up, he keeps following me.”
“The Commander left Aksel home to protect you.”
Mina sighed. “Great. A watchdog,” she muttered.
Aksel growled, barring his teeth. Mina snorted. “You don’t scare me!” she said. “Besides, you are supposed to protect me, not growl at me!”
The wolf huffed and started cleaning his paws while Mina ate breakfast. She wasn’t sure what her responsibilities were in the house because Jayden hadn’t told her.
“Caesar, did Jayden leave any instructions for me?”
Aksel lifted his head, and Caesar turned on his heels. “My lady?” Caesar asked.
Mina sighed. “Usually, the woman handles the house. You know—cooking, cleaning, washing, mending clothes, going to the market. Sometimes the husband would leave instructions for the wife if something urgent is to be done. I know I am not his wife, but what am I supposed to do in this house?”
Caesar locked eyes with Aksel for a moment before looking at Mina. “The Commander said nothing to me. You can do as you please.”
Caesar put a cup of tea on the table, and Mina drank from it. She decided to go down to the port and see how the children were doing. “If you don’t need me, I will go outside and walk a little.”
“In the garden?” Caesar asked and smirked.
It was obvious Caesar knew what had happened the previous night. “I’ll save the garden for later,” Mina said and smirked back. “I will go to the market.”
Caesar opened a drawer and took out a little pouch. “The Commander left some gold. In case you want to buy something,” Caesar said and put the pouch on the table.
Mina looked out the window. She needed to take her things from her uncle’s house and finish the four pillow cases the Agenn family asked her to do. Mina hated depending on Jayden’s money. “I just want to look around, that’s all. Jayden has been kind enough to purchase everything I need and more. I don’t want to spend more of his money,” Mina said and rose. “Thank you for the food!” she said before leaving.
Aksel followed her.
Mina liked animals, but her uncle never let her keep any in his house. But there was something about Aksel that bothered Mina. It was as if he was more intelligent than other wolves.
“What are you doing?” Mina asked Aksel when she was in front of the door. The wolf stared into her eyes. “Look, I went alone to the market many times before, and nothing happened! How about you remain here, sleep or chase some lady wolf, and when Jayden returns, I will tell him you have trotted after me all day long? I am sure he will reward you with a big bone!” Aksel growled. “Fine, you can come along, but if you give me problems, I will act as if I don’t know you!”
The wolf huffed.
Mina opened the door and inhaled deeply when she saw Duke Tedric standing on the threshold. His right hand was in the air as if he was about to knock. A man Mina didn’t recognize was next to her uncle.
“Uncle!” Mina said. The Duke’s brown eyes were burning with hatred. It didn’t come as a shock; she always knew how her uncle felt about her.
Images of the previous morning came to her mind, and her hands trembled. Mina hid them behind her back and took a step back. Aksel moved in front of her.
“How dare you shame me in whole Athea by spending your night with a bastard?” Duke Tedric said in a furious tone. He entered the house. The man followed him and closed the door. “You stupid gypsy whore!” the Duke spat his words. “When I finally find someone willing to marry you, you spend the night in the bed of a bastard! Do you know how hard it had been to convince Count Dickman to marry you despite your skin color? But now that a bastard has soiled you, not even a Royal Guard would want to touch you! Perhaps if you had been more pleasant to eyes, I could have paid a Militia to marry you!”
It was the first time Mina heard that her uncle wanted to marry her. But the man Duke Tedric chose for her had already been married five times, but the wives died of some mysterious illnesses.
“You wanted me to marry Count Dickman? He is old enough to be my grandfather. His oldest daughter has the same age my father would have had if he were alive today!” Mina said in a shocked tone.
“Count Dickman needs an heir! He was willing to make you his wife as long as you gave him the son he wanted!”
“Great, I was to be a breeding mare!” Mina muttered.
“Instead, you became the whore of a bastard!” the Duke said.
Aksel was about to attack the Duke, but Mina put her hands around his neck and stopped him. “Bring Caesar here!” Mina said into his ear. Aksel growled once more before going to the kitchen. Mina looked at her uncle. “I did not spend the night with the Commander! I slept in my bed! The door to my room had been locked all night long!”
“You expect me to believe nothing happened between you and him?” Duke Tedric said.
Mina gripped her petticoat. “What you think is not my problem!” She lifted her left hand and showed her uncle the bracelet. “Besides, Commander Jayden is my betrothed. He is not a bastard anymore; the King gave him the title of the late Baron Ruxman.”
The Duke moved in front of her and grabbed her upper arms. “I do not care if he receives the Arch Duke Le Doux title! He is nothing more than a bastard born to a whore in a brothel! Did you know he used to sell his body in the port? That’s the kind of man you want to get married to, you stupid half-breed?” The Duke asked her while shaking her.
“I suggest you remove your hands from her; else, I will remove them from you. Permanently!” Mina heard the voice of the man from last night. He wore a pair of pants, and his shirt was half-opened, revealing his strong chest. Caesar was behind him.
The Duke looked at the man for a few moments before his eyes returned to Mina. He let go of her. “You are nothing more than a cheap whore! How many men did you bed last night?”
“Insult her one more time, and I will cut your tongue out!” the man said.
Mina knew that young men or women worked in brothels. It was why she decided to help the children that lived in the sewers. “No one touched me last night! How many times do I have to say the same? And if Jayden had to sell his body was because he was trying to survive in a world where men like you, uncle, judge him based on the action of his parents. How come is Jayden’s fault for being born a bastard?”
“You,” her uncle said to the man that came with him, “grab her! We are returning home!” The man obeyed and moved to grab Mina.
Mina didn’t want to return to her uncle’s house. She was sure Duke Tedric would force her to marry Count Dickman. She took a step back, blinked, and Jayden’s men were in front of her. “She is not going anywhere!” Caesar said.
The front door opened, and Jayden stepped in. Three wolves followed him. The Commander looked at the Duke, and his sky-blue eyes turned icy.
“What are you doing in my house?” Jayden asked. He was furious. The wolves growled. “Don’t attack unless I say so!” the Commander said to them.
“I came to take my niece home! She is to marry Count Dickman,” Duke Tedric said.
“Tell Count Dickless that Mina is my future wife! The King gave us his blessing!” Jayden said. “Now get out of my house! I am tired of seeing your face!”
Duke Tedric looked at Mina. “You will never receive a coin from my bother’s fortune, you half-breed gypsy wh—”
Jayden growled. A heartbeat later, he was standing in front of the Duke and grabbed him by his shirt.
A gasp escaped Mina’s lips. She was ashamed of the position her uncle put her in. Why couldn’t he let her alone?
The Duke squealed. “How did you move so fast?”
“What did you call her, you pig?” Jayden asked. His tone was so cold, the Duke turned pale. “Apologize to her!” the Commander demanded.
“I am sorry!” the Duke said between gritted teeth.
“Say it as you mean it!” Jayden said in a loud tone.
“I am sorry for calling you cheap whore!” the Duke said.
“Get the fuck out of my house! Before I let my wolves tear you to pieces!”
“You will regret this!” Duke Tedric said to Mina. He and his man left the house in a hurry, and Caesar went to close the door.
Mina’s chest was rising and falling fast. She knew her uncle disliked her, but he had never called her a half-breed before. And then it was the money. Her uncle said he wouldn’t give her what her father left her. How was she supposed to have a dowry for her wedding? Rosalyn has cursed Jayden and Mina to be unhappy. She knew it was only the beginning.
Jayden went to her. “He will never bother you again! I promise!”
Mina felt as if she couldn’t breathe. “Jayden—” she said. “My father’s money—” She struggled to talk. “Rosalyn’s curse—” Mina’s hands trembled hard, and she felt as if she was about to vomit.
“Is she alright?” someone asked.
Jayden lifted her in his arms. “I think she is in shock! Caesar, bring the salts! Then make some tea and put some flameberry leaves in it!” he said before taking Mina to her room.
Jayden put Mina on top of the bed and sat on the edge. He grabbed Mina’s hand and started massaging her wrist. “It will be alright. You don’t need your father’s money. I already told you I have more than enough. As for Rosalyn, if she indeed cursed us, I will find a way to undo it. I will find a witch or ask the help of a Lyra bird if I have to!” he said. “But we will be happy, Mina. This I promise you!”
The massage seemed to help her, and Mina relaxed a little.
Mina shook her head. “You don’t understand! A curse once said it cannot be undone! Not even a witch can break it!”
“I will find a way. After all, I am Uzgaia!”
Caesar brought the salts and gave them to Jayden. “The tea will be ready in a minute!” Caesar said before leaving.
Jayden opened the little vial that contained the salts.
“I will not faint!” Mina said. She was breathing better. “I am just upset.” She was also ashamed but decided not to say that to Jayden.
“I will ask one of my men to stand guard at the door. Your uncle will never bother you again!”
It did not matter if her uncle would bother her again or not. All Mina wanted from her uncle was her inheritance. Perhaps Hugo would help her.
Caesar returned with the tea and gave the cup to Mina. “How are you feeling, my lady?”
Mina sipped from the cup. The tea calmed her. “Better. Thank you, Caesar!”
Caesar nodded. “If you need anything else, I will be in the kitchen,” he said and left.
“Drink all the tea,” Jayden said. “It will help calm your nerves!”
When Mina drank the tea, Jayden put the empty cup on the nightstand.
Mina closed her eyes. “Jayden, we can’t marry! We will be unhappy together!”
“Look at me!” Jayden commanded her. Mina opened her eyes. “The moment you said yes to me, you became my woman! I’ll be damned if I let you walk away from me as your cousin did!” A vein ticked in his temple. “Or do you want to marry Count Dickless? Because the moment he looks at you, I will rip his cock out!”
“Jayden—” Mina said in a soft tone.
He grabbed her left hand. “Who do you belong to, little lamb?”
Mina’s heart beat faster. “To you?”
“Don’t you ever forget that, Mina! You are mine! My woman! My little lamb!” Jayden said. Mina nodded. “Marry me today!”