-50-
Tears began to fall down my face, both from the pain
of my cheek and from the disgust I felt toward them all, especially Nahuel.
Out of nowhere, growling began, and I lifted my head off the floor to see that Nahuel and Joham were having a conversation.
“…Think about this Nahuel, she doesn’t seem to be taking to you
in any way.”
“She WILL love me, even if I have to force her.”
Joham sighed, giving up.
This confused me, since when did Joham feel the need to
break his silence to defend ME?
“Well, if you are decided on going along with this, at least give a little time before you start talking marriage…”
I froze. (No!) I thought. (I can’t marry him, I don’t love him, I love Jacob!)
“She will be my wife Joham, she will be mine.” Nahuel said decidedly.
“But what about her family, about this Jacob, what if they come looking
for her?”
“Well, to her family, I shall only have to welcome them into mine.
As for her Jacob… I might just have to exclude him from our circle, permanently, if need be.”
A sudden realization hit me. I was never going to get out of here; I was either going to die or have to marry Nahuel…
I also realized that both outcomes seemed like death to me,
because if I married Nahuel, my heart and my love would die, leaving only a lifeless body for his bride.
-51-
Time passed without my noticing in my prison. I could only guess
at how long I’d been here for from the soreness and weakness in my body, the tired look on my face, and even if it was the last thing on my mind,
the condition of my clothes.
(Aunt Alice would have a fit if she saw me like this…) I though
and then laughed.
This was it; I was officially stir crazy.