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I was relieved when the attention wasn’t on me anymore. If he were occupied with other things, that would give me plenty enough time to get away from this place. Yet, I was wrong. My eyes widened as Khol picked up a rope from a nearby chair and came at me with it. He could not have meant to proceed with spanking me. “You have been saved for now, little kitten.”

He lifted me up by the arm and tossed me over his shoulder. There was no use in fighting. He was stronger than steel and granite put together. No amount of energy could stop him. One had to be quick enough to get away from Khol, and I just wasn’t quick enough.

He threw me on bed.

“What are you doing?” I asked, jerking as he grabbed my wrists and placed them up above my head.

“I don’t trust that you’ll not be a danger to yourself, or others for that matter. You will not leave from this place. I have more questions for related to this conspiracy.”

“I told you already, I did nothing,” I bit out.

“That may be true. I can’t seem to picture how someone so innocent looking as yourself would be involved in the treachery of your former leader. However, you were quick to stab me, little kitten,” he said, and tightened the rope around my wrists.

“I was trying to protect myself.” I wiggled. “You can’t just tie me up.”

But Khol did exactly that, tying my wrists to the bed frame.

“What if I need to use the bathroom?” I asked.

“I will leave one of my warriors by the door.”

“But—”

“Unfortunately, duty calls. I’ll be back.”

I jerked against the tight rope. “Let me go! If you leave me tied up like this, I swear I’m going to kill you.”

“Then I’ll never know.”

“Know what?”

“How long it takes to make you submissive, of course. You might be innocent of accessory to murder but you cannot deny your earlier assault. Your punishment is forthcoming.”

“You provoked me,” I screamed. “I was only responding.”

He paused and then said, “I anticipate your future responses.”

I clenched my teeth so hard, I nearly bit my tongue. As he turned his back and walked out the door, I watched him. He was literally flawless, built as a warrior to withstand almost anything. I admired his strength. What I didn’t miss was a noticeable limp as he took the first couple of steps away from the bed.

How deep had the blade gone? Was it worse than I thought? Just how much pain was he holding back?

I bit my bottom lip as I looked at the door. Of course I regretted stabbing him. I’d done it without thinking. It had only taken a split second to do it. I had inflicted pain, drew blood, and threatened to kill him. Now, I awaited my punishment to be delivered by Khol, a horde king who became legendary for crippling his foes by exacting mass destruction.

The Xihran brothers had come to conquer our village and overthrow the former king. They had succeeded. There was no way out of this. Now that I had put myself on Khol Xihran’s radar, there was little chance that I was ever going to escape him.