Lost Princess by Sandy Holden Page A

“Katrina,” he said, his voice gentle now. “Never again apologize for your actions when you respond to me. Do you understand?“I looked up at him and his eyes seemed to burn into mine.
    I couldn’t think of what to say. I believed him, but I’d been told it was wrong. I let my eyes drop to my lap, saying in a barely audible voice, “Truly? Or do you expect no better out of me?”
    Max put his hands to my shoulders and lifted me so I was forced to look at him. “You will not doubt yourself in such a way. I forbid it. If I tell you something, you can be certain I do not flatter, and if I find your behavior lacking, you can be sure I’ll tell you that as well.” He held me up effortlessly; his muscles moving under his shirt in a way that made my mouth feel dry. He said, “I had thought when you had the nerve to run from this castle you were not weak and easily frightened.” He let me drop to the bed without warning. He stood, his face remote. “I appear to have been mistaken. You prove my case quite well that women are but fools.”
    He could have said much to me—insulted me, castigated me, called me names, and I’d have held my tongue as I’d sworn to Callista I would. I had promised him during the wedding, and myself since that I’d be the gently-bred wife. But this was one area that pierced through all my honorable intensions. I forgot the Regent Maximus controlled my life down to the smallest minutia. I forgot everyone around him feared him. I forgot he might just kill me if I said the wrong thing, and certainly make me suffer if I angered him.
    I found myself off the bed without a memory of having left it. I pulled up my dress over my breasts with sharp quick movements. “Fools are we? Are you smarter than I? Are you? You don’t even know me, nor are you interested in the abilities or talents of any of the women here. If someone ignores an ally and instead turns him into an enemy, who then is the fool?” My voice dripped with distain.
    Maximus looked down at me, his face unreadable. He lifted a hand, but I danced away. “What will you do now, my lord husband? Will you beat me here? Or perhaps in front of the hall to shame me to the point that I will not even be able to order a simple meal? Will you dishonor me thus?” I pointedly turned my back on him. “Do as you will here in this room, but do not make my work directing the castle servants more difficult than it already is.”
    I heard Max move behind me, and I turned to look at him somewhat warily. He was as emotionless as I’d ever seen him. Uh oh.
    “Wife, you have challenged me here, and I will give you what you’ve asked for. Now I’ve not the time, and it will do you good to consider what I shall do to you when we retire this night.” He stepped forward and held my chin firmly, his mouth covering mine in a brief hard kiss. He turned and walked to the door, looking back at me as he left. “Until tonight, my lady wife.” I stared after him as he disappeared from my view, wondering what in the hell I’d just done.
    The afternoon flew by as if it were on eagle’s wings. I was so quiet Callista finally cornered me and forced me to tell her what had happened with Max. When I told her what I’d said, she’d actually paled. “Oh, I knew you wouldn’t be able to avoid challenging him so. What should I do? How can I help you?” I think she was talking more to herself than me at this point. She looked off across the hall and spied Devlin. She grabbed my hand and pulled me over until we approached Devlin, earning his attention.Callista dropped into a deep curtsy. “My lord, please may I have a word?“Devlin nodded, bemused. Callista was a beauty, and when she put her mind to it she could charm the birds out of the trees.
    “My lord, I so very appreciated your kindness when we behaved so horribly as to run from our home here. I am hoping now you will help me again, although I deserve nothing so kind from you.”
    Devlin said, “Callista,