Read Ties That Bind: The Bellum Sisters 3 (paranormal erotic romance) for Free Online Page A

watched him with a smart tilt. “Promise?”
    He let out a harsh breath. “I am not a child who makes promises—”
    “Then I'll just go to the court and see what they have to say about this.” She nodded to the driver waiting at the car to open her door. He darted a look to Telal then opened the door. She got in, staring straight ahead, her arms crossed in defiance.
    He'd rather pull his own teeth out than say the words, but she had him in a bind. “I promise.”
    She put her hand to her ear as if she couldn't hear him. “What was that?”
    The muscles in his back and neck tightened viciously. “I'll only say it once.”
    Nodding, she got back out and whisked back to him. “I'll need some things so I'll see you later. Can I get you anything while I’m out?”
    He watched her, trying to judge her level of sanity. When she didn't make a joke or smile he finally shook his head. She wiggled her fingers at him and got back in the car. The car pulled away with a slow rumble of the engine.
    “What's the news?” Kearnyn said from behind him.
    “She'll be staying here...for now. I don't want her anywhere near my office. Hell, keep her locked down on her floor. I don't want to see her face.”
    Telal stormed back up to his office, but he couldn't get the naked image of Lily out of his mind.
     
     

CHAPTER 6
     
    “Bring the prisoner forward,” ordered the king.
    The room grew quiet as two guards dragged forth a disheveled woman. Her long blonde hair clung to her skin matted with dirt and sweat. Arianna watched the scene unfold with growing foreboding. The king was in a dark mood today.
    The king lifted his goblet and took a big drink, swishing the bitter alcohol around his mouth before swallowing. He laughed at something his councilman told him. Arianna barely contained her hatred being this close to the man she despised. The king’s mother, the queen, having already imbibed too much drink, giggled high as the guards shoved the prisoner to her knees and watched the scene with hard eyes.
    The king's chuckle died as his eyes leveled on the prisoner who slumped forward on her knees as if she could barely sit up straight. Her gaunt cheeks and bony arms had Arianna looking the other way.
    “You wish for an appeal, I hear, again.” The king's low voice held a vibrant edge to it. He never had to raise his voice to be heard, when he spoke all talking ceased.
    The woman swallowed hard, her throat muscles sticking out with the motion. She wet her chapped lips then said, “Y-yes, my king. Please let me free. I didn't steal from you I—”
    The king slammed his hand on his thrown. The loud boom echoed throughout the great hall like thunder. “If you didn't steal it then that means that my mother, your queen, is lying. Are you going to sit there and tell me the queen lied?” he said in a quiet voice.
    Arianna gripped her goblet in her fist and downed the last of the drink. It became harder to hide her disgust as the woman's eyes filled with tears and big fat droplets fell down her dirty cheeks in streaks. It was clear to see she was desperately trying to hold back sobs. Arianna could never understand why these prisoners came forward to beg for an appeal—it never worked. Even though she knew for a fact that the queen was the kind of narcissistic woman to get a measly peasant into trouble for laughs...or entertainment.
    Arianna glanced at the queen from the corner of her eyes. Her blue eyes glowed brightly and borderline mad against her golden skin. Her midnight black hair shined like raven's feathers in the light. Sinister beauty all rolled into one twisted package.
    Her friend Celine sitting beside her nudged her with an elbow. In a low whisper she said, “So do you think she actually stole it?”
    Arianna always saw to it to keep a close eye on Celine whose family had all been killed in the Great War many years ago. They'd bonded when they were mere children, before the war started, and had never turned back. The only