Chapter 53: Chapter 53

When had he gotten so soft and squishy inside? Hadn't he made certain all those vulnerable bits were carved out or sealed over? Clearly, he'd missed a spot, and now the whole mess was tumbling down. Sighing, he swung his hair over his shoulders and—

Froze in something very much like terror as the door slammed open and a fierce queen-in-waiting stormed into the room with evisceration in her eyes.

Slamming the door shut behind her, not bothering to lock it, Shanna whipped around and blazed toward him. "Are you out of your fucking mind! Are you so gods damned determined to humiliate and hurt Tishasanti that you'd—you'd—you'd marry complete strangers?"

"They aren't complete strangers," Penli replied. "We've spent several hours together."