Chapter 3

"This will hurt a little."

After what seemed like a lifetime, Riftan's hand stopped. Maxi sank into the bed, her limbs hanging limply as she tried to catch her breath. Her body had been so tense that, drained of strength, she could not struggle anymore. Riftan undressed completely and wrapped an arm around Maxi's waist, lifting her up.

Their warm bodies touched. Only then did Maxi realize that they were both slick with sweat.

His back shone a reddish gold in the glow of the dim light, reminding her of the time she had sneaked into a blacksmith's workshop and watched how they cast statues out of molten gold. Was this how it might feel to have bubbling metal poured over one's body? She felt her body dissolve as if submerged in a crucible of liquid gold.

"Take a deep breath."

His voice had become so husky that it was hard to make out what he was whispering. His lips grazed her earlobe, sending chills down her spine. Holding onto his sinewy arm, she allowed her legs to open without thinking. Riftan promptly paired his hips to hers.

"Ah…!"

A dull pain radiated through her lower body before she could grasp what had happened. She struggled, terrified. He weighed her body down with his own to stop her from breaking free, then nibbled at her lips. Her breasts pressed flat against his rugged chest, she felt him enter deeper. Close to tears, she scratched at his arms.

"I-It… hurts…"

"Too tight…"

Droplets of sweat trickled down his neck and onto her face. As she writhed in an attempt to flee, he quivered slightly and used his two hands to secure her waist in a firm grip. A deep line creased his forehead.

"Just… stay still…"

"H-hurts… It h-hurts…!"

"Don't move, damn it— ugh!"

She felt his body tremble. She held her breath as he crushed her in an embrace. As if he could not hold back any longer, he began to move rhythmically. Each movement produced a sharp pain that drew a faint moan from her.

Her body rocked like a boat on turbulent water. Her mind sank into miry depths, her knuckles turning white from gripping the sheets. What was he doing to her?

"Damn…"

At long last, he released a strangled moan before collapsing on her. His body radiated so much heat that had the air been just a little cooler, it would have let off steam. Panting, Maxi could see that his shoulders were also rising and falling rapidly. She felt a strange sense of emptiness. Eyelids aflutter, she stared blankly at the ceiling. What had just happened to her?

"Why are you crying?"

It was only then that she realized she was crying. She tried to cover her face, but a wet tongue began to crawl across her cheek. He cupped her face so she could not turn away and hissed through his teeth.

"Don't look away from me."

His dark eyes flickered with intense emotion. The hairs on her nape stood up. He continued to pelt her tear-streaked temples and cheeks with kisses.

"You're now my wife. There's no turning back, whether you like it or not."

A hand reached into her hair to pull her into a kiss. There was little she could do but let it happen. Again and again…

When she woke up, it was well past noon, and Riftan had already left for the campaign. She learned from her nursemaid that a cleric had come to inspect the blood on the sheets and declare the marriage valid. She also learned that the consummation of marriage was a rite of passage for newlywed couples.

That was all that had transpired between her and Riftan. She had lost her virginity, and he had left for the Lexos Mountains in the duke's stead. It was difficult to believe that they were man and wife — even at that moment, with him standing before her eyes.

Lost for words, she stared silently at his stormy face. Her ears rang with echoes of her father's voice, threatening her with all manner of punishment should Riftan Calypse divorce her. Her lips, however, were sealed shut. What could she possibly say? He was a stranger to her — a husband in name only.

"For heaven's sake, stop shaking!"

Riftan yelled. Maxi flinched and took a step back. He tightened his grip on her arm and closed the distance between them again.

"Do you find me so horrendous? Have I come back a monster?"

"I… I…"

He ran a hand through the thick, shaggy hair that covered his eyes, glaring at her. Her vision blurred. Far from completing her mission — to persuade him not to divorce her — she had managed to offend him less than five minutes into their reunion. Her lips twitched.

I need to say something. Anything. Please…

"I, I… was m-merely n-nervous and… I d-didn't know w-what t-to say…"

Her cheeks burned red with shame. Tears welled up in her eyes. But this was not the time to burst into tears — that would only enrage him. She searched desperately for words.

"Y-You're n-not a m-m-monster… I-I-I'm j-just n-nervous… and c-c-can't stop sh-shaking…"

Her tongue failing her more than usual, she could not bring herself to meet his eyes. The mission had been hopeless from the start. How could she possibly persuade him when she had this dreadful impediment?

The burning flush crept up to the tips of her ears. She hung her head in shame, feeling exposed and vulnerable. Perhaps she would be better served by keeping her mouth shut; a proper woman would not stutter and shake like a halfwit.

"Damn it all…"

She flinched at his quiet cursing. Her father had been right — there was not a single man in the world who would desire her as his wife. Asking him to turn down a princess's hand in marriage would be ludicrous.

Overcome by a feeling of helplessness, she felt her eyes prickle with tears. At that moment, something cold touched her cheek, snapping her out of her thoughts. A steel gauntlet was cupping her face.

"Open your mouth."

Unable to grasp his intentions, she gazed numbly at the pair of black pupils that hovered a hair's breadth from hers. Riftan sighed as if his patience was being tested once more. He pushed her chin down and forced her jaws open.

A soft, wet tongue inserted itself into her mouth, causing her yet another shock. She found herself gripping his arm to steady herself.

Biting his lips, he muttered in annoyance. "Should've taken off my armor first…"

It happened so quickly that she had no chance to brace herself. She stood there uneasily until he pushed her onto the sofa behind her. Pressing a knee into the side of her thigh, he removed his silver gauntlet with a deft movement.

The long, thick fingers that emerged from the gauntlet touched her cheeks tenderly. Her hands clutched his tunic as if they had a mind of their own. Again, the man pressed his lips to hers while removing the other gauntlet. A warm hand dug into her hair and roughly grasped the back of her head.

His tongue twisted and tangled with hers, roving over her teeth. She found it harder and harder to breathe. She shoved at his chest, but he clamped down harder on her lips.

"Just a little more…"

Her heart skipped a beat at his pleading voice. Warm hands slid over her face and neck, stroking the curve of her back before they found her bosom. When he felt her squirm with embarrassment, he pulled her in by her waist and laid her down on the sofa. Then without delay, he pulled her skirt up.

"R-Riftan…!"

This time, she understood what he wanted at once. In a panic, her eyes darted toward the door. How could he do this in the middle of the drawing room — and in broad daylight, no less! — where someone could burst in at any moment?

But Riftan seemed unperturbed. He nibbled on the back of her neck, pressing his body against hers. When she felt his hardness between her legs, she cried out in shock. He began to rub against her slowly. With each movement, the steel cuisse covering his powerful thighs brushed against her, the cold metal raising goosebumps on her skin.

Unable to bear it any longer, Maxi shut her eyes tight. Then suddenly, Riftan sprang up and covered her body with his cloak. She realized that someone was watching them. A man dressed in the same armor as Riftan was standing at the door with a stunned expression on his face.

"What are you looking at, you little rat?!"