◇Daddy, Will You Take Me to the Mill Again?◇

(Luca Pov)

Ula took off sprinting once they reached the courtyard. Luca was still healing from the operation, and he struggled to keep up. He stumbled over himself, clutching his side. His stitches strained, holding on for dear life.

He couldn't push himself further. Ula was getting closer and closer to the entrance, and he had hardly made progress. She paused, realization dawning that Luca wasn't beside her. She turned to see him far behind.

She came back for him, pulling his arm around her shoulders. Luca tried not to get completely dragged, but it was difficult with the haste Ula wished to move. They had to slow when traversing the stairs. He was unable to move quickly, even with assistance.

Ula deposited him back into the dungeon. The darkness closed in around him, that familiar dank air filled his lungs. She told him Taillefer would be back soon and to act like all Ula and Urtzi did was take him his food and clean his wounds.

Luca sat on his table. The blood had finally been scrubbed from it, along with the floor. It was a relief to not have to lie in dried blood.

He waited and waited and waited. He waited so long that he began to question why Ula was so insistent they got down there at the speed they did. Then, Taillefer entered. He rounded Luca on the table, studying him.

A cold sweat broke out on Luca's neck. Did Taillefer know? Was he planning a new form of torture as punishment? He crouched in front of Luca, a smirk playing his features.

Taillefer snorted. "Well, loverboy, it appears your lovely princess has been knocked up by my brother. A new little royal shall be joining the ranks in several months' time."

Luca gripped the edge of the table. Of course, Taillefer would come to taunt him. Anything and everything to cause him pain. "What do you mean?" He feigned ignorence.

He laughed, a cruel thing. "You see, stableboy. When a man and woman love each other very much—"

"You know that's not what I meant!" Luca stood, straightening to his full height. Compared to Taillefer, his stature was intimidating, but Taillefer didn't shy away. "And we both know love was not a factor in this. She was raped!"

Taillefer tilted his chin to meet his eyes. "Whether she was or not is not of my concern. That is a marital affair in which I will not involve myself in."

Anger bubbled beneath the surface. He'd been keeping it in check for Amarande's sake all week. It was difficult to do whenever he saw the blank look in her eyes that now took her gaze. Or the way she'd get choked up and unable to finish explaining what Renard would do to her in the dead of night. How the pregnancy took a tole on her body, leaving her too drained to do the tasks she once performed with ease.

Luca wasn't the type to let his emotions get the better of him. But this. This was his limit. He shoved Taillefer hard, instincts in the meadow kicking in. He had no weapon, but training in offense left him plentiful options to choose from. He got Taillefer pinned against the wall, arm snug across his throat.

The prince had the gall to laugh. "I don't think I've ever seen you this feisty. No wonder Amarande fell for you."

"Keep her name out of your mouth!" Luca demanded. He pressed harder on his throat. Taillefer didn't appear concerned. Amusement lit up his eyes.

A swift knee to the gut had Luca doubling over, clutching at his inscition. Taillefer slipped from his grip, whirling around to his cabinet of tinctures. The prince swiped up a couple items, inserting a liquid into a syringe.

Luca tried to dodge, but his injury slowed him. The needle was stabbed into the meat of his back. Dizziness clouded his vision. Lethargy pulled at his mind, dragging him under. He met the floor, thumping against the cold stone.

Two Taillefers crouched over him—no three. "Now, now. You seem to be rather cranky. A nap would do you good."

"And a black eye would do you good," Luca responded. Or at least that's what he intended to say. It came out so slurred and misshapen, he was unsure what he truly said.