Lady in captivity (part 3)

Her ears ached from the relentless screaming she was unaccustomed to, yet she refused to take a step back, maintaining a cold, hard eye contact with him.

"I hear you loud and clear, Your Holiness, even without all the shouting. But the more I listen to you, the more I realize that it's you who has never truly heard me."

"You still doubt the Oracle's prophecy, don't you?" He gave her a wicked, sick smile. "Carry on with your doubts. They mean nothing to me. I made sure I'm the only King in your life. And now that you're here, I have no regrets whatsoever for killing that old bastard who was about to kill you if I hadn't intervened."

Once more, assuming something herself was one thing, but hearing it confirmed was another level of horror. Aldric of Varinthia was not just a kidnapper; he was a cold-blooded murderer, and she was his captive.

"Adelaide."