Chapter 3

[Gideon's POV]

The boy dropped to the ground as his father had and rolled around, screaming and wailing. He shouted that I wanted to smash him to death.

Winona's face twisted with heartache as she pulled them both into her arms. She glared at me and hissed, "You monster! How dare you hurt my husband and child to my face! If I were to make someone as brutal and cruel as you my consort, will you even let them live? Guards!"

Her voice turned ice-cold as she summoned her guards. "Gideon Ward, a slave branded a criminal, has defied his betters. Drag him out and give him a hundred strokes of the military cane."

The guards were just about to move when Shane spoke up gently. "Gideon is in full armor and might suffer internal damage if he's beaten in it. In my opinion, he should be stripped of his armor and shirt before the punishment is administered."

The guards hesitated and looked at Winona. Without armor, a hundred heavy blows from the military crane could smash even stone to pieces.

She merely gave a cold little laugh. "If it'll please Shane and our son, then it shall be done. Beat Gideon!"

In her eyes, Shane was soft-hearted and kind. Even if he himself suffered, he wouldn't truly hurt me.

I barked, "I am the border-defense general personally appointed by Her Majesty! Who dares lay a hand on me?"

Winona let out a derisive snort and grabbed one of the sentries by the arm. "He claims he's a general. Have you ever seen him before?"

The sentry flinched and sneaked a terrified glance at my blood-streaked face. Then, seeing Winona in her exquisite silk robes, he ultimately shook his head and said shakily, "N-No, Your Highness. I haven't…"

The other guards followed his lead, ducking their heads to avoid my gaze.

"Did you hear that, Gideon?" Winona grabbed my jaw. "Even your own soldiers don't recognize their so-called commander. Who exactly are you putting on this act for?"

At her command, the guards surged toward me and began yanking at my clothes. As I struggled, a terrible weakness flooded my limbs, as if I'd been dosed with a sedative.

I forced myself to stay calm. Shane had to be behind this. No wonder the maid who'd brought the tea earlier was a new face.

Soon, my armor was stripped, leaving me in only a thin dark-green undershirt. The guards didn't stop there, though. They kept tugging and tearing at what little I had left, their faces twisted with malice.

A tidal wave of humiliation crashed over me. Rage coursed through me as I looked at Winona. "Enough! Winona, I'll accept the punishment. Just call them off."

All I got in return was the cold, contemptuous look in her eyes. The next second, the heavy military cane slammed across my back.

Pain exploded through me, and my vision went dark at the edges. I opened my mouth to suck in a breath, but Shane seized the cane from the guard and brought it down viciously on the back of my head.

"That's enough!" Winona's icy expression finally cracked.

But Shane's second blow had already fallen, this time squarely on an old wound on my back. My organs felt like they were being torn apart. The old injury flared so violently that I coughed up a mouthful of blood on the spot.

"Stop!" Winona cried.

Her face was pale as she rushed over and grabbed hold of me. "I just want you to admit that you were wrong. Once we're married, you can't bully Shane and our son anymore. Don't put me in an impossible position."

I spat up more blood and gave a hoarse, mocking laugh. "Your Highness, have you forgotten that I broke off the engagement five years ago? There's no chance of anything happening between you and me. Not now, not ever."

Winona finally lost her patience when she saw how unyielding I remained. She snapped, "How dare you! Don't think that you can act all high and mighty just because you have my favor, Gideon.

"I know you're only speaking in anger, but I'll start taking you seriously if I keep hearing this kind of nonsense." She stared hard at my face, as if trying to judge whether I meant every single word.

"Is Gideon being so heartless because he's fallen in love with someone else? Does he think Her Highness' household isn't good enough for him?" Shane suddenly piped up in a low voice, lacing it with exaggerated innocence and curiosity.

Then, as if realizing he'd said too much, he hastily clapped a hand over his mouth. "I was just wondering out loud. Ever since Her Majesty took the throne, there's been an increase in female commanders in the army. And Gideon is so handsome…"