Chapter 5

[Gideon's POV]

"You know I love you and can't bear to hurt you, so you've done this to humiliate and insult me. Still, I did neglect you for five whole years. I guess… this makes us even now." Winona walked out of the tent, looking exhausted. "I'll have someone bring you medicine later.

"From now on, you're not allowed to be involved with any other women. I do not take lowlifes as husbands. You'll come back to my estate with me in secret, as my kept man."

Before leaving, Shane glanced back at me, his smirk smug.

Once everyone was gone, I couldn't hold on any longer. My vision went black, and I passed out. In my dreams, I was taken back to the day I'd taken that blade for Winona.

"Gideon, how could you be so stupid? I'd rather die than see you hurt, even a little." She'd held me in her arms, sobbing so hard that she could barely breathe.

She'd sent out calls for the most famous physicians in the country and spent a fortune having them treat me. When I'd burned up a high fever and fallen unconscious, she'd prayed day and night for my life.

The day I finally opened my eyes, she'd vowed, "I've found the one person meant for me, and I swear I'll never betray them in this lifetime."

The dream kept going, but a sudden commotion yanked me awake. I thought it was the person bringing me my medicine, but instead, Winona kicked the tent door open. She stormed in and slapped me hard across the face.

"Gideon Ward, who gave you the nerve to lay a hand on my legitimate son?" Her eyes blazed with rage, and she looked like she wanted to tear me apart. "All he did was mess with you a little, and you actually killed him!"

"What? I didn't—"

"Enough!" she roared. "You killed my son, and now Shane is heartbroken. He's ready to throw himself off the city wall. You're going to apologize and atone to him right now!"

Before I could say anything else, she clamped a hand around my arm. She dragged and yanked me along like I was a puppet, hauling me straight onto the city wall.

"Give me back my son, you monster!" The moment Shane saw me, he rushed over, looking crazed and unkempt. Clutching a blade, he stabbed at me over and over in a frenzy. In an instant, my body was soaked in blood.

His son lay in his arms, his face an ugly shade of purple. It was clear that he'd been killed by poison.

My heart lurched. I hadn't expected Shane to be vicious enough to kill his own son.

A thin thread of suspicion coiled up inside me. This didn't feel like just another ploy in some petty fight for favor. Could Shane have some other agenda?

"Get on your knees!"

I was lost in thought and didn't see the kick coming. Winona knocked my knees out from under me, forcing me down. "Apologize to Shane now. If he doesn't forgive you, you can remain kneeling until you die!"

She gripped my neck and slammed my forehead into the ground again and again. Blood ran down my face, but I clamped my jaw shut and refused to make a sound.

Shane wasn't satisfied with what he saw. He leaned in close to Winona's ear and whispered something. She hesitated but ultimately nodded when she met his grief-stricken eyes.

"Guards, hold him down!" she commanded. Then, she sighed. "Shane says that only by cutting off your hands and feet and turning you into a living cripple will he feel any better. I can have another child, but there has to be a limit to how far you go just to fight for favor.

"You've gone way too far this time, and you have to be punished. But don't worry—even after you lose your limbs, you'll still have me and my influence. I'll take good care of you. I won't let you suffer."

As she spoke, her gaze turned cold and ruthless. She grabbed a sword and raised it high, swinging it down.

Not far away, just out of her line of sight, Shane's face twisted into a strange, triumphant smile. The child he'd been cradling like a treasure just moments ago was now tossed aside without a second thought.

Right then, a sharp, ringing voice sounded from below the city wall. "Her Majesty has arrived!"