MADELINE
They started dancing. His hand found her waist. Her hand settled on his shoulder. They moved together to music I couldn't hear over the pounding in my ears.
Jealousy took over.
It came fast and vicious. Wrapped around my throat and squeezed. I watched the way he looked at her. The way his body curved toward hers like she was gravity and he couldn't help but fall. This wasn't the look of someone forced into a bond they hated. This was something else. Something that made my chest hurt worse than the pity had.
"Look at them."
I nearly jumped. Aldric had appeared beside me like he'd materialized from thin air. I hadn't heard him approach. Hadn't sensed him at all.
"Does it not disgust you?" His voice was conversational. Pleasant. Like we were discussing the weather.
I looked at him. Really looked. Tried to find something humane in his expression. But I found nothing.
"Come to rile me up?"
