Lemiel's smile held a hint of amusement as he gently inquired, "I'm merely asking, Princess. After all, I am now your husband. Don't I have the right to know everything about my wife?"
Sienna felt as though his eyes were boring into her soul, the amber depths of his gaze penetrating her like a thousand invisible needles.
The thought that he might have known about her family's charade all along sent another wave of fear coursing through her heart. She could almost hear the rapid drumming of her own pulse as she tried to maintain her composure.
"I understand," she said, her voice trembling slightly, playing the role of a dutiful wife who always agrees with her husband. Her fingers trembled as she absently clutched the side of her dress, "I-it's my fault for getting easily agitated. I apologize."
Lemiel stared down at her with gauging eyes, his brows furrowing slightly as he examined her with an intensity that made her feel exposed and vulnerable.
She suddenly worried that her direct question had annoyed him. Didn't men appreciate when women answer promptly? Perhaps she should have responded more modestly.
His response was wrapped in a mask of saint-like composure that starkly contrasted with the mischievous glint in his eyes. "There is nothing to be sorry for," he reassured her, but there was nothing reassuring about the dangerous air he exuded. "I knew my question has evoked your defense."
Sienna was almost positive they were leaving the subject, and she would have gladly moved on, but Lemiel suddenly questioned,
"Tell me. How did the man sully the purity of the great witch of Azure clan?" Somewhere between his words, Sienna could sense the sarcasm, but she ignored it and tried to be as diplomatic as possible.
A wife must be amiable to her husband always. It was what her mother told her, and she believed it was for the best to follow her teaching.
However, the question struck a nerve. Sienna might not have socialized much, but she wasn't ignorant. She knew such a subject shouldn't be broached lightly, especially concerning a woman rumored to be defiled.
While it wasn't true, everyone except her parents believed it. The right thing to do was avoid the topic, yet here was Lemiel, pushing the sensitive topic as if he didn't know basic manners.
"Um…" Sienna pretended to feel uncomfortable discussing it, hoping to steer the conversation elsewhere.
Lemiel, however, seemed unfazed. "Don't get me wrong, Lucienna. I don't care if my bride has been touched by another man before our wedding," he smirked, showing no regard for her discomfort. "A man couldn't care less if his wife is a great beauty, could he?"
Sienna felt her nerves tingling at how the man uttered her name. In the past, no other person, let alone a man, had called her by her first name without honorifics except for her parents and a few relatives. But his latter remark left her pondering if Lemiel was a shallow man who only sought beauty in a wife.
"But I am your husband now. I wish to know so much things about you, including what happened to you recently. After all, a good husband must understand his wife's afflictions."
"Of course, milord," she replied, only to notice Lemiel's narrowed eyes, clearly displeased.
"Oh," It was only then that she realized her mistake. In the books, married couples addressed each other by their first names, not formally. She stammered, "I-I'm sorry. I didn't know how to address you. This is all new to me and I'm still-"
"Don't worry, dear Lucienna," he said so sweetly that for a moment she thought of him as a kind prince charming. He reached out to gently caress his cheek with his knuckles so slightly, his touch surprisingly tender.
"You can start addressing me correctly from now on. Call me Master Lemiel."
Sienna's jaw dropped. Lemiel raised a brow at her as he sat on the edge of the bed, crossed his legs, and looked up at her with a wicked glint in his eyes. He looked like he had just bought a new toy he wanted to play with.