Soleia scoffed. Orion Elsher certainly had some nerve to ask about her well-being after beating her and forcing her to sleep in the servants' quarters. Did he want to see how much more he could hurt her before she collapsed at his feet to beg for forgiveness?
"My lord, that's none of your business," Soleia retorted. "You've done what you can for Ralph. I'd advise you to take your leave before Elowyn comes knocking, desperate for your attention."
At the mention of Elowyn, Orion's face seemed to scrunch up. His last memory of Elowyn was when she came out in the snow to find him.
"What has she got to do with anything?" Orion demanded hotly. "She's not here right now, isn't she?"
"Everything and nothing." Soleia crossed her arms.
Men certainly had the audacity. Did Orion Elsher believe he could placate Soleia with some half-hearted words while still obviously favoring Elowyn?
"In any case, I believe you and I have no feelings for each other. This marriage has run its course. If there's anything to be grateful for, I suppose I am very thankful that we do not have any children together."
Any child containing Orion's bullheadedness was bound to kill their mother coming out of the womb. If she had to parent a child with his stubbornness, she might expire before the child turned one.
"Is that why you were touching Ralph with your bare hands?" Orion exclaimed. "He's my best friend, and you're…"
"I'm no one to you," Soleia said simply.
Her heart was already broken when he hit her that very first time, and she had no intention of flinging herself on the shards for a repeat experience. Orion was no longer a man she could trust with her heart. As such, she was his wife on paper― nothing more. He made sure of that.
"You're my wife!" Orion finished angrily. "Or are you so in love with Ralph that you have forgotten this?"
Ralph had spoken about Soleia to him before. He remembered that much. He had found her lovely and kind and punched Orion in the arm for being the lucky man to wed her.
"Concubine, actually," Ralph said with a wince. "Didn't you say you were going to only make Elowyn your wife? "
"I did?"
Soleia snorted. Orion's words weren't unexpected or shocking, so why was Orion pretending he had never heard of such a thing in his life?
Clearly, he and Elowyn were made for each other. A couple meant for the stage.
Ralph nodded. "...Yes. I tried to convince you otherwise, but you were awfully… insistent. You promised Elowyn and you were even planning to divorce Soleia…" He shot Soleia an apologetic glance before continuing, "You were going to ride off at dawn to inform the king about this. You also said that since Soleia had already referred to herself as your concubine, there would be no issues."
The sound of a slow clap echoed throughout the room, as Soleia gazed at Orion in disappointed disdain.
"I see you have everything all planned out," Soleia said, seething with restrained anger. "I'm sorry that you did not catch Sir Ralph and I fornicating on this bed, so you can't use adultery to get rid of me. But that would explain why Lucinda and your mother were so awfully quick to accuse me of having an affair."
"You and him―" A reddish flush grew on Orion's cheeks as his head swiveled between the both of them. "Ralph, did I really say all that?" Orion asked, uncomprehendingly.
Ralph nodded. "But Orion, I must clarify that there's nothing between Soleia and I. She was simply trying to help me to the snowbank. If there's anyone to blame, it's me," Ralph whispered with a sigh.
"I wasn't careful enough and I caused all this trouble for everyone here. But I'm glad that at least you care enough to help me back here. I'm sorry to keep you from Elowyn."
"You can go back to her now," Soleia added bitterly. "If you don't hurry, she might walk all the way here in her nightgown. If we end up causing her to miscarry, we'd never live it down. I'll look after Ralph since I'm staying here tonight with Lily."
"You…" Orion's mouth opened and closed wordlessly, like a gaping fish. "You're staying here? Alone? With him?"
"I have an extra room for her and Lily―" Ralph quickly explained, but Soleia held up a hand to stop him. Who cared about what Orion thought about her? He was ready to think the worst given the slightest provocation.
"Stop wasting your time here and go back to your beloved Elowyn. She was clearly waiting for you to fulfill your marital duties and warm her body on this cold night," Soleia continued mercilessly, her lips twisted into a sneer as she recalled the innocent seductiveness of Elowyn's outfit.
"You need all the rest you can get before you travel tomorrow," Soleia said. "The ride to the palace is long and bumpy. You'll need all of your strength to demote me and favor her."
Orion's eyebrow twitched. Why was his wife acting so bitter and scathing towards him? He hadn't done anything to deserve such vitriol, short of bringing another woman back. She didn't love him and she was only spying on him for her father, so what right did she have to feel upset?
How unreasonable. Orion gnashed his teeth. Soleia was nothing like Elowyn, who was a sweet, gentle soul who deserved a peaceful, happy home after enduring the horrors and hardships of war.
"You are such a―"
"Orion, it's getting late. It's best to go back to Elowyn before she comes knocking on my door to finish the job," Ralph interjected, his voice more serious than before. "But you must be careful. I highly suspect the aphrodisiac I ingested in the tea was meant for you."
Soleia raised a surprised eyebrow. It was strange of Elowyn to need to spike Orion's drink since she was already pregnant with his child.
Besides, one would think Orion would be filled with desire for Elowyn's love, judging by the way they were plastered to each other nearly every waking minute.
Unless… Soleia's eyes immediately darted below his belt. Maybe he suffered more on the battlefield than she realized. Perhaps that was why he struck her when she made that jibe about children.
Orion Elsher was impotent!