Entwined by Elisabeth Naughton

sandalwood assailed her senses. “Nothing that causes you pain pleases me, Callia. Contrary to what you might think, my biggest objection to your relationship with Zander was not simply that he was an Argonaut, but that he used you.”
    She blinked as he reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, shocked he was finally discussing Zander with her after all these years, even more shocked he was touching her. She couldn’t remember the last time he’d touched her. Not since…not since Greece.
    “You may not want to hear it, but the Argonauts will do anything to undermine the workings of the Council. And you, my daughter, were a way to do just that.”
    “That’s not true. Zander would never—”
    “He would. And he did. I don’t for a minute doubt that was the motivation behind his seducing you. It worked too, didn’t it? Your…situation…drew attention away from the important social issues the Council had been working on at the time. They had to deal with you and the Argonauts, me and the fallout. Even the king’s sudden interest in Council workings. It’s taken years for them to regain the headway they lost because of your scandal.”
    The king had known? The blood drained from Callia’s cheeks. He’d never said a word to her about it. All these years, she thought her history with Zander had been private.
    “But besides all that,” her father went on, his voice softening just a touch. “Even if Zander’s intentions had beenhonorable, which they were not, he could never appreciate you for what you are, because he does not come from the same background you do. It’s in his genetics not to care about females or family. His own parents didn’t want him, for gods’ sakes. All he knows is fighting. And doing what he damn well pleases. You can’t fight bloodlines, Callia. His are too strong. His link to the gods too close. He never needed you. Not really. And I never wanted you to fall victim to the rage that’s from his line. I suppose for Isadora, he’s a good match, but not for you. I want more for you.”
    Tears burned Callia’s eyes. Tears she definitely didn’t need today on top of everything else. Why did he have to sound so damn rational when what he wanted was so wrong?
    “Loukas,” he went on, “now, he understands where you come from. He understands our history and he’s dedicated to rebuilding Argolea into what it once was. He will cherish you in the way you should be cherished. This binding with Loukas, it’s a good thing for you. It’s a good thing for us. You know that, don’t you?”
    As her father waited and his words sank in, the scars on her back tingled. The ones she didn’t think of most days because their pain had faded so far in her memory. But now they stood out in stark contrast to the rest of her skin. And she remembered why she had them. How she’d gotten them. And what they represented.
    Sacrifices. That’s what life came down to. Not happiness. Not completion. Not love. Life kept going because there were those in the world willing to sacrifice their wants and needs for the good of the rest.
    I am not a leader, your majesty.
    Not yet. But maybe one day…
    Her heart thumped hard in her chest as she thought about the road behind her and the one ahead. No, she didn’t want to bind herself to Loukas, but maybe the king was right. By doing so, perhaps she could figure out a way to help the females of their world. Or at the very least, find away to keep Loukas from oppressing them the way she feared he would, with no one else to challenge him.
    She looked up at her father. And knew she was doing the right thing, even if it hurt her heart. “I realize it’s…what must be done.”
    A smile spread across Simon’s face, a victorious grin so like Loukas’s, it chilled her blood. He gripped both of her arms at the shoulders, squeezed gently. “Perfect. You’ll see, Callia. This is the start of a whole new life for you. With your cleansing period over,