Sanria hated him more than she cared to admit. She hated him for taking her away, for making her feel helpless, for hurting Gilean, for ripping apart the tiny bit of family she was so desperately creating. More than all, she hated him for sinking his claws into her mind, working her body like a marionette, forcing a smile from her when all she wanted to do was see him gone. She could tell he had trouble keeping the tent from flickering away, and she knew this was the only saving grace that kept her from being swept up in the riptide that roiled in her mind. She knew Velentham didn't play fair, and knew from their past long gone that he would not stop until he had whatever it was he wanted. In this case, her mind, her heart, her affections. "Stop looking at me like that!"
She looked down. Part of her pitied him, the wild look that would come over his features reminded her of a cornered animal. When she had first seen him, he had been exactly what any woman wanted - charming, handsome, tall, caring, gentle, and kind. She *had* wanted him. Then she learned of his true nature - arrogant, hard, cruel, punishing, and proud. Now, with his being trapped in this realm, he was beyond even that. Velentham had crossed a line; he was literally insane, or fighting it at least. "I'm sorry..." she heard him say, but she didn't bother lifting her eyes. "It's a lot of effort, you know, keeping this place up." It wouldn't have to be if he'd just let her go home. "I'm talking to you." She looked up at him, focusing on the gaunt face and haunted silver eyes that grew intensely heated as they stared back at her. She lowered her gaze and heard his sigh.
She didn't know where they were. It was a place she'd certainly never been, but to have to expend so much magic, it had to be taxing. She couldn't speak, she couldn't do anything but endure. And endure she did - moments where he could force a smile onto her face, moments where he held her to him and she heard the leaping heart galloping in his chest, moments when he'd kiss her and she could do nothing. Her own heart grew heavy. She knew it would only be a matter of time before he would grow impatient and take her somewhere that he could completely dominate her mind. And when he did that, it wouldn't be long after that he would discover the secret she carried, and when he discovered that, she knew, he would likely destroy her.
