“If you hadn’t been punishing me these past few days, treating me like I was beneath your notice, then maybe I wouldn’t feel so dark.” All Maerad’s resentment welled up inside her; she wanted to hit him. “You’ve made me feel like a piece of offal or something. Well, I’m sorry for what I did. But that doesn’t mean that you can treat me like —” “Maerad, Maerad . . .” Cadvan stood up and took both her hands in his. She withdrew them roughly and turned away. “Maerad, I was not punishing you. I did not know what to say. I needed to think.”
