I push my body off of him, adjusting my shoulders and throwing my braid to hit my back. “Leave me alone,” I hiss.
“The men can sense your fear…” His chest slams into my back, hovering over me from behind. “You’re too distracted to see them all staring at you, watching you fall apart before even stepping foot out into the pit.”
“Why do you care?” My jaw ticks, flaring my nostrils.He wants me dead.
“A friendly reminder before your name is called. If they see you weak, they will kill you out there before the dragons have the chance to.”
“Like you wanted to kill me last night?” I tilt my head to glance over my shoulder. “To take me out of my misery before the darkness comes for me?”
He swallows, biting his bottom lip into a teasing, soft grin. “I remember you begging for me to kill you. Maybe I should have.”
“My insides were burning me alive. I was in pain,Koen.” I roll my eyes, locking my jaw. “Just leave. You’re good at it.”
He leans into my ear, and I feel the heat radiate from his chest and breath. “You can hate me now, but death will come for you, it’s just a matter of time. I am unsure if you can stop what is to come. I am here whenever you are ready to see that. We cannot control our fates.”
My eyes shut, throat tightening. “The Gods won’t decide when my last breath will be. Neither will you.” I glance over my shoulder towards him. “Only I can.”
His lips brush against my ear, creating goosebumps that prick all over my body. I hear his lips part, a soft, breathy chuckle escaping his lips. “This right here,” he takes a pause, “is why I never went back toher.”
I suck in a breath, eyes widening and never blinking as I glare out towards the guard who waits to call more names.
His voice drops to a desperate whisper. “I knew Florian would take you to our father. I knew I had to see you again.”
His leather boots creak as he takes another step, closing in the empty space that is between us and I feel the warmth of his chest radiate against my back. My knees tremble as his fingers brush against mine—gently,slowly—as if time has slowed down for the two of us. The hours I have spent longing for his touch. Sleepless nights with the thoughts of him. Even though I have been desperate for the Gods to take whatever the hell this feeling is away from me, they never listen, and now—look where it has gotten me. My heart and mind are utterly consumed by him, even if just hours ago he was threatening my life.
Damn him.
Damn my heart.
I must make this stop.
He nestles his nose into the side of my head, taking a deep breath as if he is saving,memorizing, the scent of me.
Little does he know, I've already memorized his.
“Are you talking about Lykia?” I whisper.
He inhales deeply, his lips brushing against my ear. “If I wanted her, don’t you think I would have her?” His fingers tickle against the tips of mine. My stomach sucks inward as my heart flutters. “And if I truly wanted you dead, don’t you think I would take these hands of mine and wrap them around your neck? Yet my hands only long to be wrapped up in yours.”
The knot inside my throat bulges at last and I finally inhale a deeper breath. “You said a darkness is coming. That I should die before it finds me.”
“Darkness is already here,” he whispers. “And I’ll need you to stay away from me so that I can never hurt you. I am unsure how much control I have against it. I keep fighting itforyou.”
I try to shift my body towards him, but his hands firmly grip my arms, holding me in place. “Why do you get to decide whether or not I should stay away?” I shudder under my breath.
“Because you don’t understand how deadly I am to you.” He rests his head against the back of mine, allowing his palms to gently fall down my arms. “Survive out there, Spark, and I will fight everyday to never hurt you again. I vow this to you.”
“Just as you vowed your love to Lykia?”
He breathes out a long, trembling breath that tickles against my neck. “A vow to you is like taking a vow to our Gods. I shall never break it.”
“I don’t know if I can believe you.”
“Survive so you can have the chance to believe my word. I need your help getting back to the archives—”
“This is all you care about? Going back to the archives?” I cut him off.
“No. But if I can find the answers I need, I can show you that I am not as evil as you make me out to be.” The touch of his fingers falls away. “And maybe, just maybe, one day I can be the man you need me to be.”
