Was he referring to the temper he’d supposedly inherited from his dad? One I’d seen no signs of in the time I’d known him. He hadn’t even raised his voice. That didn’t mean he didn’t have a dark side. But actions spoke louder than words, and his actions so far had been… kind.
“Why did you help Varys all those years ago?” I asked, trying to make sense of it.
His brow tapered. “That’s a long story.”
“I’ve got time.”
Onyx said nothing further. I wasn’t bold enough to press him on it. He might’ve seemed nicer than I’d expected, but I didn’t want to press my luck.
When he started walking again, I kept an easy pace beside him. The glow of the sconces flickered across his features, catching in his red irises. My stomach did a weird flip-flop thing. Maybe I was hungry for a snack after all.
Snack meaning food. Not as in a smoking hot demon lord.
His eyes then found mine in the dimly lit corridor. It was like time slowed. The strangest of feelings… but familiar. I quickly looked away, finding the floor suddenly interesting.
“It’s quite uncanny,” he softly said. “How familiar you are.”
“You keep saying that.” My voice barely rose above a whisper. “The first day we met in the dark wood and then again last night at dinner.”
“Because you remind me of someone.”
“Who?”
“A boy I met long ago. He had hair and eyes much like yours.” Onyx stopped walking and faced me, smoothing aside my bangs. Again, his touch caused a flurry of tingles that ran rampant over my skin. “I came across him one day in the forest. He was sitting near a stream with a bundle of treats in his lap, humming to himself.”
“Don’t tell me you ate him.”
“No.” His lips twitched. “I watched him for a while in silence. Curious, mostly. He then said, ‘I know you’re there,’ and told me to show myself. Here was this young boy alone in the forest, calling out to me without fear. His bravery surprised me. Impressed me as well.”
“What happened next?” I asked.
“He offered me a treat from his bundle,” Onyx answered with a sad smile. “A piece of honey cake. He said he had a sweet tooth but that his father forbade him from indulging in them, so he often took them from the kitchen and ran off to eat without his knowing.”
“You like honey cake?”
“That was the first time I tried it,” he said. “It’s been my favorite sweet treat ever since.”
“Noted.” I smiled up at him. “So, you and this boy ate honey cake. Then what?”
He merely glanced at me before continuing forward.
“You ended up eating him, didn’t you?” I stepped after him. “I knew it.”
Onyx offered me a slanted smile over his shoulder. “Worried I have a taste for human flesh after all?”
“Well, if you do, I know your weakness now. I’ll just bake honey cake and throw it at your perfect face.”
His musical laugh filled the corridor. The sound gathered in my belly.
A short walk and several turns later, we stepped through a doorway and into one of the most beautiful rooms I’d ever seen.
“Holy crap.” I admired the arched ceiling, tall windows, vast counter space, and the four ovens that were just like the ones from my café. One wall was made up of natural rock, giving off medieval vibes, but the sleek décor and appliances were modern. A perfect blend of both worlds. “This is amazing.”
“I’m pleased it’s to your liking.” Onyx stopped at one end of the counter and watched me flutter around the kitchen.
My attention then landed on something that had me feeling like a little kid on Christmas morning.
“No way!” I rushed over to the large dome-shaped stone oven in the corner. “This thing can make pizza and bread like nothing else can. Even heat distribution and moisture retention. Makes the best crispy crust. And the desserts are to die for too. Apple crisps and berry cobblers.”
