“There is only one intruder here, and it isyou.”
He leans forward from the shadows, the sharp angles of his face bathed in ivory moonlight, his hair soaking wet and slicked back. But his voice is not the only thing that is different. His eyes. His eyes are not gray, but solid black, reflecting the candlelight like onyx mirrors.
“You are not yourself,” I gulp, my throat quivering as I move to stand.
“Stay on your knees,” he commands, and another crash of thunder echoes his words.
I freeze, my chin dropping against my chest. “Daed… please.”
“Please what?” he asks, his voice a low rumble. “Please do not hurt me? Please let me go?”
I hear the wood of the chair groan as he stands, and his heavy steps trek towards me, but I do not look up. The fear searing through my veins has me silent and still. Suddenly he hovers over me, his leather trousers as damp as his hair, with rain dripping onto his boots.
“Well?” he says tersely. “Do you want me to let you go?”
“No.” The words tumble from my mouth. I grimace and close my eyes tight. “I mean yes. Yes, let me go. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come.”
Suddenly swirls of smoke encircle my arms, and I gasp when they pull me to my feet. I have no choice now but to look into those soulless black eyes, and when I do, I see my fear staring straight back at me.
“At last you understand. No. You shouldn’t have come. But it is too late now.” The ropes of smoke tighten around me and pull me closer to him until his lips are against my jaw, his heavy breaths sending my heartbeat into a frenzy. “I must take you and make you mine.”
Daed inhales me deeply while dragging his lips down my neck. The smoke curls around the neckline of my nightgown, slowly inching the fabric off my shoulders and down my arms, and when the moonlight falls upon the top of my breasts, the sound he makes is almost feral. My skin feels like it is on fire.
Fire. I remember the candle is still in my hand. I shove the flame towards his face and it’s enough to startle him. The tendrils of smoke release me and I hurry toward the balcony. He turns slowly, his eyes tracking my every move, and when he takes a step towards me, I hold out the candle again.
“Stay back,” I stammer. “You are not yourself. You don’t want me. Remember?”
His black eyes narrow. “Lies. I want you so badly I will die if I can’t have you.”
My heart is as loud as a thunderclap in my ears. I wrap both hands around the candle, but I am not foolish enough to think the tiny, withering flame is enough to keep Prince Daedalus Phaedren at bay. He holds out his palm and when he curls his fingers into a fist, the flame extinguishes, and when he turns his wrist, the candle itself turns to ash in my hands, crumbling to the floor.
I’ve not felt such fear since The Golden Son marched through The Grove and demanded we fight and die for him, but I will not allow myself to crumble. I did not give The Golden Son that satisfaction, and Daed will not prise that surrender from me either.
He stalks towards me, the smoke he commands a cloak at his back. There is nothing of him in those black eyes. Not thewarrior I bargained for. Not the Fae who consumes my thoughts, even if I don’t want him to. This is the monster they warned me about. The wicked, heartless murderer who slaughtered any worthless human who dared oppose him. This is the Rook who will rule the world.
But he will not rule me.
I take a step backwards, through the arch and onto the balcony, where the icy rain hits my skin like shards of glass. I look over the railing to the courtyard below, and beyond that to the jagged rocks and the furious sea. I take a deep breath, shuddering as I muster my strength.
“Try to touch me and I will jump,” I say calmly, my face stern.
Daed pauses, a grin sliding across his mouth. “You lie.”
“Do I?” I snap. I take another step toward the railing.
He snarls. “You are mine. It is my right to take you if I please.”
“No. Not like this. I will not allow it.”
“You are not brave enough to die,” Daed mocks.
I gulp, the words cutting like a knife. “I don’t need to be brave enough to die,” I say, taking another step. “Just brave enough to jump.”
“Enough of this!” he yells, and he charges at me.
I turn toward the railing and feel my body go numb, then close my eyes, allowing myself to fall into whatever is waiting for me. But I hear the sound of Daed turning to smoke, then feel his icy hands. His arms circle around my waist, pulling my back against his heaving chest. He presses his lips to the nape of my neck, sending every nerve in my body into shock.
“No. Don’t,” he breathes into my skin. “I will not take you. Not until you ask me to.” The softness of his kiss turns to teeth scraping against my shoulder as he groans in pain. “Not until you beg…”
