However, his smirk certainly made it easier to ignore.
“Nothing you haven’t seen—and touched—already, princess.”
My hands balled into fists. His humiliation of me on the steps wasn’t enough? “Stop calling me that.”
“Why? Isn’t that what you are?”
“No,” I bit out. “My father disinherited me the moment I became Renwell’s apprentice. I have no lawful claim to the throne anymore. Not that he did, either,” I added bitterly.
Aiden’s dark eyebrows drew together. “You gave up your crown... to train under Renwell.”
Did he think Renwell had manipulated me into being his apprentice? That I still wanted that? He must think me weak.Little soldier.
“I trained under Renwell because I wanted to keep my family safe,” I snapped. “Giving up the throne was an added gift.”
Surprise smoothed Aiden’s expression.
I stepped closer, remembering why I’d stomped after him. Before his nakedness and name-calling had gotten under my skin.
“I only offered to go back to Renwell, togive him what he wants,because that would be the quickest way to get whatwewant. Renwell dead.”
Aiden’s voice grew softer. “That’s exactly what he’ll expect, and there’s no telling what he’d do to keep that from happening.”
He brushed a stray hair away from my sticky, aching cheek. His warmth and scent of leather and sweat embraced me.
So much bare skin. So near.
My heart pounded.
“He did that to you, didn’t he?” Aiden murmured.
I nodded, unable to speak.
“Every moment, I wish my arrow had gone through his gods-damned heart, not his shoulder. Then we would both be free.”
Free of him? Or each other?
“You don’t trust me, do you?” I tilted my face to gaze directly into his eyes. “That’s why you don’t want me to go to Renwell. You think I’ll betray you again.”
His gaze roamed from my cheek to my mouth to my eyes. “Maybe not at first. But he’s convinced you to do it before.”
When he’d let Korvin torture Maz until I admitted when Aiden’s attack would happen. But I’d fed Renwell much more information than that.
“I thought you were my enemy,” I whispered. “By the time I realized you weren’t, it was too late.”
Aiden bent closer. Gods, his mouth was nearly on top of mine. My body betrayed me, my lips parting.
“Was it all a lie?” he whispered, brushing each word over my lips. “Was it all to maintain your cover? To make me trust you?”
A shiver rattled down my spine. My skin felt too warm, but not warm enough. An ache trembled in the pit of my stomach.
He wanted to know a truth I was scared to give. It was something he could use against me. Just like Renwell used all of my little weaknesses to bend me to his will.
But I didn’t want to be afraid anymore.
“No,” I said, the word quiet but as unyielding as sunstone. “I lied about who I was and what I wanted. But I defended Ruru and tried to save Maz because my heart needed to. As for you...” My voice shook. I licked my lips—making Aiden’s eyes flare—and continued. “Our time in The Hollow... that was the most truthful I’d been in years.”
Aiden closed his eyes as if my words had struck him. A slow, heavy breath eased from his lips.
