“And what if I am? Are you going to bar me from the library, again?”
Of course she remembers that.
“No.” I pause before taking a deep breath.
Time to see if this theory Gravesley and I came up with is going to work. My heart pounds in my chest as fear that I’m about to permanently ruin everything grips me, but if I let my trepidation control me, I will never succeed in getting what I want. Her. Always her. Only her.
“I actually need your help.” I manage to push the words out around my tight throat.
Azalea’s eyes become slits as she sizes me up and down. “No.” Uncrossing her ankles under the table she pushes herself to her feet.
I stare at her, my mouth ajar. “No? I haven’t even told you what I need help with yet.”
“It doesn’t matter. The only thing I will be happy to help you with is planning your untimely death.” She chimes over hershoulder, going to return the book she was reading to its vacant spot on the bookshelf.
I suck my teeth and shove down my budding frustration. “I’ll let you go.”
Azalea stops putting the book away and turns to face me. “What did you say?” Her tone is lethal.
“If you agree to help me with this task, I will grant you your freedom. You can leave the castle.”
Her jaw sets, and her posture becomes rigid. “You’re lying.”
“I’m not.”
“I’m not stupid, Braxton. You can’t just undo a curse. I know. I’ve read about them.”
“It won’t be undoing it. I’ll mark the curse as fulfilled, and your binding to me will vanish.”
The toe of her heeled foot taps against the tiles, and I can see her apprehension warring with her longing to leave.
“How do I know you’re telling the truth?”
“Unfortunately, you’ll have to trust me.”
She snorts and shakes her head. “Then, I’m afraid I have to go back to my initial response. No.” In an instant, she places the book back on the shelf and stalks past me.
As her body comes closer to mine, I reach out and grasp her arm. Not hard enough to bruise, but firm enough to stop her from going any further.
“Let me go,” she seethes, wriggling her arm in an attempt to break it from my grasp. She’s not putting her full effort into it, though, which is the only reason I keep my fingers locked around her.
“Look at me.”
Being uncharacteristically obedient, she lifts her eyes to glower at me.
“Tell me if I’m lying,” I implore. “If you help me with this task, I will grant you your freedom.”
She studies me, taking her time to examine every inch of my face, before she finally sags.
“Fine,” she agrees, and my entire body thrums with excitement. “I’ll help you.”
For the first time in ages, a true smile fills my face. She softens for a moment when she sees it, but quickly guards her expression once more, and pulls her arm from grasp. This time I release her with ease.
“What is this task anyway?”
“I need you to help me break my curse.”
37
