He stopped, breathing hard.
“Why do you trust him but hate me?”
I stared at him, my mind going blank.
He’s jealous.
But jealous of what? That Vaeris had touched me first? That I’d given something to another fae that Kairos wanted? Or was it deeper than that?
No. This was about possession. I was useful to him, and Vaeris couldn’t have any hold over his weapon. That had to be it.
He pushed back from the chair, dragging a hand down his face. “Forget it.”
“Kairos.”
“I’m leaving for the summit tomorrow,” he deadpanned, already turning to the door. “I’ll be gone for several days, maybe longer. I couldn’t leave with you thinking I’m some bastard who gets off on humiliating you.”
“Take me with you.”
He blinked. “To the summit?”
“Yes.”
He stared at me, the light draining from his eyes. “You want to see Vaeris.”
“You owe me this.”
A bitter smile touched his lips. “Alright. I’ll bring you.”
Relief flooded through me despite the pain radiating from my stomach.
He fixed me with a glare. “But when I do, you will be my war prize.”
“Yourwhat?”
“It’s the only explanation that works. A pretty human I claimed during the massacre.”
That meant… what exactly? That I’d have to sit beside him? Touch him?
“No,” I blurted. “Absolutely not.”
His eyebrow arched. “You want to go? This is how you get there.”
“I’m not going to—to drape myself over you like some?—”
“Like you did last night?”
I licked my lips. “That was different.”
“How?”
What happened in the woods was real, and this…could I touch him, kiss him, and not let it affect me?
“I can’t do it.” I stood, the chair scraping loudly against the floor. “You’re asking me to—to act like I’m yours. Willingly. In front of all the realms.”
“Yes.”
“No. Find another way.”
