It was the derisive tone in his voice that pushed her over. Themagic within her flared, and as if of their own accord, her hands snaked up to his cheekbones. Ravenna curled her fingers into a tight fist. “No, I won’t do it.I won’t.Let me go.”
Saturnino’s lip curled. “Do it.”
The magic shot out of her, through the tips of her fingers, forcing her hands open, forcing her hands to grip the sides of his face. Saturnino’s eyes widened as a current of powerful energy struck him—
Ravenna held her breath, tears gathering in her eyes. She tried to pull her hands away but the magic held on, a force that knew no bounds. Everything around them faded, it was only the two of them, alone in the night with the sharp blade of her magic piercing him. Saturnino locked his jaw, his hands flexed against her upper arms. The magic poured out of her, but the worst didn’t happen,herworst didn’t happen.
The knight ought to be dead, or at the very least wounded.
It flared once more, and then snapped back inside her, rushing up both arms, curling inside her chest. Her skin was feverishly hot, a living, breathing furnace that fed on her emotions like kindling.
Ravenna gaped at him.
Her magic waslethal.Toeveryone.
A terrifying expression crept over his face. “Is that all, human?”
Ravenna slowly closed her mouth. Her surroundings came back into focus, and her body prickled with the sense of danger that curled around her. Saturnino held her in an iron grip. Her blade was lost amid the tall grass. And her magic could not save her.
“There is nowhere you can go where I won’t find you.” He dipped his chin lower, his mouth drawing close to her temple. “Don’t make me chase you again.”
Saturnino released her and drew away, retrieving her dagger. He held it out to her, handle first.
Ravenna glanced down at it briefly, before lifting her gaze, brow furrowed. “Why would you give this back to me?”
Saturnino arched a black brow. When he spoke, his words sounded like a challenge—or a dare. “You can’t hurt me.”
She took the weapon from him, then she bent at the waist and tucked the knife back into her boot. Ravenna straightened, wary, conscious of the eerie way he held himself: too still, hardly breathing, immobile. Firelight from the guttering torches bracketing the shuttered windows spilled over him. He regarded her with a contemplative look on his perfect face, lips tight. His dark gaze scraped from the top of her head to the hem of her gown. Slowly, he drew his eyes to hers once more. The knight wore dark green hose and a billowy tunic that made her think of a bowl of cream. His black hair fell in disordered waves, brushing the tops of his shoulders.
His voice was a quiet whisper. “Where would you have gone?”
“Home.”
“Volterra won’t take you back. Perhaps your family might, but if you had any sense at all, you’d do the decent thing and not endanger their livelihoods or their lives by returning to them. The life you knew was lost the second you revealed yourself as a witch.”
Her throat felt narrow, too tight. She looked away from him, from his awful perfection and cruel honesty. It was Cavaliere Saturnino who was lethal, not her. He knew exactly where to strike, knew exactly how to twist the knife for a mortal blow.
Ravenna thought of her family and how she’d likely never see them again. She wouldn’t be there to help raise her siblings. That life was forever gone.
Saturnino struck again. “Cut them out of your life and forget them.”
Everything inside her revolted at his words. “Even if I never see them again, I will carry them with me for the rest of my life.”
“What a terrible way to live.”
“Better than yours,” she countered.
He gave her a flat look. “You’ve wasted enough of my time. Let’s go.”
Ravenna stiffened, pressing herself as close to the side of the building as possible. “Don’t touch me.”
“Do I need to?” he asked. “Because I will if you don’t come willingly.”
She pushed away from the wall.
Saturnino turned and led her back to the front door, the moon high above their heads. He didn’t check to see if she followed; he didn’t need to, and the knowing of it grated her. He remained silent as he opened the door for her, silent up the stairs, and down the whole corridor to her room, where her guard sat, his head slumped forward, deep in sleep. The other chair stood empty.
“Useless,” Saturnino muttered in disgust.
