Rowan watches me a second longer than I’d like, but then gives a small nod and turns to follow the others into the square, toward the shouting match that's quickly turning physical.
I take a breath, trying to gather myself. But the smell’s hard to ignore—same stall where I stole two apples last week. One for me, one for Bren...
I step back before I can stop myself.
Then the air shifts. Smoke. Leather. The scent wraps around me as a tall, dark shadow slices across the stone, swallowing the light.
“Going somewhere,Thorn?”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Talen’s shadow stretches over me as I turn around and instantly the steady beat in my chest stutters, magic firing as the effects of this morning’s duck session start to wear thin.
But it’s not the crooked smile that gets me, it’s thefuckinguniform. First time I’ve seen him in white. Crisp, clean, too official. It shouldn’t make him look more intimidating, more controlled. But it does. His skin looks darker, the cut of his arms more refined, chest broader. And those eyes catch mine like they’re trying to trap me there.
Hypnotic.
Dangerous.
Heat slides up the inside of my thighs as he tilts his head like he knows exactly what he’s doing to me.
Fuck, just keep it together. Yes he offered you a truce, but there’s no way in hell I would trust him. Stay calm and get back to the group without doing anything stupid.
“Hope you’ve been on your best behaviour with Officers Thornviel and Strannt?” His grin widens, left side of his mouth curling up as he pushes back a sun-kissed strand of hair that’sfallen loose across his forehead. “Not being too prickly for them?”
My chest tightens, and for one sick second, I catch myself wondering how soft it is.
God, I hate him. He’s a fucking Veirmont. You want him dead, not in your bed, remember that. This is just that Nightrose bullshit Ezzy warned you about, ignore it. A few more weeks, keep it together, get the journals and get home to Bren.
I swallow hard, shoving the thought down. But my body doesn’t get the message, a hard rhythm still hammering through me like it has its own agenda.
“Funny,” I snap, forcing the words out steady, even as my magic claws beneath my skin. “Last time I saw you, you had a knife to my ribs. Now suddenly you’re worried about my manners? What’s changed? Or do you just like dragging it out, makes the kill more fun?”
“Dragging it out?” he echoes, eyes narrowing. “I gave you a way out. A truce. You took it, remember? And let’s not pretend,Bloom... If I wanted you dead, you would be.” His voice dips, curling dark at the edges as he steps close.“But if you need a reminder of how things went down in that tunnel. I’d be more than happy to oblige.”
For a second, he lingers—hovering close, like he’s daring me to flinch. Then he steps back, casual, dragging a hand over his jaw.
Heat snaps up my spine, sharp and traitorous, as my Threads twitch under my skin, pulling tight like they can feel him too.
Asshole.
Okay, just breathe. Count to three, don’t flinch, don’t let him see how much his voice gets under your skin. That you’re this close to losing control.
I could walk away. Spit in his face. Say something that hurts... but that’ll just fuel his fire. Still, if I stay quiet, I look weak, easy prey for him to keep feeding off.
Fists tight, I just want to kick him in the groin or something—right here, right now—wipe that infuriating, infectious smile off his face.
But I can’t. Because my body won’t bloody move. Won’t listen. My throat tightens, Threads itching under my skin, and all I can manage is—“Fuck you.”
“Oh, that’s no way to talk to an officer. Especially when I made sure the Spice was restocked today...just for you.” He nods towards the market stalls.
How does he know? Merrin? Merrin must have told him I’d been stealing Spice and smuggling over the border. Fuck. I open my mouth to fire back but shouting breaks across the square, loud enough to snap the tension in half.
Talen’s head whips toward the noise, toward Strannt. My eyes follow.
A crowd’s already forming, fast and restless. Shouts rising, people shifting to get a better look. Something’s definitely kicking off... but before I can move Talen’s hand clamps down hard around my hand.
“Let’s go,” he mutters, already pulling me with him. “Before you get any bright ideas about sneaking off again.”
