I scoff. The audacity. I’m about to turn and walk away from him, but Daegel grabs my forearm and pulls me closer to him. “Don’t you dare walk away from me, Phoenix.”
I lift my chin in a challenge. “Or what?”
Daegel blinks, and some of the darkness evaporates from his face. He wets his lips, and in a much gentler tone says, “It’s disrespectful. You already disrespect me by cozying up with one of the men on my retainer.”
I yank my arm away. Red marks are inked into my flesh where his fingers gripped me.
“You have got to be kidding me. You hired Jax to trail after me, remember?! And now you’re angry that he’s always with me?”
He doesn’t answer.
He doesn’t have to.
I fight the urge to whirl on my feet and march away from him, as far as my feet can take me.
His stubbornness will be the death of me. The end ofus.
“You are being unreasonable right now,” I say.
Daegel’s eyes are hot as coal. “You’re mine. You do remember that, right?”
His gaze falls to my breast where he left the hickey the last time we saw each other.
This overly jealous and possessive behavior is getting old. When did he become so…obsessive?
I don’t know what else to say, so I try to reason. “I’m yours. I know that. Even if we’re on opposite sides, that hasn’t changed.”
It works. His gaze softens. He offers me his hand. “Good. I want to enjoy this night with you, princess.”
I’m not sure it’s a good idea. But something in the way he looks at me…makes me want to agree to his offer.
My thoughts are probably written all over my face, because he takes my hand instead of waiting for me to take his and leads us through the crowd, deeper into the city.
“Let’s get wet.”
I grimace.
“Come on, princess. Are you afraid of a little bit of water?”
I scoff. “Of course I’m not. But this is childish.”
“Childish things often bring the most joy.”
I roll my eyes.
“We’re up.”
Of course people recognize us standing in the line. The game master gestures for the crowd to part so we can come closer to the wooden basins on the gravel full of water. Dozens of golden plums float inside.
“Welcome, Ezkai Phoenix and Ezkai Daegel, the honorable contestants ofVal’taz Ezkairin,” the game master says. “Please, appease the spirits of the gods with your participation to bring us luck for the next year!”
Ekios has the weirdest traditions. I don’t say that out loud, of course. I simply smile at the game master and get on my knees in front of the massive round basin.
Daegel kneels in front of me, on the opposite side. We lock gazes, and it sends an electric current through me. He’s so handsome, it’s hard for my brain to process it.
“Hands behind your back, princess,” he says, teasing. “No cheating allowed.”
I roll my eyes, but do as he says. I grip one of my wrists hard so I don’t accidentally use my hands when I try to fish out adamn plum from water. All that makeup Vera’s girls put on my face tonight…What a waste.
