His lips twitch, but I can’t tell if he’s on the verge of smiling or scowling. “Your gift comes too late. The Chosen have already been selected.”
The blood leaves my face. The two Chosen have already been confirmed? But the announcement isn’t made until dawn. “Is that why you’re here? To finalize the names?”
“I just returned from doing so.”
So he must be an ambassador after all.But if he just came from finalizing the names…then that means…
I can hardly finish the thought. No other village but my own is near this part of the faewall. I can only hope he came from farther south. With a deep breath, I say, “Might you tell me their names?”
He takes a step forward, a dangerous glint in his dark eyes. “For a price.”
Of course. I should have known better than to step into that predictable trap. No peace of mind is worth making a bargain with a fae. “On second thought, I’ll wait until dawn. I’ll just be on my way then.” I step to the side to skirt around him, but he’s faster.
Again, his wall of a body is blocking me. “It will be an easy bargain. Give me your name and I’ll give you theirs.”
“Ha, I’m sure!” I regret the outburst as soon as it’s made. Mother did say my mouth would be the death of me. But he’s ridiculous if he thinks I’ll fall for that! I know what he’d ask after I gave him my name.Is that your true name you’ve given me?Such an innocent question—if you’re daft. But anyone who knows fae knows affirming he has my true name is all it takes to put me under his complete control. It would go beyond the power of a simple glamour, giving him the ability to make me do unspeakable things. A glamour, at least, ends by cutting eye contact. But giving one’s name? Rumor has it only death can sever that level of control.
I gather my poise and put together a more polite reply. “Clever wording, but no, I will not give you my name.”
He smiles wide. My eyes move to his mouth, looking for sharp teeth. In the dark, I barely get more than a flash of white between his full lips. “How about youtellme your name then. In return, I will tell you theirs.”
My eyes flick back to his, and I turn his words over a few times in my head. I don’t think he’s left room for a trap. Breathe. Blink. Breathe. Blink. “Fine. I will tell you my name. It’s Evelyn.”
“Evelyn…”
I plaster a pleasant smile on my face. I’m sure it doesn’t reach my eyes. “First names will do. Now it’s your turn.”
He glares, but his lips are curled with amusement. “You aren’t afraid of me, are you?”
How could he ask me that? Surely, he can hear how loudly my heart is pounding in my chest. “Why would I be afraid?”
He lunges forward, lips peeling back with a snarl. Instead of lurching away, I stand my ground, dagger in hand as his fingers reach my neck. I raise my blade. He freezes, his nose an inch from the iron tip.
We hold our positions. His fingers are wrapped around my throat, the pressure uncomfortable, but not tight enough to constrict my breathing. My chest heaves. If he squeezes even the slightest bit more, I’ll plunge my dagger into his eye socket. It wouldn’t be easy. I’ve never killed a fae before, or anyone for that matter. But, as a more than capable surgeon’s apprentice, I have a steady hand and am no stranger to cutting a blade into flesh. I know just how much pressure is needed to slice through every kind of tissue, know how deep and how hard I would need to thrust to reach vital organs.
His finger flinches at the base of my collarbone. I prepare to strike.
In the blink of an eye, he’s taken a step back and his head is thrown back in bellowing laughter.
I keep my dagger raised, chest heaving with rage. “What’s so funny?”
“I love being surprised. You’re scared after all. Scared but unflinchingly prepared. You’d have killed me.”
I swallow hard, resisting the urge to rub my neck as I glare back at him. “And you?”
He sobers from his laughter, but his smile remains wide. “I wasn’t going to kill you. I simply wanted to see what you’d do. You’re wise to carry iron around here.”
“Thanks,” I say through my teeth. “I’ll be going now. Let me pass this time.”
He turns to the side, extending a hand toward the forest in a perfect impersonation of a gentleman. I brush past him, the hilt of my blade still clenched in my fist.
“What about our bargain?” he calls after me. “Don’t you want to know the names of the two Chosen?”
I pause, hesitating before I turn to face him. “Go on.”
He doesn’t move toward me, just holds my gaze for endless moments.
Breathe. Blink. Breathe. Blink.
