His anger is radiating off him in waves, and I immediately panic at the thought that he’s about to use the leash to demand my honesty.
Not good.
“No! No, no, no. You misunderstand!” I urge, wide-eyed.
I’m assuming he sees pretty doe eyes. It’s actually terror, but hey, potato, poh-tah-toh.
“I just… I want it to be special!” I blurt. When he doesn’t immediately jump down my throat, I continue, “There’s a tradition, in the Mortal Realm, where couples wait until after marriage, and I was hoping–”
“Fates, Vivian. You aren’t a fucking virgin, and you aren’t a fucking mortal. You. Are. Mine. Eternally. Stop fighting us,” he snaps, gripping my chin.
Up until now, some part of me has held on to the hope that I would get one more day, one more chance to make things right.
But I’m out of time.
That realization unravels the last threads of caution that are keeping me in line. It’s do or die, and at this point, I’m desperate enough to gamble my life away.
“What if I play you for it? Winner takes all,” I ask, trying to pass off my fear as playfulness.
A furrow forms in his brow, but he releases my chin. “What do you mean, a game? Vivian, you’re being childish.” His back stiffens as he says it.
I raise a brow. “Maybe I am, but you could have controlled my mind the moment I arrived here, and you didn’t. So, either you want something from me, or you don’t actually want to marry a mindless slave. I think you like to win, and now, I’m giving you the chance.”
His eyes flare, clearly excited by the prospect. “What do you have in mind?”
“Simple. I want to play hide-and-seek. You give me complete run of the Council grounds, no escort. We aren’t allowed to ask anyone for help; otherwise, the person forfeits the game. If I can evade you until nightfall, then you have to wait until after our wedding to get intimate. If–” I start, but he interrupts.
“You can’t go around the castle without an escort.” He sounds irritated.
I continue, pretending I didn’t hear him. “If you find me before sunset, you can have me.Allof me. The moment you catch me.”
I don’t have the stomach to try to seduce Leon. So instead, I level him with a challenging stare.
There’s an almost wild look in his eyes, the feral possessiveness that I know lurks within him edging closer to the surface. His eyes rake over me again, clearly thinking about what he would do to me, the moment he won.
I shrug, and it’s almost dainty. “Unless, of course, you don’t think you can find me,” I add with a taunting smirk.
Leon takes a deep inhale, his eyes lingering on my neck, before snapping down to my engagement ring.
“You have a thirty-minute head start. Do not leave the Council wards.” He adds the second part as an order.
My pulse quickens, and I spring up. “How are we going to ensure the guards don’t interfere?”
His grin turns feral. “That’s your problem, not mine. Run, little mouse.”
I sprint.
It takes me no time to find the castle, and only a few extra minutes to orient myself. Slowing to a power walk, I start to make a lap, searching for a specific door.
At this point, there’s only one place in the castle where I have even a chance of finding Irena. Something in the old prison was calling to me, and if it wasn’t her, then maybe it’s someone who can help. Either way, Cassandra’s memories had better help me super-spy the fuck out of this game, or I am beyond screwed.
The smell of roasting meats hits me, and I know I’m in the right place. When I played this game with Sin, he mentioned being able to smell me. But I think I have a way around that.
Sure, Leon can just track my engagement ring, which I’m not allowed to take off, but I have a plan for that, too.
The kitchen is bustling with servants. Some give me curious glances, but most never look up from their work. Either they’re focused on the task at hand, or they heard what happened to Kenzie.
I swallow thickly as I hustle through them, only slowing to grab what I need. An onion, an old cloth, a butcher knife, and some matches from beside one of the cooking fires.
