“Then tell me more about your arrows and magic.”
“If I do so, do you agree to tell me the way out?”
“If you tell me why it is not so simple to create new arrows, I will tell you a way out of the gardens,” he agreed.
She didn’t miss his wording, but if he got her out of this maze of plants, she’d take the offering. She felt far too exposed out here.
“Fine,” she agreed, and then eyed the hand he extended to her. He’d already sliced his palm, blood dripping and waiting for her to make the proposed bargain binding. “I don’t need a bargain with you on this.”
He blinked in surprise. “You are simply going to take my word?”
“If you go back on your word, that damages your character more than mine. You’re the one attempting to convince me to marry you,” she replied, bending down to unlace her boots. She’d had it with the cumbersome things.
“That’s fair,” he said after a moment, watching her slide her feet from the footwear that reached nearly to her knees.
Stuffing the socks inside the boots, her eyes fell closed at the cool stone path beneath her bare feet. Her toes flexed, feeling exponentially more grounded.
She gave herself a few seconds to relish the feeling before she opened her eyes and continued on her way. If he wantedher answer, he’d have to follow, and a glance over her shoulder found him doing just that. He’d also swiped up the boots she’d left behind, carrying them in one of his large hands as he caught up to her.
“My magic is tied to the arrows,” she said, not looking at him. “Without the full set, I cannot create more. It’s why I collected the arrowheads that night. I’ve never had an arrow disintegrate like that. But since that night, my magic hasn’t worked properly.”
“You were moving through your smoke and ashes fine last night,” the king replied skeptically.
“Just because you can’t perceive a weakness doesn’t mean it’s not there,” she said sharply. “My power is not refilling like it should. I cannot linger in my ashes as long as I once could. I can’t travel as great a distance. It took me far longer than it should have to get from Shira Forest to Aimonway. It will only get worse without that arrow. Does that explanation satisfy your curiosity, king?”
“Yes, but it also raises more questions,” Cethin mused.
“I agreed to answer one. Now fulfill your end of the deal.”
He nodded, extending a hand to her once more. With his palm now healed, there was only a smear of blood there. She looked from his hand to his face, her expression flat while he smiled a satisfied thing that said he’d achieved something.
“I can Travel us out,” Cethin coaxed.
“We can walk,” she countered.
“The agreement was I’d tell you a way out of the gardens.”
“And you’re doing a terrible job at convincing me to marry you by tricking me.”
“There are no tricks, tiny fiend,” he said, his eyes once more bright with something she didn’t understand.
“Unfortunately, I do not have the entire day to guide you through these gardens,” he said. “I have other matters to attend to.”
Her mouth dropped open. “You are the one who insisted on this walk.”
“I did,” he agreed. “And I got part of what I wanted. You are obviously not going to agree to my other proposal at this time?—”
“Ever,” Kailia corrected. “I will not agree to that proposal ever.”
He made a show of tipping his head from side to side as if debating her words. “We shall have to agree to disagree on that matter. For now, I will escort you from the gardens by Traveling, or I can leave you here to find your own way back. However, know that the castle guard will not like an unknown female wandering the premises alone.”
“You… I—” She spluttered, trying to collect her thoughts, and his godsdamn smile only widened. “You are as arrogant and heartless as the rumors claim, king,” she finally managed to get out, each word laced with venom.
That smile of his vanished, replaced with something far more menacing. She’d seen death enough to know that was what lingered behind the look suddenly pinned on her. His hand snapped out, gripping hers and tugging her closer. Everything in her screamed at the contact, and she went rigid. If he noticed—and she was sure he did—he didn’t appear to care. Instead, he bent down so his words brushed along her cheek as he whispered low and dark, “Believe the rumors, tiny fiend. Every single one is true.”
Then she was being pulled through the air before he unexpectedly released her hand. She stumbled away from him, looking up into eyes where darkness now drifted among the silver. Briefly, she wondered when he’d dropped her boots. His gaze dipped to her other hand, and she had no idea when she’dpulled the dagger from its sheath, but she held the blade in the space between them.
His smile was all predator as his eyes darted to something over her shoulder. “The guards approach, Kailia. You have a choice to make. Make a new bargain with me or spend time in accommodations not nearly as comfortable as those provided last night.”
