“Just shut up. You talk too much,” Kai says flatly, like he’s carrying a bag of flour instead of a full-grown, pissed-off woman.
“PUT. ME. DOWN!”
“If I were you, Kai,” Wyll calls from behind us, barely hiding a laugh, “I’d listen. She soundsmurder-y.”
“Just do as you’re told, for once,” Kai mutters and then, with deliberate confidence,smacks me, hard. A hot sting shoots across my backside.
That’s it.
I twist and slap him square on the ass, putting everything I’ve got into it. The impact jolts him, making him stumble a step. He drops me without hesitation. The floor tilts as I land hard. I’m barely upright before he’s on me, grabbing my chin in a bruising grip.
His face is too close, his eyes too dark.
“Careful, Princess,” Kai hisses. “It’s dangerous to play with sharp objects.” Then he leans in and licks the blood from my forehead, slowly—deliberately, like some twisted ritual. The light in his gaze intensifies for a split second, making my breath catch. And not in a good way, because heat pools down my belly.But then he shoves me back like I’m something dirty on his hands, and I’m too stunned to speak.
“Kinky,” Wyll murmurs with a big smile on.
Kai shoots him a death glare. “Stay, go, I don’t care. But I’m the one calling the shots tonight. And I’m not saving anyone too stupid to stay out of danger.”
“I’m not even wearing shoes!” I snap, arms flailing slightly for emphasis.
“Not my problem,” Kai says, walking away, not a fucking care in the world. My glare sharpens. My feet throb just from looking at the hallway. Wyll sighs dramatically.
“Fine, I’ll grab them. But this is officially going on your list of favours owed.”
“What favours?”
“Thehigh-and-mighty kind,” he says with a wink before vanishing into the room.
And just like that, I’m alone with Kai again, so I start walking, not particularly eager to stay alone.
Silence closes in, with the faint echoes of pained cries.
It’s awkward, heavy. The kind that presses in, begging to be broken, even if you’ll hate what comes next.
“Thanks. For earlier,” I murmur.
Kai doesn’t even look at me. “Don’t get used to it.”
Right, of course not.
Why did I even bother?
Wyll returns, tossing me my boots and a clean pair of socks. I mutter a thanks as I quickly put them on.
At least one of them isn’t a complete asshole.
14
Avilyna
CASA LINDIR
We windthrough a couple of hallways. Ones that, frankly, couldn’t be more confusing, until we finally step outside. I realize we’re in a different yard, one I haven’t seen before. This place is a total labyrinth. I may have just wandered into a party, but it’s definitely not the kind with chips and awkward small talk.
This?
This iswild.
