Momentarily, I forgot that I wasn’t supposed to look too deep into those eyes and he snared mine quickly as punishment. Right then, he looked every bit like an enraged demon, from the scowl on his face to the scorching heat in his eyes.
“And did he?” he growled, his voice darkening. “Take from you?”
“No,” I whispered. “I told you. I had my arrow and…”
The look in his eyes was making me nervous, but oddly enough, it made me stop tapping on my wrist. The look in his eyes made my body still and my mind quiet.
I had a ridiculous thought that maybe Jana was wrong. Maybe letting a demon take your soul wasn’t such a terrible thing. It didn’tfeellike a terrible thing. Not right then at least. I felt almostcalm.
“Who was it?”
“What?” I whispered.
“What is his name?” he said slowly, but clearly.
“I thought it was rude to ask for names,” I said, wondering why he would ask, given what he’d told me that morning.
“Vok,” he cursed under his breath before jerking his gaze away. Released of his eyes, I felt my shoulders sag and my nerves return. “You are…”
I waited, tensed and quiet.
Then my eyes shot to him when he rose from the bath, water racing off his bared flesh. Miles and miles and miles of it. I remembered that I’d thought of him as a wall when I’d first seen him. A wall of strength and power, one that took up the entirety of my vision. All I could see right then was him. Even the tent seemed to fall away.
He trailed water all over the rugs as he stalked to a metal chest. He rummaged through it, found what it was he sought, and came towards me, all naked flesh and sinewed power. The sight of him made my throat bob and my eyes wander. For once, I cursed my own curiosity as I felt my cheeks grow warm.
He halted in front of me, his cock swaying between his legs, his heavy, dusky sack just beneath.
Before I had time to react, he dropped something in my lap and then returned to his bath.
A gift? I wondered, my breath hitching when I looked down at it. It was a dagger hilted inside a beautiful sheath of white bone, etched in gold pigment.
Pulling out the dagger, I saw it was lethally sharp. I could see my reflection in it and I peered more closely, seeing my pale face and dark eyes. I wished I was more beautiful, but figured it couldn’t be helped. It was a ridiculous, vain thing to wish for anyways.
“Is…is this for me?” I asked him softly, slowly. With hesitation, I looked over at him. He’d situated himself back inside his hot bath, the steam twirling around him. He’d dunked his head under water and his blond hair dripped droplets over his shoulders.
“Lysi,” he grunted.
“I can keep this?” I asked, looking down at the dagger, wanting to be sure. “It’s a gift?”
He exhaled a rough breath. “Lysi. A gift.”
“Oh,” I said, staring at my reflection in the blade. I’d never been given a gift before. My expression was perplexed, my lips turned down. “What do you want for it?”
“Neffar?”
“What do you expect for it in return?”
“I just told you it is a gift,” he growled, glaring at me.
“Nothing is free,” I told him. “There is always a reason.”
“That reason,” he rasped, “is so you know you can protect yourself if the occasion arises. That is Dakkari steel, forged by blade masters inDothik. It is far better and far sharper than any arrow and I give you my full permission to gut me with it if you feel unsafe in my presence.”
“Are you mad?” I asked softly, disturbed that he was so trusting. “You don’t know me. I could kill you in your sleep tonight if I so choose.”
“Vok, thissie, you willdriveme mad by the night’s end,” he growled. “Enough. Let me enjoy my bath in peace.”
Looking back down at the blade, I touched the tip, testing its sharpness. Only using the lightest of pressure, a bead of red blood appeared on my fingertip. Satisfied, I sucked the drop away and sheathed the dagger carefully.
