Cyntag stepped inside and closed the door, his eyes narrowing.Cold dread washed over Ruby.How in the hell had he known she was here?He was supposed to be teaching.And she was sure that he hadn’t seen her.She launched to her feet and slid out from behind his desk.Every excuse or bluff fled her mind.
Thankfully he spoke before anything dumb could roll out of her mouth.“Ruby, right?Ruby Salazaar?”
The blood drained from her face.He knew her.Keep cool and answer him.She swallowed what felt like a ball of sand.
No.Yes.What’s it to you?What came out was, “Yeah?”Brilliant, Ruby.
He stepped forward, reaching for her.Her street-smart instincts kicked in.Mon had taught her to look for a defensive weapon in her surroundings.At the yard, she could always lay her hand on a shard of metal or a screwdriver.
Her fingers touched a silver letter opener as he brushed past her and plucked a cell phone from the desk just as it began playing Queen’sWe Are the Champions.He ignored the call, and the song stopped.
Since she already had her hand on the letter opener, she went with it, pulling it out of the leather cup and rubbing the curves of the silver dragon handle.“It’s beautiful.Very detailed, even down to the talons.”She wasn’t used to going for the gun; if she had, she’d have blown it for sure by overreacting.
What’s wrong with you?Cool and calm, calm and cool.
Not working.Her rash felt as though it was on fire.
Cyntag eyed the letter opener, obviously nobody’s fool.“And very sharp.I’ll take that.”He tugged it from her reluctant grasp but didn’t return it to the cup.“Moncrief finally sent you to me, then?”He glanced around.“He didn’t come with you?”
“He’s dead.”Which you know, considering you killed him.The words burned up her throat and singed her tongue.The rage, she could hardly hold it back.
Cool and calm, calm and cool, damn it.
His eyebrows, shaped like sleek raven’s wings, settled into a furrow.“Moncrief is dead?How?”
“You sent an orb, some kind of lightning thing, to kill him.Don’t play dumb with me.”The words boiled out.So much for cool and calm.“He said your name.I asked him who had done it, and on his dying breath,he said your name.”Now she’d accused him.He would have to act, defend… or kill her.She pulled the gun from the holster and leveled it at him, because the latter option was most likely.
An odd expression flickered across his face.“Ruby, what are you doing?”
Losing her mind, that’s what.Her heart thudded roughly in the area of her diaphragm, which was weird because that’s not where it resided.She grabbed his phone and thumb-dialed her number with the same hand that held it.Her brief outgoing message played, then the beep.She shoved it toward him with her other hand.“Say your name and admit it.Admit you had him killed.”
He was eerily cool, the way she should have been.“I didn’t kill Moncrief.”
“He said you did.”
“I don’t think he said that, Ruby.”God, the way he said her name, slow and smooth, like thick honey.“You obviously saw an orb kill him.You were upset, scared.Like you are now.”
She pushed the gun closer.“I’m notscared.I’m pissed.I know how to use this.I hit the center of the target nine times out of ten.”
“Impressive.Are you shaking like this while you’re aiming?”In a flash, he turned her around, shoved her arm aside, and tightened his grip on her wrist.His arms encircled her, his bare skin brushing against her arms.
A sharp click, then another, and the magazine dropped to the floor.“Is there a round in the chamber, Ruby?”his voice rasped close to her ear.“I don’t want to hurt your wrist, but I will if you don’t answer me.”
“No round.”
He flicked the safety anyway.“Then I suggest you release the weapon, and we’ll continue this conversation in a more civilized fashion.”
The gun fell from her hand, thudding on the floor.He took the phone from her other hand and disconnected, then set it on the desk.Finally, he released her.She moved as far from him as she could, rubbing her wrist.
He casually leaned back against his desk.“What exactly did Moncrief tell you about me?”Cyntag had a deliberate way of speaking, properly enunciating each word.
“I only know your name because Mon said it as he was dying.”
That seemed to surprise him.“You know nothing about me?”
You’re the Dragon Prince.Yeah, that would sound logical.Not that anything about this was logical.“I heard the message you left him.The police have it, by the way.”She glanced at her wrist, even though she wore no watch.“They’ll be here any time to question you.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose, hopefully buying her bluff.“What did you tell them about the orb?”
